BUSINESS PAPER
Tuesday 11 May 2004
BUSINESS PAPER
Tuesday 11 May 2004
3339
PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
2003-04
FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT
___________________
NOTICES OF MOTIONS
AND
ORDERS OF THE DAY
No. 75
TUESDAY 11 MAY 2004
___________________
GOVERNMENT BUSINESS
ORDERS OF THE DAY—
1. Appropriation (Budget Variations) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Knowles, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 17 March 2004—Mr George).
2. Mining Amendment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Hickey, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 2 April 2004—Mr Maguire).
3. Transport Administration Amendment (New South Wales and Commonwealth Rail Agreement) Bill; consideration of Legislative Council amendments (Mr Knowles).
4. Filming Approval Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Debus, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 5 May 2004—Mr R.W. Turner).
5. Regional Development Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Campbell, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 5 May 2004—Mr Constance).
6. Courts Legislation Amendment Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Debus, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 7 May 2004—Mr Maguire).
7. State Revenue Legislation Amendment Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Knowles, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 7 May 2004—Mr Maguire).
8. Greyhound and Harness Racing Administration Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr McBride, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 7 May 2004—Mr Maguire).
9. Mine Health and Safety Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Hickey, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 7 May 2004—Mr Maguire).
10. Budget Estimates and related papers 2003-2004; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Scully, “That this House take note of the Budget Estimates and related papers 2003-2004” (from 29 October 2003— Mr West)
GENERAL BUSINESS
NOTICES OF MOTIONS (for Bills)—
That leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to amend the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 in relation to the distribution of electoral districts and to ensure that the will of the people is expressed through the democratic process.
(Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Amendment (Redistribution and Electoral Fairness) Bill).
(Notice given 2 September 2003)
That leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to transfer certain State forest land to the national park estate; and for other purposes.
(National Park Estate (Brigalow South Bio-Region Reservations) Bill).
(Notice given 29 October 2003)
3. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to amend the Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Act 2000 to make further provision for the taking of forensic material from certain offenders and other persons for the purpose of deriving DNA profiles for inclusion in the DNA database system; and for other purposes.
(Crimes (Forensic Procedures) Amendment (Comprehensive DNA Testing) Bill).
(Notice given 12 November 2003)
That leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to require the preparation of rural communities impact statements and to specify the circumstances in which they are required; and for other purposes.
(Rural Communities Impacts Bill).
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to amend the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 with respect to appeals against jury verdicts.
(Criminal Appeal Amendment (Jury Verdicts) Bill).
(Notice given 16 March 2004)
That leave be given to bring in a bill for an Act to constitute the Public Land Protection Trust, to establish a Register of significant public land and to protect significant public land; to amend the Education Act 1990 to provide for the protection of the sites of closed Government schools; and for other purposes.
(Public Lands Protection Bill).
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
ORDERS OF THE DAY (for Bills)—
1. Director of Public Prosecutions Amendment (Parliamentary Joint Committee) Bill; resumption of the interrupted reply (Mr Tink).
2. Police Integrity Commission Amendment (Reports) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Tink, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 26 June 2003—Mr Newell).
3. Government School Assets Register Bill; resumption of the interrupted debate, on the motion of Mrs Skinner, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 1 April 2004—Mr Hazzard speaking).
† Quarantine Station Preservation Trust Bill; second reading (Mr Richardson).
4. Civil Liability Amendment (Mental Illness) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Tink, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 20 November 2003—Mr Newell).
5. Police Amendment (Crime Reduction and Reporting) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Debnam, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 26 February 2004—Mr Newell).
6. Cross-Border Commission Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Page, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 26 February 2004—Mr Newell).
7. Community Protection (Closure of Illegal Brothels) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Ms Seaton, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 11 March 2004—Mr Newell).
8. Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Amendment (Prohibition on Voting by Criminals) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Humpherson, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 1 April 2004—Mr Newell).
9. Liquor Amendment (Parliament House) Bill ; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr O'Farrell, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 1 April 2004—Mr Ashton).
10. Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Bill; resumption of the adjourned debate, on the motion of Mr Lynch, “That this bill be now read a second time” (from 6 May 2004—Mr Maguire).
† Bill forwarded from the Legislative Council
ORDERS OF THE DAY (General Orders)—
1. Coalition Parties Endorsed Candidates; resumption of the interrupted debate, on the motion of Mr Orkopoulos—
“That” this House condemns the Coalition parties for hiding their endorsed candidates behind the Hunter First group without identifying their party and policies and calls on the Coalition to:
1. Fully disclose to the Election Funding Authority the sources of funding for the massive advertising campaign in the Hunter media.
2. Ensure that in future Coalition candidates openly display their party and policies and not hide them.
Upon which Mr Hartcher moved, That the motion be amended as follows:
Omit all words after “that” with a view to inserting instead the following words
this House:
1. Condemns the Labor Members of the Hunter for their dynastic establishment and poor representation of the region.
2. Congratulates Hunter First for its commitment to the welfare and advancement of the Hunter Region.
3. Further notes and supports their plan to campaign against Labor again in 2007.
(from 6 May 2004—Mr Morris—speaking).
NOTICES OF MOTIONS (General Notices)—
1. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House condemns the Government’s mismanagement of the State’ s prison system as evidenced most recently by the cover-up during the election campaign of the death of an inmate who should previously have been released.
(Notice given 29 April 2003)
That this House condemns the Government and the Member for Smithfield for:
1. The cover-up of Professor West’s safety warnings about Menangle Bridge;
2. The failure of the Premier to stand down the former Minister for Roads and Transport from Cabinet during the ICAC probe;
3. The failure to produce primary documentation proving bridge safety from engineers regarding the re-opening of the Menangle Bridge on 24 April 2003;
4. The failure to produce guarantees of safety on other rail bridges on the Southern line; and
5. The cover-up of the final report on the Bargo rail crash.
(Notice given 1 May 2003)
That this House urges both the State and Commonwealth Governments to complete all Pacific Highway upgrades in the Port Macquarie electorate by 2006.
(Notice given 1 May 2003)
4. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House condemns the Government for the secrecy, lack of transparency and lack of accountability to the taxpayers of New South Wales over the sale of the Kenmore Hospital site.
(Notice given 1 May 2003)
That this House calls on the Special Minister for State to advise whether the Government plans to expand the WorkCover levy to include compulsory superannuation contributions, directors’ fees or termination payments made to separating employees.
(Notice given 1 May 2003)
That this House congratulates the Government for spending more than $322 million on capital works projects in the electorate of Bankstown and supporting more than 5,100 direct and indirect jobs as a result of these projects.
(Notice given 7 May 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to acknowledge and support the increasing role of regional universities in the economic and social development of their local communities.
(Notice given 7 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Recognises self-funded retirees in New South Wales do not receive access to the concessions that self-funded retirees receive in Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory.
2. Urges the Government to accept the Commonwealth offer of financial assistance to provide equity in concessions for self-funding retirees in New South Wales, thereby recognizing their contribution to the State.
(Notice given 7 May 2003)
That this House condemns the Government’s axing of the Airport Express bus service at a time when the airport train fare and taxi prices have risen, adding to the cost for country people on a trip to the city.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
10. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Calls on the Government to recognise and address the disastrous impact on sport, tourism and recreation of escalating public liability premiums and the inability of many organizations to either afford insurance or obtain cover.
2. Calls on the Government to do an urgent and full assessment as to the viability of sport, tourist and recreation facilities particularly in country areas and take urgent remedial action to guarantee these aspects of community life.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
11. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House calls on the Government to provide urgent assistance to Yass Shire Council to enable a viable long-term solution for the town’s water supply, serving the towns of Yass, Binalong and Bowning, which will be exhausted by October 2003 despite the most stringent water restrictions ever being in place.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
12. Mr OAKESHOTT to move—
That this House accepts and adopts the ten key recommendations from Australian Business Limited to help improve small business opportunities in New South Wales.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes with concern the delay in confirmation of a second renal specialist in the Northern Rivers Health Service.
2. Notes that despite an unconditional offer to Canadian renal specialist, Dr Courtney, in November 2002, and the fact he has been given New South Wales registration and permission to practice by the Royal College of Physicians, he has still not received an employment contract.
3. Notes that renal specialist services to Grafton and Maclean will be withdrawn if this much needed position is not filled.
4. Calls on the Government to confirm their commitment to rural health by immediately confirming the appointment of this practitioner.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that Amina Lawal, a Nigerian woman who gave birth to a child in 2002, is due to be buried up to her neck and stoned to death on Tuesday 3 June 2003 for having the baby in an adulterous relationship.
2. Calls on the New South Wales Government to express its alarm at the plight of Ms Lawal and urges the Government of Nigeria to overturn the death penalty in this and all such cases.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
15. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises the Federal Government’s $7million contribution to tourism to combat the crippling effect of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome virus on tourism.
2. Calls on the State Government to match dollar for dollar on a population basis, the Federal Government’s contribution to re-invigorate New South Wales tourism.
(Notice given 8 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that North Balgowlah Public School has ten demountables and only six permanent classrooms.
2. Notes that the school is still awaiting delivery of an eleventh demountable forcing year six classes to be held in the school hall and the after school care building.
3. Notes that a demountable was evacuated on 14 May 2003 due to external leaking.
4. Calls on the Government to immediately address the school’s need for better and safer student and staff accommodation.
(Notice given 20 May 2003)
That this House urges the Commonwealth Government to recognise its responsibility to prevent regional economic downturn by:
1. Instituting a system of cash grants for grain growers who can show an enterprise loss in two consecutive cropping seasons;
2. Instituting a system of cash grants for graziers who can show an enterprise loss in two consecutive years; and
3. Applying similar financial and business criteria as those applied by the Commonwealth Government to the 2000 Rainfall Event Flood Assistance package.
(Notice given 20 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the importance of Schizophrenia Awareness Week in raising knowledge in the community of the impact of this severe illness.
2. Congratulates the Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales and the Sunflower Club in their programs to support schizophrenia sufferers and carers and raising public awareness of this illness.
3. Supports the continued work of these and other support groups assisting schizophrenia sufferers.
(Notice given 20 May 2003)
19. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House notes the People’s Republic of China’s policy towards Falun Dafa adherents and condemns the Sydney Consulate General’s media release of 15 May 2003 justifying the policy on the basis of “safeguarding fundamental human rights and freedom”.
(Notice given 22 May 2003)
That, in view of the success of the Soil Conservation Service over past years, this House calls upon the Government to re-establish the Soil Conservation Service.
(Notice given 22 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Expresses concern at delays in the investigation of an attempted murder at Haymarket on 8 October 2002.
2. Calls on any members of the public who were in the Haymarket area on 8 October 2002 to contact police with any information which may assist the investigation; and
3. Asks the Minister for Police to explain what impact the current police budget crisis has had on the Haymarket investigation.
(Notice given 27 May 2003)
That this House congratulates the Government on the steps it has taken to make schools safer, including the school fencing program, the establishment of the Safety and Security Directorate and the program of crime prevention workshops.
(Notice given 27 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the United States Senate and House of Representatives have recently passed legislation that will allow the United States to recommence research into the development of small nuclear weapons.
2. Notes that this action undermines the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and is likely to lead to a renewed nuclear arms race.
3. Calls on the Federal Government to make immediate representations to the United States expressing Australia’s strong opposition to small nuclear weapons research.
(Notice given 27 May 2003)
That this House acknowledges the Government’s actions to get container trucks off Botany Road.
(Notice given 27 May 2003)
That this House calls upon the Federal Government to include the following principles in the Australian Health Care Agreement:
1. The Commonwealth share should be increased to 50% of total spending in the first year of a new agreement: and
2. The Commonwealth contribution should be indexed to reflect the real costs of care over the period of the agreement.
(Notice given 27 May 2003)
That this House congratulates the Government for its continuing commitment to record police numbers that are helping to keep the people of New South Wales safer.
(Notice given 27 May 2003)
27. Mr RICHARDSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that 890 residents of Kellyville have signed a petition opposing the banning of right turns from Windsor Road into Acres Road Kellyville from 1 June 2003.
2. Notes the inconvenience this closure will cause residents.
3. Notes the fear of shopkeepers on the south side of Windsor Road that the right turn ban will put them out of business.
4. Calls on the Minister for Roads to instruct the Roads and Traffic Authority to develop an intersection treatment as part of its upgrade of Windsor Road that maintains the right turn into Acres Road.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
That this House calls on the Leader of the Opposition to advise:
1. When did he become aware that the Hon Charlie Lynn MLC was going to make his allegations about a Cabinet Minister in the Legislative Council?
2. Why did he not tell the Hon Charlie Lynn to take this to the appropriate authorities before raising them in the Legislative Council?
3. As the Leader of the Coalition, did he check the veracity of these allegations, and if not, why not?
4. Was Senator Bill Heffernan, the man who made the allegations against Justice Michael Kirkby, involved in making these allegations available to the Hon Charlie Lynn and other Liberal Party members?
5. Has anyone from the Opposition’s frontbench been involved in helping the Hon Charlie Lynn use the material in the Legislative Council?
6. Why will he not conduct a full press conference on this issue?
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the added impost on country high schools for freight of Higher School Certificate exam material to the Board of Studies in Sydney, a charge of approximately $1000 in the case of one high school on the Mid North Coast; and
2. Calls on the Government to cease this discriminatory treatment of country schools.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
30. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House refers to the Independent Commission Against Corruption for investigation the circumstances surrounding the authorship, payment and distribution of the Manly Times during the State election campaign, including the involvement of the Member for Manly.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the constitution recommended by the Department of Fair Trading for community organisations is divisive and allows dominant members of community organisations to exclude or expel other interested parties.
2. Notes that this constitution has caused three members of the Mid-Richmond Neighbourhood Centre at Evans Head to resign and the Chairman to stand down.
3. Notes that the Mid-Richmond Neighbourhood Centre now has closed meetings and excludes non-member groups from attending.
4. Calls on the Minister for Fair Trading to review this situation immediately.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
32. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that over 1200 people in the Kosciusko District have signed a petition calling for a judicial inquiry to investigate January’s extensive bushfires in the Tumut, Brindabella and Snowy Mountain regions, particularly in relation to the causes of fires and the degree to which lack of hazard reduction measures by the National Parks and Wildlife Service contributed to the severity of the fires; and
2. Condemns the Government for its treatment of those people affected by the bushfires.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
33. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House notes the Premier’s recent book is proof he did not burn his diaries in 1992, as he had previously claimed.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the exceptional care and teaching provided to the severely disabled students of the Sir Eric Woodward Memorial School.
2. Notes the concerns of parents that the nurse who is currently present for almost the entire school day will, in the future, be part of a community plan that will consist of referral services.
3. Calls on the Minister for Education and Training and the Minister for Disability Services to ensure that a nurse is centred at the Sir Eric Woodward Memorial School for the health care needs and observation of students.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the Government’s failure to table the New South Wales Department of Education and Training Annual Report 2002, by the end of the reporting year.
2. Notes the Annual Reports (Departments) Act 1985 requirement that the Minister is to make or table a statement in the House as to the extent of, and the reasons for, that lateness.
3. Calls on the Minister for Education to explain why the report has not been tabled.
4. Calls on the Minister to table the report.
(Notice given 29 May 2003)
That this House acknowledges the Government’s achievements in revitalising public education in South Sydney through:
1. The creation of Alexandria Park Community School, a facility educating students from kindergarten to year 12 across two campuses.
2. The development of strong links between Alexandria Park and the local community.
3. Increasing enrolments in public education in South Sydney by over 100 students since 2002.
(Notice given 17 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the commencement on 14 June 2003 of Helicopter Awareness Week.
2. Recognises the contribution to the community by the Westpac Surf Lifesaver Rescue helicopter services based at Sydney and Wollongong, the Westpac Hunter Region service based at Newcastle and Tamworth and the Westpac Northern Region service based at Lismore.
3. Congratulates and thanks the staff and voluntary crew members who continually place their lives at risk to save lives.
(Notice given 17 June 2003)
That this House condemns the Federal Government for its proposed changes to higher education funding which will disadvantage the University of Western Sydney and make access to tertiary education that much harder for students from low income families.
(Notice given 18 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the Resource and Conservation Assessment Council has identified an excess of 21,000 hectares of State Forest to be transferred to National Park estate.
2. Notes that prior to the March election, the Greens candidate for Monaro, Catherine Moore, called for these State Forests in the South East to be transferred into National Park as part of a preference deal with Labor.
3. Calls on the Premier to advise the House of what preference deals he agreed to with the Greens prior to the election.
4. Refers this matter to the Independent Commission Against Corruption for investigation.
(Notice given 18 June 2003)
That this House condemns the Government for:
1. not announcing its plans to abolish 1,000 jobs from the public education system before the March 2003 election;
2. its hypocritical attack on the Coalition’s policy to fund smaller class sizes by cutting bureaucratic waste; and
3. dishonesty in leading people to believe the transfer of 300 teachers out of head office would increase teacher numbers as these are only going to fill vacancies in the current establishment.
(Notice given 18 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Commends and thanks the Australian Defence Force personnel and civilians who contributed to operations in Iraq and Afaganistan in Operation Slipper, Operation Bastille, and Operation Falconer.
2. Extends its thanks to personnel unable to attend the march in Sydney of June 18 2003, particularly the officers and crew of the HMAS Kanimbla and personnel of the SAS.
3. Pays tribute to the families of those servicemen and women and the important support structures and various organizations that assisted them during the period of separation.
(Notice given 18 June 2003)
42. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the meeting of the Resource and Conservation Assessment Council on 18 June 2003 identified 24,000 hectares of State Forest in South East New South Wales to be transferred to National Park estate.
2. Notes that Greens candidate for Monaro, Catherine Moore, prior to the March election, nominated the forests which were identified for reservation as part of her conditions for a preference deal with Labor.
3. Calls on the Minister for Natural Resources to give an assurance to the timber industry in the South East that there will be no jobs lost and that timber contracts and supplies will be honoured.
4. Calls on the Minister to conduct a Rural Communities Impact Statement before any decision is made to transfer State Forest to National Park, as required under the Premier’s Cabinet memorandum No 96-17 of 8 October 1996.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that thousands of litres of partially treated sewerage poured into Berowra Creek as a result of overflows of the sewage treatment plants in Hornsby and Hornsby Heights during recent high rainfalls.
2. Notes that cracked pipes and unmaintained related infrastructure allowed rainwater to enter the system, straining the ability of the sewage treatment plants to adequately treat raw sewage.
3. Calls on the Government to increase funding for replacement of archaic infrastructure and improve maintenance so that sewage treatment plants can cope when it rains.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
44. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes widespread community use of the West Chatswood Rotary Athletics Field, including up to 1000 athletes competing in Northern Suburbs Little Athletics, UTS Northern Suburbs Athletics Competitions, local school carnivals and many other community sporting events.
2. Condemns the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) proposal to use the car park of the athletics field as a compound while it builds the Lane Cove tunnel, thereby threatening use of the field.
3. Calls on the Government to immediately direct the RTA to find an alternative site for the compound.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
That this House:
(a) The outstanding achievements of Southern Highlands Public schools in all fields of endeavour.
(b) The overcrowding in Bowral and Picton High Schools and the need for an additional public high school in the Southern Highlands.
(c) The failure of the Government to provide adequate protection for schools such as Bargo Public School which was recently subject to vandalism.
(d) The failure of the Government to provide for major upgrades and new facilities at many schools including Moss Vale High School.
2. Calls on the Government to commit to resourcing all Southern Highlands school needs in the 2003/04 budget.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the report “The Rock – Boree Creek Engineering Assessment for 23TN Axle Loads”, which gives the actual state of the branch line.
2. Notes the deterioration of The Rock to Boree Creek branch rail line.
3. Calls on the Government to urgently fund this important piece of infrastructure.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
47. Mr R. W. TURNER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the single desk arrangement for wheat export sales provides security and certainty for growers and maximises returns to them.
2. Notes that the single desk for wheat exports is the result of extensive negotiations between industry and government.
3. Supports the Federal Agriculture Minister’s continued strong backing of the single desk.
4. Rejects any attempt to deregulate the single desk arrangement for wheat export sales.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Calls on the Minister for Education to provide information as to when funding will be provided to upgrade the Rooty Hill High School library.
2. Notes that the school and Parents and Citizens have been writing to the Minister for Education about this matter since 2001.
3. Calls on the Government to publish a list of outstanding capital works at all schools and a timeline for their completion.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
49. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that without significant rainfall, Yass will run out of water by December 2003.
2. Calls on the Government to expedite a solution to the Yass water supply problem.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that there are numerous young people in nursing homes with brain injuries and other health problems (such as multiple sclerosis) necessitating 24 hour nursing care.
2. Notes that these people would do better in facilities designed to meet their specific needs thereby releasing nursing home beds.
3. Calls on the Government to recognize the need for places to care for younger people with debilitating illnesses who do not fit into the category of nursing home residents.
(Notice given 19 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that ongoing problems with the facilities at North Balgowlah Public School have reached a crisis point with the school’s power supply unable to cope with the winter conditions.
2. Notes that staff and students are currently being forced to work without lighting, the library has been closed, and computer classes have been abandoned.
3. Calls on the Government to take urgent action so that staff and students do not have to work in these nineteenth century conditions.
(Notice given 24 June 2003)
That this House condemns the Premier for misleading the Parliament on Wednesday 25 June 2003 when he claimed that the Budget contained no additional revenue windfalls above those in the Half-Year Review, when the Budget in fact shows total revenues will be over $2.5 billion higher than the Government forecast in the December 2002 Half-Year Review.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
53. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises and congratulates the Singapore Government on the release of $173 million to revive its tourism industry.
2. Congratulates the Victorian Government on granting tourism in that State a total of $40 million over the next four years.
3. Further congratulates the Federal Government on its allocation of $10 million to assist the Australian Tourist Commission’s international marketing campaign.
4. Recognises the New South Wales Government’s $4 million cut to tourism in the 2003-04 Budget.
5. Acknowledges the parlous position of many hotels and resorts, charter vessel businesses and tour operators in general in New South Wales.
6. Calls on the New South Wales Government to reverse its $4 million Budget contraction and restore that funding plus an additional $4 million as a matter of sensible business support for tourism in this State.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
54. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the imminent cessation of all cycle racing on open roads across New South Wales following the release of new road closure guidelines by Police.
2. Notes concerns of the cycling community, including Cycling New South Wales, about this development.
3. Calls upon the Ministers for Police, Sport, Racing and Local Government to immediately convene a summit to resolve the issues preventing a continuation of cycle road racing in the State.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
55. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House, in support of the meeting of residents of St Ives and other areas of Ku-ring-gai on 21 June 2003:
1. Condemns the Government for continuing to inflict its SEPP5 and SEPP53 policies upon the community of St Ives and Ku-ring-gai.
2. Objects to developers destroying St Ives and Ku-ring-gai streetscapes and natural environment and depriving the community of appropriate amenity and adequate infrastructure.
3. Calls on the Premier and the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure to immediately revoke the Government’s SEPP5 and SEPP53 policies and return planning powers to the democratically elected Council.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
56. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes and congratulates the Bega Chamber of Commerce for being announced as the State Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of the Year.
2. Notes the excellent contribution that the Bega Chamber of Commerce makes to the local community throughout the Bega Valley.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
57. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House condemns the Government for its continued failure to adequately monitor air quality at the Northside Storage Tunnel exhaust vent at Scott’ ;s Creek, especially given the vent’s close proximity to a school and local residents.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that there are 9,461 young people between the ages of 15 and 24 in the electorate of Hornsby;
2. Notes that some young people in this age group will be susceptible now the season for meningococcal disease is approaching; and
3. Condemns the Government for its extremely slow uptake of the Federal Government initiative to vaccinate all eligible children in New South Wales schools.
(Notice given 26 June 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the recent Distance Education Staffing Audit report.
2. Notes that the Camden Haven High School, with 780 regular students, has not been permitted to include the 309 additional Distance Education Students for the purposes of its supervisory staffing.
3. Calls on the Minister for Education to resolve this staffing inequity before any industrial action results.
(Notice given 1 July 2003)
60. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Condemns the Government’s planned closure of its Confused and Disturbed Elderly Unit in Queanbeyan, which is nothing more than cost shifting to the Federal Government.
2. Notes that this decision has greatly affected elderly patients and their families from South East New South Wales, including the electorate of Bega, as people will be moved from these units to local nursing homes.
3. Calls on the Minister for Health to reverse this decision.
(Notice given 1 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the reforms of commercial fishing in estuaries introduced by the former Minister for Fisheries.
2. Notes the anger of both recreational and commercial fishers on the Mid North Coast, including on the Macleay and Camden Haven Rivers, about displaced non-local commercial fishers operating on the few remaining open estuaries.
3. Calls on the Government to overhaul this failed policy to ensure sustainable fishing throughout the State.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Calls on:
a. the Government to explain why patient psychotherapy services at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital have ceased;
b. the Minister for Health to explain why psychotherapists have been reduced from 8 four months ago to 3.5; and
(2) Condemns the Government for denying children with disabilities from disadvantaged families access to psychotherapy services.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. the crisis in affordable housing in New South Wales under the current Government;
b. that house and land packages have risen from $250,000 to $400,000 in the last three years, causing a building company to withdraw from the market;
c. the Government’s windfall stamp duty gains of $830 million last year alone ;
d. the lack of affordable housing strategies by the Government; and
(2) Calls on the Government to support the Coalition’s Stamp Duty Reduction Plan.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
64. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes widespread community concern about lack of disability or elderly access at Chatswood railway station.
2. Notes the answer given by the Minister for Infrastructure on 1 July 2003 in which he stated that the press release issued by the Minister for Transport Services on this matter should be referred to.
3. Demands that the Government outline its interim plans for disability and elderly access at Chatswood railway station given that no such press release exists.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the Minister for Utilities has acknowledged the timeframe for commencement of sewerage connection to the Brooklyn and Dangar Island residents as the beginning of 2005.
2. Notes that Cowan will be left behind as a metropolitan community without sewerage connection until at least 2008.
3. Urges the Minister to enable connection of Cowan to an appropriate sewerage system in a parallel time-frame with Brooklyn and Dangar Island.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House notes that members of the Kempsey Branch of the Labor Party are calling for a review of the term “Country Labor” in New South Wales because they are being mistaken for National Party representatives or just another faction of the Australian Labor Party.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House calls on the Minister for Transport Services to release the results of the Better Buses North survey and guarantee that there will be no reduction in bus services to the Northern Beaches.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House calls on the Members for Kiera, Illawarra, Wollongong, Kiama and Heathcote to explain why they have failed to mention and lobby for the Port Kembla Container Terminal proposal in their speeches in this House since March 2003.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the pivotal role that the TAFE New South Wales Riverina Institute plays in the Riverina/Murray region.
2. Recognises TAFE Riverina’s community of interests based on established geographic, transport, retail, cultural, communication and business linkages.
3. Rejects the proposed new region as unworkable.
4. Recognises that the Government has increased fees on all TAFE courses, including second chance courses which help people gain skills to enter or re-enter the workforce.
5. Notes funding for maintenance of TAFE institutes and TAFE equipment in this year’s budget is less than it was last year.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes community outrage that the Government proposes to split the Riverina Institute of TAFE with the loss of hundreds of jobs.
2. Calls on the Minister to support his Institute Chairman and Advisory Council demand to create a ninth region for Riverina Murray.
3. Recognises that Riverina TAFE has increased its income to $14.7m per annum representing 100% increase over the past five years, and
4. Acknowledges the proposal as a grab for cash from the Riverina/Murray Region.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House:
1. Condemns the Minister for Education and the Government for their destructive anti-TAFE policy.
2. Acknowledges that training by TAFE is critical for economic development of New South Wales and the Murray/Riverina Region.
3. Calls on the community and the Minister for Regional Development to join the fight to create a ninth region for Riverina/Murray.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House calls on the Minister for Health to provide a commencement date and a finishing date for the building of the promised new Manly Hospital.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House notes that the passing of the National Park Estate (Reservations) Bill 2003 could cost the taxpayers of New South Wales an estimated $238.3m in compensation.
(Notice given 3 July 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to:
1. Support independent retirees by extending a range of benefits to them currently available to pensioners; and
2. Immediately accept the Federal Government’s longstanding offer to jointly fund with the State the following benefits:
a. free registration of single motor vehicle
b. yearly rebate of $112 on electricity bills
c. discounts of up to $250 a year or 50% of council rates (whichever is the lesser)
d. rebates on water and sewage up to $320 a year for urban areas or up to $87.50 or 50% on regional water and sewage rates.
(Notice given 2 September 2003)
That this House expresses concern with the ongoing youth crime and anti-social behavior in Maroubra and in the Wollongong suburb of Berkeley and calls on the Government to provide twenty four hour police protection for local residents at least until the juvenile street thugs are brought to justice.
(Notice given 2 September 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to instigate, in conjunction with registered clubs, a complete review of the capability of clubs to pay additional taxation.
(Notice given 3 September 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to:
1. Support calls from the Hawkesbury Branch of the Independent Retirees by extending a range of benefits to them currently available to pensioners; and
2. Immediately accept the Federal Government’s longstanding offer to jointly fund with the State the following benefits:
a. free registration of single motor vehicle
b. yearly rebate of $112 on electricity bills
c. discounts of up to $250 a year or 50% of council rates (whichever is the lesser)
d. rebates on water and sewage up to $320 a year for urban areas or up to $87.50 or 50% on regional water and sewage rates.
(Notice given 3 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges National Meals on Wheels Day;
2. Recognizes the contribution to the community of this not-for-profit organization; and
3. Congratulates and thanks the 35,000 volunteers in New South Wales who give their time to provide this crucial service to 20,000 aged people, people with disabilities and their carers every day.
(Notice given 3 September 2003)
79. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House:
1. Calls on the Premier to detail why the Government failed for 7 days to apply all available aerial firefighting resources to controlling the McIntyre’s Hut bushfire in January 2003 which eventually entered urban Canberra causing the deaths of 4 people and destroying 506 homes; and
2. Calls on the Premier to co-operate with the Prime Minister’s Council of Australian Governments bushfire inquiry and the Federal Parliamentary bushfire inquiry.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
80. Mr O’FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. statements made by the Member for Smithfield to this House on 1 May 2003 concerning his receipt of a briefing note on the Menangle Bridge safety situation;
b. evidence given by the Member for Smithfield to the ICAC on 22 May 2003 concerning the same matter.
2. Calls upon the Member for Smithfield to explain to the House the discrepancy between both statements.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Deplores the closure of the Primary Industry and Natural Resources Division of TAFE at Orange.
2. Notes the 77 new courses that the Division has designed for regional businesses and training schemes.
3. Recognises the value of locating the Division in a regional center in close proximity to its clients.
4. Calls on the Government to immediately re-establish the Primary Industry and Natural Resources Division in Orange.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
82. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Supports the call by Snowy Hydro Limited for the National Parks Service to fast track a six-year trial of cloud seeding beginning next winter in the Kosciusko National Park.
2. Notes the program would produce more snow, not rain, enhancing the Alpine environment and increasing spring water run-off for improved downstream flows with a potential to generate more than 100 gigalitres into the Murray each year of the trial.
3. Notes that such a trial has the “in principle” support of Kosciusko Thredbo Pty Limited and Perisher Blue Pty Limited, and will directly benefit many small businesses.
4. Notes that cloud seeding has been undertaken over the past fifty years in the USA, without any significant adverse environmental impact, and Tasmania has been cloud seeding over the past forty years.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
83. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises Waltzing Matilda as Australia’s most famous, best known and most enjoyed national song.
2. Calls on the people of New South Wales to sing this song in particular at the forthcoming Rugby World Cup matches.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
84. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the deteriorating state of the 110 year old, two lane, timber Pambula Bridge on the Princes Highway and its inability to maintain traffic flows on the highway during flooding.
2. Notes the statements of the Federal Shadow Minister for Urban and Regional Development that the Pambula Bridge is “a New South Wales Government responsibility, not a Commonwealth responsibility”.
3. Calls on the Member for Monaro and the Minister for Roads to assume responsibility when it is obvious to all that the Pambula Bridge should be fully funded by the State Government.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
85. Mr RICHARDSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. That under the Electricity Supply Amendment (Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction) Act 2002 the New South Wales electricity industry is required to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 16 per cent by the year 2007;
b. That the Government is considering approving a new 1000MW coal-fired power station near Mudgee;
c. That a power station of this size and type would emit carbon dioxide equivalent to one million cars;
d. That a power shortage is looming in New South Wales; and
2. Calls on the Premier to explain how the Government will achieve cuts in greenhouse gas emissions in the electricity industry without causing widespread blackouts or raising electricity prices.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Condemns the Premier and the Minister for Agriculture for cutting all full time and part time residential courses offered at Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture at Yanco.
2. Notes this will disadvantage students in western New South Wales particularly in the electorate of Murray Darling who rely on residential courses offered by the Murrumbidgee College of Agriculture.
3. Notes that in the last five months TAFE has increased fees for the most disadvantaged students in New South Wales, there has been a net reduction of 700 jobs in the Department of Education and one of the most prestigious agricultural educational facilities in country New South Wales has closed.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
87. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the Auditor General’s report on the Northside Storage Tunnel has disclosed that the Government’s mis-management of the project has resulted in a $200 million cost blow-out.
2. Notes that Sydney Water has failed to undertake a comprehensive post-implementation review of the project.
3. Calls on the Government to undertake air quality monitoring around the Scott’s Creek vent given the Government’s continued assertions, that Willoughby residents have nothing to worry about, have been based on a process shown in the Auditor-General’s report to have been flawed from the outset.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the Premier’s denial to the House that any local government elections would be delayed due to the Government’s structural reform process.
2. Notes the Minister for Local Government’s statement on 4 September 2003 that, due to this reform process, some councils would have their elections delayed.
3. Calls on the Premier to clarify this issue.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House supports the endeavours of the New South Wales Farmer’s Association and its members in seeking fair compensation for farmers who suffered substantial losses as a result of mis-management of fire hazards in Goobang National Park.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to:
1. Support calls from the Shoalhaven Branch of the Independent Retirees by extending a range of benefits to them currently available to pensioners; and
2. Immediately accept the Federal Government’s longstanding offer to jointly fund with the State the following benefits:
a. free registration of single motor vehicle
b. yearly rebate of $112 on electricity bills
c. discounts of up to $250 a year or 50% of council rates
d. rebates on water and sewage up to $320 a year for urban areas or up to $87.50 or 50% on regional water and sewage rates.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to extend the subsidy that is offered to the Blue Mountains LGA through Social Program Policy grants from the New South Wales Treasury (administered through Sydney Water) for sullage removal to the Local Government Areas of Baulkham Hills, Hawkesbury and Hornsby.
(Notice given 4 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that CityRail costs have soared from $498 million in 1989 to $1347 million in 2003, and at the same time, country rail costs have fallen from $206.6 million to $149 million.
2. Notes that passenger contributions through fares are currently 31% for CityRail and 32% for country rail.
3. Endorses the comments by the former Minister for Transport, Brian Langton, who said in reference to the restoration of Armidale’s rail service, “ these services should never have been taken away in the first place”.
4. Calls upon the Government to honour its pre-election commitment of no reduction in country rail services.
(Notice given 16 September 2003)
That this House recognises the contribution of Chilean migrants to this State and acknowledges that 2003 is the thirtieth anniversary of the military coup in Chile.
(Notice given 16 September 2003)
That this House acknowledges the Government’s attention to the needs of students with serious behavioural problems who are having difficulty maintaining school attendance by:
1. Establishing the new Green Square School in the electorate of Heffron, and
2. Making use of the former Waterloo Public School site for the new school.
(Notice given 16 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Recognises the $800,000 provided by the Minister for Community Services and her Department for the building of a new child care centre in the electorate of East Hills.
2. Congratulates Bankstown City Council and councillors for providing the land for the new child care centre near Playford Park, Padstow.
3. Congratulates the Kindergarten Union Children’s Service and the Department of Community Services for their dedication to working as a partnership to staff the new centre.
(Notice given 16 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the importance of the Jet Cat service for the commuters of Manly.
2. Recognises the importance of public transport in reducing motor vehicle use and the consequent environmental and infrastructure benefits which flow from this.
3. Rejects recommendations in the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal report to discontinue the Jet Cat services.
4. Calls on the Government to maintain a fast ferry service to Manly.
(Notice given 16 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Celebrates the start of construction of the eastern grandstand at Energy Australia Stadium in Newcastle.
2. Thanks and congratulates the State Government for its grant of $22 million to enable this first-class development for the people of the Hunter.
3. Calls on the Federal Government to honour its promise with a matching grant of $22 million to enable completion of the facility.
(Notice given 16 September 2003)
98. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House requests the Member for Wentworthville to present to the House by 11.00 am on 18 September 2003 all documents, including contracts, letters of engagement, instruction invoices, payment advices, receipts, correspondence, records of meetings, and all other papers concerning:
1. Income received by her from Environmental Resources Management.
2. Details of specific services performed by Environmental Resources Management for any agency of the New South Wales Government.
3. A full list of meetings held with Government Ministers since she became a director of Environmental Resources Management and for the six months prior, notes of those meetings, and a list of attendees of those meetings.
4. A full list of any projects Environmental Resources Management has had any involvement in where the Deputy Premier, as the former Minister for Planning, was the consent authority.
(Notice given 17 September 2003)
99. Mr R. W. TURNER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes Orange Base Hospital has received a grant to obtain a BiPap machine, a mask offering non-invasive ventilation.
2. Notes the company that manufactures the machine will not supply it until the Mid Western Area Health Service pays a $20,000 debt owed to that company.
3. Calls on the Government to immediately remedy this situation so residents in the Central West can access the new equipment.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the comments made by the Minister for Transport Services, at a meeting in Tamworth on Thursday 11 September 2003, were identical to statements made by the former Deputy Premier, Minister for State Development and Minister of Public Works, the Hon Wal Murray on 1 March 1990.
2. Notes that the proposed cuts to the Tamworth to Armidale rail link have been pursued by the State Rail Authority for more than 14 years.
3. Calls upon the Government to honour its pre-election commitment of no reduction in country rail services.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the start of the planning process for the new Queanbeyan hospital and the commencement of construction of the Queanbeyan ambulance station.
2. Welcomes the Government’s commitment to the people of Queanbeyan and the region through better health facilities.
3. Welcomes the positive results that are being gained by Monaro communities through Country Labor representation in the Government and rejects the negative political point scoring approach utilized by Liberal and National representatives.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
102. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the importance of tourism to the Bourke region, particularly during events such as the current drought.
2. Notes the significance of the outback to our heritage and culture.
3. Calls on the Minister and the Premier to take a proactive role in ensuring the important “Back O Bourke” Tourism project is completed as soon as possible.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates Meals on Wheels organisations around New South Wales, which perform an extremely important community service to those in need.
2. Notes that Government funding of Meals on Wheels groups has not kept pace with costs of providing the service, including insurance premiums and wage rises.
3. Calls upon the Government to better support Meals on Wheels groups and recognise the increased costs they now face.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
104. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the Premier’s comments at the Chatswood Chamber of Commerce lunch on 16 September 2003 that the construction of the three additional towers above the railway line at Chatswood would commence mid-2004.
2. Condemns the Government for failing to adequately consult the community on the so-called Chatswood Masterplan and for its continued refusal to give any answers as to when there will be access for the disabled, the elderly and those with prams at Chatswood Railway Station.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the continuing and sustained cost impact of high cost fodder products affecting the dairy industry.
2. Acknowledges that the dairy industry, like other intensive industries is fundamentally excluded by Government policy from financial assistance to those suffering due to the drought.
3. Calls on the Government to offer real and effective drought assistance to the dairy industry for the duration of the drought and the 12 months following its cessation.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
106. Mr O’FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the statement by the Member for Wentworthville to the House on 17 September 2003 and her claim she had declared her interest as a Director of ERM to the former Select Committee on Salinity on 11 April 2002.
2. Notes that the 11 April 2002 minutes of the Select Committee, published in its Report on Local Council Management of Salinity, record no such declaration by Ms Allan.
3. Calls upon the member to apologise for misleading the House.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the Auditor General’s Performance Audit, “Waiting times for elective surgery in Public Hospitals”.
2. Notes with concern that elective surgery requiring overnight stays and rehabilitation will cease for four months at Wagga Wagga Base Hospital.
3. Calls on the Government to take immediate action and rectify this situation.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. the impact on business, tourism and residents of the closure of Lawrence Hargrave Drive, and the potential for further job and business losses over the next 2.5 years; and
b. the repair time table is a cost saving exercise for the Government.
2. Calls on the Minister for the Illawarra to:
a. reveal the full budget details, timetable and work plan for the proposed upgrade;
b. explore 7 day a week road construction, and continuing use of the road before construction starts; and
c. immediately take management responsibility for integrating tourism, emergency services, health, education, road and rail aspects of this major Illawarra issue.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the latest offer by the Government to councils, including Bellingen Shire Council, for the replacement of timber bridges on regional roads does not include any money for work relating to:
a. Improving the flood immunity of the bridge;
b. Attaching a pedestrian or cycling facility, or
c. The repositioning of the bridge to enable better road alignment.
2. Notes that these costs have to be met 100% by councils, effectively creating the situation that the councils will bear around 70% of the total cost of a bridge replacement.
3. Notes that needed upgrades of regional timber bridges are less likely to occur, in turn having a negative impact on regional road safety.
4. Calls on the Government to extend their 50% subsidy to include all costs associated with the replacement of timber bridges on regional roads.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
110. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that many residential and commercial strata buildings are now 40 years old, requiring increasing maintenance, which in many cases had been deferred, while previous owners have benefited from increases in the value of their property.
2. Notes that there is no simple mechanism for owners of a deteriorating strata building to renew their property with a view to occupying a unit in the new development.
3. Calls on the Minister for Fair Trading to investigate the introduction of compulsory property maintenance plans for all strata buildings and to investigate the introduction of a renewal plan process to facilitate an owners’ corporation initiating and managing a redevelopment.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
111. Mr O’FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates the North Shore Bombers for reaching the grand final in all three grades, Firsts, Reserves and Under 18s, of the Sydney AFL Competition.
2. Congratulates the North Shore’s Paul Rowles for winning the Sanders Medals in reserve grade, the best and fairest award.
3. Congratulates North Shore for receiving the NSW/ACT AFL’s McConnell Club Championship Award.
4. Backs all three Bombers teams for a win in their matches on Sunday 21 September 2003 at Macquarie Fields.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
112. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House congratulates Chatswood Public School on the occasion of its 120
th anniversary.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the importance of planned radiotherapy units at Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie.
2. Notes the promise of the previous Minister for Health in the media on 21 November 2002, that both projects would definitely go ahead and the capital works would be fully funded by the Government.
3. Calls on the Minister for Health to confirm the Government’s promise to build and fund these vital facilities.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the State Rail Authority submission to the Independent Pricing and Review Tribunal has been uncritically accepted and used almost word for word in the draft report.
2. Notes this is consistent with the State Rail Authority’s long term agenda to cut country rail services, such as the Armidale to Tamworth link.
3. Calls on the Government to honour its pre-election commitment of no reduction in country rail services.
(Notice given 18 September 2003)
115. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates the President, Mr Peter Crittle and Mr John O’Neil, CEO of the Australian Rugby Union, their committees and staff on the highly successful planning and launch of the 2003 World Cup Rugby tournament in Australia.
2. Congratulates the International Rugby Board on choosing Australia for this event.
3. Recognises that an estimated 4 billion television viewers will watch the tournament throughout the world.
4. Calls on the New South Wales Government to urgently launch an international and national program to bring tourism to New South Wales as a result of the World Cup finals in Sydney.
(Notice given 14 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Recognises that mental health issues affect one in every five Australians.
2. Recognises that in the next two decades mental health issues will be the second biggest health problem in the world following heart disease.
3. Congratulates the Government’s decision to review the Mental Health Act.
4. Congratulates the Government on funding an increase of over 77 million dollars over the next five years for Mental Health services in New South Wales.
(Notice given 14 October 2003)
117. Ms KENEALLY to move—
That this House acknowledges the Government’s achievements through the Redfern Waterloo Partnership Project in improving community safety in Waterloo and Redfern, including:
a. a significant drop in crime in the last 12 months;
b. increased police numbers and police visibility;
c. a community safety plan, and
d. intensive, creative and effective youth intervention programs.
(Notice given 14 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the existence in New South Wales of a “needs test” with respect to liquor store licence applications.
2. Notes that the needs test prevents a wholesale deregulation of the liquor store industry whereby liquor could be sold at petrol service stations and corner stores.
3. Notes that the existing liquor store licencees would lose their investment should the Government proceed with the abolition of the needs test.
4. Notes the Government continues to procrastinate its response to a National Competition Council assessment in 2001.
5. Calls on the Government to guarantee it will retain the needs test and not deregulate the liquor industry.
(Notice given 14 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that on 18 September 2003 the Member for Coffs Harbour stated to the House that the Queanbeyan City Council is “an inefficient and ineffective council that, 12 months ago, tried to sell off its local parks and gardens to balance its budgets” and that “council overspends and cannot manage its own affairs”.
2. Notes that the Queanbeyan City Council achieved an operating surplus in 2001/02 of $21m and $10m in 2002/03, and has cash investments of over $40m and property investments of over $10m.
3. Notes the Queanbeyan Mayor’s comment that the Member for Coffs Harbour observes lamentable standards and is a disgrace to his constituents.
4. Calls on the Leader of the National Party to dismiss the Member for Coffs Harbour from his shadow portfolio for persistently making inaccurate and insulting comments about New South Wales regional cities.
(Notice given 14 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the motion passed by the recent New South Wales State Labor Party Conference which states “the Conference calls for the continued operation of CountryLink Rail Passenger Services in all sectors of the New South Wales network where they currently operate”.
2. Calls on the New South Wales Government to support the motion passed by the recent State Labor Party Conference.
(Notice given 14 October 2003)
121. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House:
1. Welcomes the leasing of two bushfire fighting helicopters for the summer bushfire season.
2. Notes the Coroner’s finding that inadequate hazard reduction placed firefighters at risk and hindered a quick and effective response.
(Notice given 15 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Calls on the Leader of the Opposition to guarantee that all current CountryLink rail services would be regained and retained under a Coalition Government.
2. Notes the statement by the Shadow Minister for Transport, the Hon Michael Gallacher in the Armidale Express (Wednesday, 8 October 2003) “I can’ t promise something three and a half years away”.
(Notice given 15 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Welcomes the recently opened mental health ward at Kempsey District Hospital.
2. Notes that the new ward is restricted to voluntary admissions only and does not accept admissions after hours.
3. Notes the impact of these restrictions upon the hospital’s emergency department.
4. Calls on the Government to properly fund mental health services on the Mid North Coast.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
That this House notes the failure of the Government to implement a reliable, private certification system for home building approvals.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
125. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House recognizes the vital role played by women in rural New South Wales by marking the celebration of World Rural Women’s Day 2003.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
126. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the outstanding achievement of staff, students and parents of Wideview Public School in Berowra, for the Berowra Breaks the Drought Project.
2. Congratulates the school for receiving the Director-General’s School Achievement Award for this project, as one of 36 schools across the State to receive this award.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
127. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the Auditor-General’s report of October 2003 entitled “Judging Performance from Annual Reports: Review of eight Agencies’ Annual Reports” where the Auditor-General states that agencies could improve the transparency and accountability of their annual reports.
2. Calls on the Government to adopt the Auditor-General’s recommendations for increased transparency and accountability.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
That this House condemns the Federal Government’s failure to protect the people of New South Wales from the illegal importation of guns into Australia.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to improve the provision of electricity supply to North Western Sydney to ensure a continuous and reliable energy service to residents and businesses.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
130. Mr J.H. TURNER to move—
That this House:
1. Requests that funding presently provided by the Motor Accident Authority of New South Wales to the North Coast Head Injury Service be extended from 12 December 2003 when it is due to cease.
2. Recognises that the loss of the North Coast Head Injury Service will result in substantially reduced services to paediatric and adolescent services and important liaison and support services.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
131. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises Mental Health Week and its relevance to highlighting the needs of the mentally ill.
2. Notes the work of the Schizophrenia Fellowship and other groups associated with mental illness.
3. Notes the importance of provision of adequate mental health services to every community.
4. Calls on the Government to immediately act on the recommendations of the Inquiry into Mental Health Services in New South Wales.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the urgent need for the construction of a new primary school at Lake Cathie to meet the needs of the area’s growing population.
2. Notes the failure of the Government to acknowledge this need, despite strong arguments presented by the Future Schools Committee.
3. Calls on the Government to reverse its current position and match the commitment by the Liberal/Nationals Coalition to construct a school at Lake Cathie.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the submission by the Country Labor Parliamentary Group to the Ministerial Inquiry into Public, Passenger Transport (Party Inquiry).
2. Notes the summary of recommendations which includes “that the CountryLink Rail Passenger Service carrying 2 million passengers per year plays a valuable transport role”.
3. Calls on the Government to protect country rail services, and in particular support the Armidale/Tamworth/Sydney connection.
(Notice given 16 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the politicising of the West Tamworth Public School community by the Hon Catherine Cusack in media outlets throughout the electorate of Tamworth.
2. Notes the attack by the Liberal Party on its coalition partners The Nationals as evidenced in a leaked email from Catherine Cusack prior to the March 2003 election.
(Notice given 28 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the protest rally held in Armidale on Thursday 23 October 2003 was attended by more than 3000 people supporting the retention of the Armidale rail service.
2. Notes the tabling in this House of a petition with approximately 6000 signatures supporting the retention of the Armidale rail service.
3. Calls on the Government to honour its pre-election promise of no cuts to country rail services.
(Notice given 28 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Expresses serious concern about the handling of the case of R v Rowley by the Director of Public Prosecutions’ Office.
2. Calls on the Attorney General to exercise his power to appeal the case.
(Notice given 29 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the rejection by CountryLink of a rail booking by Walcha Playgroup for 40 parents, students and teachers to travel on the Armidale to Tamworth service due to a lack of capacity.
2. Calls on the Government to honour its pre-election promise not to reduce country rail services.
(Notice given 29 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the success of the World Rugby Cup tournament in terms of spectator numbers at the different venues.
2. Notes that the last ferry to Manly is at 11.45 pm which means that train commuters from Telstra Stadium miss the connection.
3. Calls on the Government to extend the late night ferry service as it did for the Olympic Games, and to permanently continue these late night ferry services on Friday and Saturday nights.
(Notice given 29 October 2003)
139. Mr SLACK-SMITH to move—
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the economic contribution of the Brigalow Belt South Bio region in timber production, bee keeping, grazing, gas production and farming.
2. Acknowledges that the Resource and Conservation Assessment Council (RACAC) report was completed in November 2002, and that stakeholders have been waiting since that time for a decision about the region’s future.
3. Condemns the Ministers for the Environment and Natural Resources for appointing yet another committee to stall the decision, and appointing the Right Hon Ian Sinclair as Chairman in an attempt to gain credibility within the region.
4. Urges the Ministers involved to adopt the Brigalow Region United Stakeholders option which was prepared and agreed to by the community.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
140. Mr RICHARDSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that Dr Mike Clarke of Griffith University in Queensland has written to the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources regarding his decision not to approve the Redbank 2 power station.
2. Notes Dr Clarke’s claims that the Hunter Valley coal tailings that Redbank 2 would have burnt will continue to produce carbon dioxide and toxic byproducts during post-mining oxidation, which are prone to spontaneous combustion; and
3. Calls on the Minister for the Environment to conduct an urgent inquiry into greenhouse emissions and other environmental issues relating to coal tailings in the Hunter Valley.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
141. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Welcomes the Federal Government’s decision to fund eight aged care beds for Tingha;
2. Notes repeated promises by successive Labor Government Health Ministers that a Multi Purpose Service (MPS) would be built at Tingha if the Federal Government funded the aged care places;
3. Calls upon the Minister for Health to immediately start work on the Tingha MPS; and
4. Congratulates the Federal Government for constructively and co-operatively paving the way for the construction of the MPS.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the lack of scheduled mental health beds at Kempsey District Hospital.
2. Deplores the tying up of police officers and vehicles in transporting scheduled patients to Coffs Harbour, Taree or Newcastle.
3. Calls on the Government to properly fund mental health services on the Mid North Coast.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
143. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises that there are 1780 licensed go-kart drivers in NSW, 5500 people involved directly in the sport and 25 track operators in the State;
2. Recognises that go-karting is the main ‘nursery’ for motor racing drivers in NSW; and
3. Recognises that many people in the industry have serious concerns about safety on some of these tracks; and
4. Calls on the Government to hold a comprehensive safety review of tracks and financially assist the industry to upgrade tracks where necessary in order to potentially save lives.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
144. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. The question on notice from the Member for Willoughby to the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure of 1 July 2003 regarding the Government’s plans in relation to access at Chatswood Railway Station;
b. The Member’s letter of 5 August 2003 to the Minister for Transport requesting a briefing on the Chatswood Masterplan; and
c. The Member for Willoughby’s questions on notice to the Premier of 15 October 2003 regarding the transport interchange.
2. Condemns the Government for failing to acknowledge this correspondence or to adequately address these questions.
3. Demands that the Government adequately brief the Member for Willoughby and the community on the Chatswood Masterplan including progress of the upgrade of Chatswood Railway Station.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
145. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that on Saturday 25 October 2003 a freak hail storm in Berowra and Berowra Heights caused extensive damage to many homes and businesses.
2. Congratulates the State Emergency Service for an exceptional response to the needs of the local people.
3. Notes that Hornsby Shire Council finds itself in a position of not being able to assist home and business owners with extra green and debris waste collections.
4. Calls on the Minister for Emergency Services to provide one-off funding to Hornsby Shire Council to enable assistance for people who need disaster relief.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates the former Minister for Education for his promise to replace demountable classrooms and library and refurbish two historic buildings at Frederickton Public School.
2. Condemns the new Minister for seeking to renege on this promise by failing to fund construction of the library and refurbishment of the historic buildings;
3. Calls on the Government to fully fund promised essential works at Frederickton Public School.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the Queensland Premier’s weekend comments in relation to senior Government Ministers in the NSW upper house.
2. Notes Mr Beattie’s comments that in some cases those Ministers are ‘ simply political hacks who would be unemployable anywhere else in the community’.
3. Notes Mr Beattie’s further comment that ‘if they had to stand for a lower house seat, they wouldn’t get elected’
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
148. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House:
1. Acknowledges that Members of the Legislative Council are elected to represent the entire State;
2. Congratulates the efforts of the Hon Catherine Cusack in lobbying the government to build a new school for the students of Tamworth West Public School; and
3. Calls upon the Member for Tamworth to join with the Hon Catherine Cusack in her efforts to further improve the quality of public education offered at Tamworth West Public School.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
149. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the concern of local oyster farmers at Tuross Lake that the tidal range of the Lake has dropped to a level where the viability of farming oysters is now under threat.
2. Notes the State Government’s delay in determining whether to dredge Tuross Lake is further adding to the demise of the oyster industry.
3. Calls on the Minister to make available the necessary funds to dredge Tuross Lake and ensure the long term viability of a world class product.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
150. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Condemns the Government for not providing accommodation in an appropriate facility for a hospital patient in Forbes with a disruptive behavioural problem ;
2. Notes that it is unsatisfactory for the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health to say that the behaviour modification worker will work with the patient and staff to reduce her abusive actions; and
3. Calls for appropriate accommodation for problem patients in country areas to be established as a matter of urgency.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
151. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the Member for Kiama’s photograph was published in the Yass Tribune on 22 October 2003 standing near a bridge over Jerrawa Creek, while claiming credit for providing funds for that bridge.
2. Notes that the Member for Kiama did not confirm the correct location of the bridge with the Gunning Shire Council and had his photograph taken on the wrong bridge.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
152. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the deleterious impact that fireweed is having on the farming community throughout the South Coast of NSW.
2. Calls on the State Government to conduct further scientific research into biological control agents and the impact of hybridisation on the native species within the introduced plant.
3. Calls on the Minister for Agriculture to increase the funding to local government to combat the problem of fireweed.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
153. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the completion of the basketball and multi-sport complex in Thornleigh that has been named “The Brickpit” and commends Hornsby Shire Council for its work in relation to the facility.
2. Notes that Hornsby Shire Council has paid a section 17 levy on all fill placed in the Dartford Road tip/old brickpit site adjacent to the new complex.
3. Notes that Council could use the amount of the levy for provision of other sporting and recreational activities in the Hornsby electorate and surrounds.
4. Calls on the Minister for the Environment to immediately provide a re-imbursement for the total amount of the section 17 levy to Hornsby Shire Council.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the continuing decline in the prices paid to Dairy Farmers for milk, at levels in some cases below the cost of production.
2. Calls on the Government to conduct an inquiry into the disparity between the retail and farmgate prices of milk.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
155. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House condemns the Government for disadvantaging local libraries by embargoing the announcement of annual grants from the State Library so that Labor Members of Parliament can put out press releases.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
This House notes the comments by the Member for Bathurst in the Dubbo Liberal newspaper regarding the Interim Parry Report, where he is quoted as saying that the costings in the report are superficial, that the quoted operating costs are not accepted, and that the figures are inflated.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
157. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House deplores incidents at Wagga Base Hospital where patients who have travelled from as far afield as Young have been prepared for operations such as hip replacements only to have the operation cancelled because of staff shortages.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
158. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Minister for Education to explain the discrepancy in outcomes for students in Opportunity Classes at Balmain, Wilkins and Summer Hill Primary Schools all located in the Port Jackson District.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
159. Mr SLACK-SMITH to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the executive of the Isolated Children’s Parents Association (ICPA) is visiting Sydney to lobby State Members on key issues related to isolated students.
2. Notes The Nationals and the Liberals met with the ICPA executive in relation to a range of important issues, including rural schools, Murrumbidgee Agricultural College and rural school buses.
3. Notes the Minister for Education cancelled an appointment with the ICPA and instead put forward a staff member, despite the executive traveling to Sydney to specifically see the Minister.
4. Condemns the Minister for Education and the Government for their lack of interest in country students and their issues.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
That this House calls on the Government to:
1. Not discontinue the train service on the Casino – Murwillimbah rail line, and
2. Extend this line to connect with the Queensland rail system in order to increase rail patronage and tourism opportunities, provide a commuter service, and to guarantee the long-term viability of the line.
(Notice given 30 October 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. That the Government’s two year old feasibility assessment recently recommended against the construction of the Liverpool Range rail tunnel near the Upper Hunter town of Murrurundi;
b. That the proposed new rail tunnel is vital infrastructure for the future growth of the coal industry, ethanol production and increased wheat and cotton tonnages in the north of the State;
c. The present inefficient need to couple two additional locomotives at the rear of the comparatively small trains to help push trains through the present elevated tunnel;
d. The proposed new rail tunnel is vital infrastructure for the future growth of the port at Newcastle; and
e. The Premier’s announcement that the port at Newcastle will have an enhanced future role.
2. Calls on the Government to reverse its decision not to build this vitally needed transport infrastructure.
(Notice given 11 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the tabling on 11 November 2003 of a petition from more than 3500 signatories from Tamworth, Walcha and Gunnedah requesting that the Tamworth to Armidale rail service be retained.
2. Welcomes the support from the communities of Tamworth, Walcha and Gunnedah to ensure this essential service remains available to country people.
3. Calls on the Government to honour its pre-election promise not to reduce country rail services.
(Notice given 11 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Celebrates the opening by the Premier of the CSIRO Energy Centre at Steel River in Newcastle.
2. Congratulates the State and Federal Governments on the establishment of this internationally important $34 million energy research centre in Newcastle.
3. Notes the important research in cleaner fossil fuel use and the development of renewable energy technologies including the move to a hydrogen economy to be undertaken at the Energy Research Centre.
4. Notes that the building itself is a demonstration of leading edge environmental design that minimizes energy use.
5. Acknowledges this important development as a further step in the Hunter becoming the renewable energy industry center for the nation.
(Notice given 12 November 2003)
164. Mr HARTCHER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the result of the ALP preselection for the Federal seat of Robertson on Saturday 8 November 2003.
2. Congratulates the Member for Peats for yet another triumph over the Della Bosca machine.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
165. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that in the past twelve months the stamp duty payable on a median priced home in Willoughby has increased by 23.45% and for a unit in Chatswood by 12.2%.
2. Urges the Government to support the Leader of the Opposition’s Stamp Duty Reduction Bill.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
166. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises the disappointment of many people in Young, when informed that their independent TAB agency will close on 14 December 2003.
2. Notes that there are many people who do not wish to go into licensed premises in order to place a bet.
3. Notes that the fastest growing income stream for the TAB company is greyhound racing and harness racing.
4. Recognises that Young is dominant in holding meetings in these two sports.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
167. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Minister for Education and Training to increase funding for the upgrade, maintenance and cleaning of school toilets.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
168. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the failure of the Minister for Police to reply to representations made on behalf of Mr Patrick Harrison in April and July seeking copies of documents relating to an accident on the Pacific Highway, Pymble, on 29 October 2001 that left Benjamin John Harrison calamitously injured.
2. Calls upon the Minister to expedite the provision of the requested information.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
169. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. The need for multistorey carparks at Hornsby and Berowra railway stations;
b. The false promise made by the previous Minister for Transport prior to the March State Election that a feasibility study would be undertaken for such parking;
c. An undated recent letter from the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport Services that states “Mount Colah residents who drive to a station may choose to catch a train at Hornsby as it receives faster trains”, misleading because there are no parking spaces after 7am; and
d. Another letter from the Transport Department that refutes the need to increase parking at Hornsby Station.
2. Condemns the Government for misleading the people of Hornsby and failing to provide basic parking needs at major transport hubs.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
170. Mrs HANCOCK to move—
That this House:
1. Expresses its profound sympathy to the families of those who have lost their lives on the Princes Highway and notes especially the two recent tragic fatalities of two young South Coast residents.
2. Calls on the State Government to respond to the recent demands of South Coast doctors who have called for urgent interim measures to be taken in the lead up to the busy Christmas and tourist season in response to the recent carnage on the Princes Highway.
3. Calls on the State Government to match the Coalition’s $200m Princes Highway Plan designed to remove black spots and address dangerous sections of the highway.
4. Calls on the Minister for Roads to meet with South Coast communities, visit the South Coast and take urgent action to fix the Princes Highway.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
171. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Condemns the Attorney General for his continuing failure to accept responsibility for the lack of hazard reduction undertaken by State Government authorities prior to the January 2003 bushfires.
2. Notes that the fires in January claimed the lives of four people and destroyed over 500 properties.
3. Notes the outstanding work of local bushfire fighters including Peter and Tim Webb during the January crisis.
4. Notes that many native species in the Brindabella and Alpine regions were totally eliminated during the January bushfires due to the Government’s failure to undertake hazard reduction.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the successful use of flashing lights to highlight school zones in other Australian States and the current trials within New South Wales.
2. Calls on the Government to implement a statewide program installing flashing lights in school zones starting with those schools at high risk due to speeding drivers.
3. Notes that the upcoming Christmas holiday period would be an appropriate time for the launch of a flashing lights program, prior to the beginning of the school year in 2004.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
173. Mr RICHARDSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that gardening provides exercise and relaxation for millions of Australians.
2. Notes that the Premier believes the people of Sydney should rip out exotic plants from their gardens and replace them with native species.
3. Notes that by his own admission in the Sydney Morning Herald on 13 November 2003, the Premier has employed this strategy himself in his own garden “ not through deliberate policy but through total neglect.”
4. Calls on the Premier to explain whether this is official Government policy, not just for Sydney’s gardens but for water, waste, energy, law enforcement, public transport and every other area of Government endeavour.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
174. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Expresses its sympathy to the families of those tragically killed on the Princes Highway and notes especially the two fatalities in November 2003.
2. Notes the Coalition’s $200m Princes Highway plan designed to address a number of trouble spots.
3. Calls on the State Government to match this plan forthwith and as an interim measure introduce 80kph speed limits at identified trouble spots on the Princes Highway.
4. Condemns the Premier and the Minister for Roads for their disregard for communities from Wollongong to the Victorian border and for failing to address the problems of the Princes Highway which have resulted in continuing carnage.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
175. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Minister for Education and Training to:
1. Explain why dyslexia is classified as a “learning difficulty” rather than a disability, when up to 14% of students with learning difficulties have dyslexia.
2. Confirm that additional support provided to students with disabilities is not provided to assist students with learning difficulties, including those with dyslexia.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
176. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House supports efforts by the Wahroonga Public School community to ensure the appointment of a new principal is undertaken through the process of merit selection.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that State Environmental Planning Policy 5 continues to be abused.
2. Notes that councils were invited to submit requests for exemptions and many have done so.
3. Calls on the Government to finalise the processing of submissions, including those of Baulkham Hills and Hornsby Shire Councils.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
178. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises the unification capacity of Condobolin’s Shannon Noll in achieving a one-off accord between Labor’s Member for Murray Darling, Peter Black and The National’s Member for Lachlan, Ian Armstrong in their outright support for Shannon Noll in Channel 10’s Australian Idol competition.
2. Calls on Members of the Parliament to be uniform in their support for the outstanding artist from Condobolin, the nearest town to the geographic centre of New South Wales.
3. Calls on Members to urge their constituency to vote for Shannon Noll in the appropriate form and, in the tradition of one of the major political parties in this place, urge voters to vote early and vote often.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
179. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. The concerns of Hornsby Shire Council with regard to the management and maintenance of the length of Berowra Waters Road;
b. The serious land slip that occurred between two parts of the road on the steep and winding descent of Berowra Waters Road into Berowra Waters; and
c. The potential for further such slips to occur, threatening life as well as impeding vehicular passage.
2. Calls on the Government to take over the management of this dangerous road as requested by Hornsby Shire Council.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the current concession which has now been granted for the movement of grape harvesters at night in the Wentworth-Dareton-Gol Gol region, following a three year trial.
2. Calls on the Minister for Roads to formalize appropriate long-term arrangements to enable grape harvesters to move safely at night on public roads, thereby providing the grape and wine industry with future security.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
181. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House notes the resolution reported in the North Sydney Leagues Club magazine of November 2003, opposing “the ill-conceived decision of the New South Wales Government to increase State taxation on poker machines to some 50% of turnover as contained in the 2003 State Budget,” and stating “ This initiative is in very poor taste, made in obscene haste and will be harmful in the extreme to the hospitality industry”, which was authorised by Bruce Harkness, Member No. 21473, ALP Mosman Branch.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
182. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Extends its support to the Australian Wallabies as they approach the semi-finals and hopefully a final’s win in the 2003 Rugby World Cup.
2. Congratulates the Australian Rugby Board, its staff and volunteers on the organization and delivery of this outstanding tournament.
3. Recognises the tourism and promotional benefits to Sydney and Australia and calls on the Government to undertake professional promotion to build on this world wide publicity.
(Notice given 13 November 2003)
183. Mrs PALUZZANO to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates the Government for its commitment to quality health outcomes.
2. Commends the Government for the increase of over $900m in the 2003/04 budget.
3. Congratulates the Government on the launch of the $1.2m Virtual Critical Care Unit at Nepean and Blue Mountains Hospitals.
4. Condemns the Federal Government for its health care package, which has seen a substantial increase in the number of patients presenting at Nepean Hospital, rather than visiting a General Practitioner.
(Notice given 19 November 2003)
184. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes:
a. The Government’s announcement of 28 May 2003 of a review of SEPP 5;
b. Developers’ exploitation of inconsistencies between SEPP 53 and SEPP 5 to thwart State Government SEPP5 exemptions in bushfire prone areas such as North Turramurra; and
c. the presentation of a petition from around 1,700 residents of North Turramurra seeking urgent action, without savings provisions, to end this abuse.
2. Calls upon the Government to heed residents’ wishes, stop the abuse by removing the loopholes and, finally release the report of the review.
(Notice given 19 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes Manly is proud to host the English Rugby team in the lead up to the World Cup final.
2. Welcomes the influx of rugby supporters and in particular the foot soldiers of the barmy army.
3. Welcomes the benefit to local businesses and the sense of occasion this brings to Manly.
4. Congratulates Manly Council on the success of the big screen at Manly Oval.
5. Notes that notwithstanding our warm welcome and best wishes to the English team and its supporters, the people of Manly will be hoping the Wallabies wallop the Poms.
(Notice given 19 November 2003)
That this House:
2. Notes that the draft Wool Hide and Skins Bill 2003 currently being circulated will have many detrimental effects on farmers and wool dealers in New South Wales.
3. Notes that sales of wool from wool growing areas close to state borders will almost certainly be lost to interstate companies not bound by this legislation.
(Notice given 19 November 2003)
187. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Calls on the Premier to direct the Minister for Local Government to cease his actions on the creation of super councils as it breaches the Premier’s own pre-election commitment that Labor had no plans to change its policy of no forced amalgamations and no plans for the wholesale rationalization of councils.
2. Condemns the Government for breaching its election commitment by forcing amalgamations through the abolition of Tallaganda, Yass, Crookwell, Gunning, Mulwaree and Yarrowlumla Shire Councils.
3. Notes the impact the Government’s slashing of local jobs will have on regional development and small businesses within the townships of Braidwood, Yass, Crookwell, Gunning and surrounding towns and villages.
4. Expresses its concern for the people who will no longer be able to access council services in their immediate area as a result of these amalgamations.
5. Calls on the Minister to ensure that the Boundaries Commission will conduct a full and comprehensive public hearing before any submissions are accepted and hold a postal vote or a referendum before these amalgamations proceed.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Expresses its support for the Wallabies in the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final.
2. Congratulates the organizers and fans on an outstanding tournament.
3. Wishes prop forward Ben Darwin a speedy recovery.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
189. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House calls on the Government to remove all references to the Parramatta Rail Link in publications, advertising or signage, given the Government’s abandonment some months ago of the Epping to Parramatta leg of the Chatswood – Parramatta rail link.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
190. Mr CANSDELL to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises the merit in appointing a second vascular surgeon in the Northern Rivers Area Health Service as promised by the former Minister for Health in the lead up to the March 2003 State election.
2. Acknowledges the former Minister for Health’s comments that “it made sense to appoint the specialist surgeon at Maclean Hospital”.
3. Calls on the Government to honour its election promise and appoint the vascular surgeon.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
191. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes a recommendation from the New South Wales Heritage Council to the Government to heritage list the Jadda Centre at Junee.
2. Calls on the Government to recognise the Junee Shire Council’s ownership of the building and recognise Council’s absolute objection to such a listing.
3. Notes that in the event of a heritage listing, a minimum of $7m be appropriated to Council to make major structural repairs to the building to bring the building up to Ordinance 70 requirements, fit heating and cooling facilities, restore the original façade and find a use for the building.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the Government’s restructure of the Department of Education and Training will result in a significant downgrading of the Learning Materials Production Unit.
2. Notes that as a consequence of this downgrade, the Learning Materials Production Unit will lose dedicated desktop publishers and illustrators, editors and writers, technical staff and project managers.
3. Notes the negative impact this will have on the delivery of essential course material to full time distance education students.
4. Calls on the Government to heed the call of the New South Wales Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association to retain the Learning Material Production Unit as a separate entity in On Line Learning, and that it be fully staffed and funded to deliver materials specifically designed for distance students.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
193. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the significant increase in rents charged by the Department of Lands on South Coast amateur fishing clubs.
2. Calls on the Government to reverse these charges enabling the fishing clubs to continue to provide the benefits of the clubs’ facilities and services to the community.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
194. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the outstanding achievement of the Australian Wallabies and wishes them every success against England on 22 November 2003.
2. Congratulates Matt Dunning who originates from the Hornsby Electorate on his selection for the bench of the World Cup final squad.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that many coastal first home buyers are missing out on conveyance and mortgage duty discounts as a result of the presumption under the First Home Plus Scheme that real estate values in non-metropolitan areas, are lower than values in the city.
2. Notes that average real estate values in coastal towns like Byron Bay are often higher than real estate values in some metropolitan areas.
3. Calls on the Government to equalize the metropolitan and non-metropolitan thresholds under the First Home Plus Scheme.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
196. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House notes National Youth Awareness Day.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
197. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House calls on the Government to heritage list all coats of arms within the Parliamentary precincts and public buildings in New South Wales.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
198. Mr CANSDELL to move—
That this House:
1. Calls on the Minister for Transport to apologise to the people of Clarence for his disparaging comments in relation to their concerns at the loss of rail services to the North Coast.
2. Challenges the Minister to visit the electorate and listen to the community’s real concerns first hand.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Calls on the Minister for Health to announce the starting and completion date for construction of the promised new Northern Beaches Hospital.
2. Calls on the Member for Manly to stop doing deals with Labor and join Northern Beaches’ Liberal Members of Parliament and the community in our endeavors to get the promised new hospital.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that in the recent State election the seat of Manly was won for the fourth consecutive term by an independent.
2. Notes the difficulty the Member for Wakehurst has in coming to terms with this election outcome.
3. Calls upon the tribal elders of the Liberal Party to counsel the Member for Wakehurst as to which electorate he represents.
4. Calls upon the Liberal Members of Parliament representing electorates on the Northern Beaches to focus their efforts on better representing their own constituents rather than obsessing about Manly.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates the Coffs Harbour- based Wallabies on reaching the final of the Rugby World Cup.
2. Notes the enormous support of the Coffs Harbour community for their adopted team.
3. Notes that Coffs Harbour’s clean beaches, great food, great lifestyle and great representation has assisted them to reach the final.
4. Wishes the Wallabies every success over the English team on 22 November 2003.
(Notice given 20 November 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates Woodturners of the Hunter for their outstanding fundraising efforts on behalf of the John Hunter Children’s Hospital Kids Club.
2. Notes that $53,000 was raised in 2003 to enable the purchase of lifesaving monitoring equipment for the John Hunter Children’s Hospital.
3. Thanks the Woodturners for raising over $300,000 for this worthy cause.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
203. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the Parry Inquiry acknowledged the submission of the Member for Burrinjuck on the Interim Report of the Ministerial Inquiry into Public Passenger Transport.
2. Notes the Member for Burrinjuck has lodged petitions containing several thousand signatures on “Save our CountryLink Rail Services” which condemn the Government for threatening country rail passenger services.
3. Calls on the Government to increase rail passenger services to rural areas.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates Steve Waugh on his outstanding cricket career playing for Australia, New South Wales and Bankstown.
2. Recognises Steve Waugh’s record as the most capped international test player in cricket history.
3. Acknowledges his personal integrity, decency, and his commitment to his charity for child sufferers of leprosy in Kolkata in India.
4. Wishes Steve Waugh success in his last four tests captaining Australia in the series against India, concluding with the fourth Test in Sydney in January 2004.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
205. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises the importance and significance of the ceremony at Grenfell on Saturday 29 November 2003, at the official opening of the Japanese Flag Exhibition at Grenfell Museum.
2. Notes that the exhibition centres on a Japanese flag signed by 188 members of the 1st Australian Parachute Battalion AIF flown into Singapore at the end of August 1945 to liberate the Changi prisoners of war.
3. Notes the ceremony in Grenfell was attended by 13 of those paratroopers and family representatives of another 5 who were involved in that most historic foray.
4. Congratulates the community of Grenfell on the preservation of this significant flag, as a permanent reminder of this historic event.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
206. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Government to match the New South Wales Coalition’s commitment to provide funding for a new primary school for Lake Cathie.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the Government’s planFirst “tax” has now reached $145 million in revenue.
2. Notes this tax has been taken from homebuilders and renovators and not used for the purpose the Government promised.
3. Calls on the Government to return this money to councils so they can proceed to do the strategic planning work in regional and metropolitan areas that the State Government has abandoned.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes a recent Centre for Independent Studies report that states awards should be restructured to include separate and lower rates of pay for regional employees.
2. Notes that such a move would only serve to exacerbate the income gap that already exists between families in regional New South Wales and the major cities.
3. Calls on the Government to reject such an anti-country initiative.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates Hunter Singers and the Waratah Girls Choir on their success in international competitions.
2. Notes the valuable role played by these organizations in showcasing Newcastle and the Hunter to the world.
3. Celebrates the role of the two groups in developing the talent of young singers in the Hunter.
4. Expresses thanks and appreciation to Kim Sutherland and Wynette Horne for their years of outstanding service as musical directors of the groups.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Congratulates and thanks the Associations of St John the Baptist and Sant’ Antonio di Padova for delivering to the people of Sydney the Festa Sul Mare for the past 11 years.
2. Notes the Premier said last year that “the Festa has made an important contribution to the social, cultural and economic development of this State”.
3. Expresses its concern that this year’s Festa has been cancelled because the Associations’ insurance premiums have in the last few years increased from $400 to over $12,000 this year.
4. Calls on the Premier to support the Italian community by having the Government underwrite all public liability insurance premiums in future years for Festa Sul Mare.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
211. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the outstanding success of the Community Fire Units initiative in assisting the management of bush fires.
2. Notes the frustration of some participants who are still waiting for equipment and uniforms to set up a Community Fire Unit.
3. Calls on the Government to inject more money into the project so that Hornsby and other fire prone electorates are better prepared in the event of a bushfire.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
212. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House requests the Standing Orders and Procedure Committee to amend Standing Orders by:
1. Requiring truthfulness in answers to questions by Ministers.
2. Permitting the Speaker to intervene and direct Ministers to be relevant in answering questions.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that in 2001 the Government announced that either Beacon Hill High School or Balgowlah Boys High School were to be closed as part of the Freshwater Senior High School multi-campus college.
2. Notes that after strong community representations the Minister for Education announced that Balgowlah Boys High School would remain open and Beacon Hill would be closed.
3. Notes the Member for Wakehurst acquiesced in accepting this closure.
4. Notes the comments by the Member for Wakehurst in the Manly Daily of 2 December 2003 that “if there was a battle to save the school buildings it should have happened three years ago”.
(Notice given 2 December 2003)
214. Mr HARTCHER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that Mark Latham was employed by the then Leader of the Opposition, Bob Carr in March 1989.
2. Notes that Mark Latham won a pre-selection battle for the State seat of Liverpool against Paul Lynch in 1989.
3. Notes that Mr Carr in an attempt to bring Peter Anderson into the Parliament, worked with the senior figures in the ALP to deny Mr Latham pre-selection.
4. Notes that Mark Latham resigned from Bob Carr’s staff on 13 March 1989, in disgust.
5. Calls upon the Premier to confirm that, consistent with his 1989 position, he has no confidence in Mark Latham as a Member of Parliament.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that independent members of the Legislative Assembly have made a submission to the Electoral Districts Commission proposing changes to many country electorate boundaries.
2. Expresses concern that their submission would disadvantage country residents by boosting enrolment numbers in country seats to the maximum quota, meaning country electorates would have higher enrolments than city electorates.
3. Notes this would reduce access by country residents to their local Member of Parliament.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
216. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that many Rural Fire Brigades in New South Wales are still awaiting new tankers.
2. Notes that the Government sent a $205,000 Category 1 tanker to the United States shipping it on the Tampa in April 2003.
3. Notes that volunteers were promised employment in the United States, undertook training, and left employment only to be left without work when the Government couldn’t obtain work visas.
4. Calls on the Government to advise who initiated this project and what disciplinary action resulted.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes the cost blowout in the Government’s feasibility study for the Thirroul Waterfall rail tunnel from $320 million to $1.4 billion.
2. Notes the admissions by the Minister for the Illawarra that he is unaware of infrastructure plans and the study.
3. Notes the failure of the Minister for Transport Services to answer questions about the Thirroul tunnel.
4. Calls for public disclosure of the study material, and an enquiry into Government mismanagement of the planning and costing of this infrastructure link.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Condemns the Government for its removal of hundreds of jobs in the Department of Education in country areas including the North Coast.
2. Notes that these job losses will have a negative impact on public education including loss of support for teachers and students from district offices.
3. Calls on the Government to publicly release the Community Impact Statement which accompanied this decision.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
219. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the plight of Mr and Mrs Vaughan of Castlecrag, who received a land tax bill of $10,800 for their only property, a modest home which they have lived in since it was built by Mrs Vaughan’s father in the early 1940’s.
2. Condemns the Government’s policy of taxing people living in their own home.
3. Calls on the Government to adopt the Coalition’s policy of abolishing land tax on the family home.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
220. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates the community of Young in its commitment to raise $100,000 to fund an Oncology Unit in its new District Hospital.
2. Notes that Young will be offering 500 kilograms of cherries for sale at the Wahroonga Village Fair on Sunday 7 December 2003.
3. Recognises Young as the cherry capital of Australia in that it produces 80% of the cherries grown in New South Wales and 50% of those grown in Australia.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes comments by the Productivity Commissioner, Dr Neil Byron, that “the approach of environmental agencies seems to be based on the assumption all landholders are ecological vandals who can’t wait to bulldoze rare and endangered species”.
2. Notes that New South Wales farmers are the best stewards of their land given their livelihoods are staked on sustainable and productive farming practices.
3. Calls on the Government to adopt Dr Byron’s advice to work with farmers.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
222. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the ministerial staff of the Minister for Education receive average annual salaries of $92,500, and up to $150,000.
2. Notes that classroom teachers earn a maximum of approximately $59,000.
3. Notes that the Government considers teachers deserve a pay rise of only 3%.
4. Calls on the Minister to advise where productivity savings will be found to cover any pay rise of over 6% awarded by the Industrial Relations Commission.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that in “Action for Transport 2010” the Government committed to build the North West Rail Link, Epping to Castle Hill, by 2010 and the Parramatta Rail Link to Epping and Chatswood by 2006.
2. Notes that the Government has now abandoned the construction of the Parramatta to Epping Rail Link, and allocates no funds to the Epping to Castle Hill Rail Link.
3. Condemns the Government for its failure to build the Parramatta to Epping Rail Link and calls on the Government to build the Epping to Rouse Hill Rail Link.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
224. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House urges the Government to agree to Ku-ring-gai Council’s amendments to the Government’s draft LEP194 submission.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Expresses support for Deputy Chief Magistrate Graeme Henson’s refusal to impose bail conditions on Detective Sergeant Shane Cribb despite the Department of Public Prosecutions’ determination to pursue a case against this police officer.
2. Expresses concern with the Department of Public Prosecutions’ handling of charges against Shannon Johnston which resulted in the ram-raider receiving a good behavior bond.
(Notice given 3 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that the Premier, in his July 2003 media release announcing electoral redistributions, highlighted that Murray-Darling electorate covers 45 per cent of the State.
2. Notes that The Nationals and Liberals submission to the Electoral Districts Commission reduces the size of this massive seat by almost one-third.
3. Notes that The Nationals have long argued that the size of Murray-Darling severely compromises the access its constituents have to their State representative.
4. Condemns the Australian Labor Party’s submission that increases the size of Murray-Darling by an extra 11,000 square kilometres.
(Notice given 4 December 2003)
227. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House notes the request by Warnborough University for a right of reply to damaging statements made about the University by the Minister for Education in this House on 27 May 2003.
(Notice given 4 December 2003)
228. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the difficulties for car drivers over the age of 80 years when they lose their license.
2. Asks that a carer or friend be entitled to accompany an elderly person when doing a license test.
3. Requests the Roads and Traffic Authority give consideration to providing information through community health in order to help older people when they are faced with loss of license.
4. Requests the Roads and Traffic Authority recommend that family members give consideration to requesting relatives’ licenses be cancelled.
(Notice given 4 December 2003)
That this House:
1. Notes that Port Macquarie Base Hospital has achieved a high standard of regional medical excellence, including in specialties such as vascular and cancer surgery, enabling many patients to be treated locally rather than travelling to Newcastle or Sydney.
2. Notes that the Hospital was forced to cease elective surgery earlier this month due to insufficient funding to keep pace with demand.
3. Notes a senior surgeon’s comment that, “For too long our unique public hospital management model has been blamed when the issue is all about how much care and services the New South Wales Department of Health chooses to purchase from its designated hospitals throughout the system”.
4. Calls on the Minister for Health to intervene to resolve this funding crisis.
(Notice given 17 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that it has been four years since Seaforth TAFE was closed, leaving Northern Beaches campus at Brookvale as the only TAFE college on the Northern Beaches.
2. Notes that courses at Northern Beaches campus have been cutback in 2004.
3. Calls upon the Government to adequately fund TAFE courses on the Northern Beaches and to reopen Seaforth TAFE as an education facility.
(Notice given 17 February 2004)
That this House condemns the Federal Government’s inadequate funding of higher education which has resulted in 21,000 people across New South Wales missing out on a place at university.
(Notice given 17 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Congratulates the State Government and the Minister for Health for allocating $2.8 million for the purchase of a state of the art MRI machine at Concord Hospital.
2. Calls on the Federal Government to meet its commitments to health and grant the license to operate the MRI machine under the Medicare system.
(Notice given 17 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that rates of bulk billing in the Federal electorate of Eden-Monaro, which takes in the State electorates of Monaro and Bega, dropped from 39.3% to 37.9% in the year to December 2003, the fourth lowest rate in Australia.
2. Notes that at the same time presentations to casualty departments in the Southern Area Health Service increased by 7%, a significant shift in costs from the Commonwealth to the State Government.
3. Calls on the Federal Government to reverse its $60m per year funding cut to public hospitals and work co-operatively with State Governments to address resourcing and demand issues affecting our public hospital system.
(Notice given 17 February 2004)
That this House notes the sad passing of Shirley Strickland de la Hunty and acknowledges her outstanding contribution to sport and the participation of women in public life.
(Notice given 18 February 2004)
235. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the financial and management crisis facing Southern Area Health Service (SAHS), which includes a debt exceeding $7 million dollars owing to hospital suppliers.
2. Notes that a shortage of supply of basic clinical stock would have adverse clinical consequences.
3. Notes the call by the Health Services Union for SAHS to be placed into administration.
4. Calls on the Minister to place the Service into administration and dissolve the SAHS Board.
(Notice given 18 February 2004)
236. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the need for Hornsby Heights Public School to have a school hall.
2. Notes the Government’s promise at the end of 2002 that it would meet the shortfall required, to add to funding already raised for a school hall.
3. Notes the preparation by the school for the commencement of construction involving builders and other contractors.
4. Condemns the Minister for Education for not signing off the tender.
(Notice given 18 February 2004)
That this House notes the concerns of Croydon and Summer Hill residents about the increase in aircraft noise indicated in the Sydney Airport Draft Masterplan.
(Notice given 18 February 2004)
238. Ms KENEALLY to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises the Government’s achievements in improving secondary schools in the electorate of Heffron, including:
a. a $7 million refurbishment of Alexandria Park Community School;
b. a $3 million upgrade of Tempe Languages High School; and
c. a $3 million refurbishment of J.J. Cahill Memorial High School.
2. Notes the increase in enrolment at these schools in the last 12 months.
(Notice given 18 February 2004)
That this House congratulates and thanks the Cancer Council of the Hunter Region for the development of the Cancer Support Package for cancer patients, their family and carers.
(Notice given 18 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes with concern patient service levels at Kempsey District Hospital, with the surgical ward closed on weekends, an estimated 80% of beds needing replacement, few rooms having air conditioning, and cost cutting.
2. Calls on the Minister for Health to:
a. provide adequate funding to Kempsey District Hospital and
b. honour the Government’s election promise of a new hospital.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
241. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Rejects a recent discussion paper released by the State Government foreshadowing likely increases in the Parking Space Levy and the removal of current exemptions in regional centers such as Chatswood.
2. Rejects the Government’s assertion that the current levy is justified given that the area is well served by public transport.
3. Demands that the Government rule out any increase in the levy given the burden this would place on business and commuters in Chatswood.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
242. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the comments of the Member for Monaro in the Canberra Times (14 February 2004) that redundancies could be offered to Southern Area Health staff to reduce wage costs and rectify the $7 million debt.
2. Notes the comments of the Acting CEO that the staff review at the Health Service is on hold until such time as staff can be properly consulted.
3. Notes that the Health Services Union has cited that this restructure is already causing anxiety and uncertainty for many staff, and condemns the Member for Monaro for his pre-emptive remarks.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
243. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Government to explain why it has:
1. failed to implement its own policy of air-conditioning permanent buildings in schools that are above the 30 degrees isotherm and demountables that are down to the 27.5 degrees isotherm.
2. ignored the needs of students and staff at Parkes High School despite 1995 correspondence between the Member for Lachlan and the Minister for Education referred to in this Parliament in 2001.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
244. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House condemns reported statements by Sheikh Hilali urging a jihad against the US and Israel, condoning suicide bombings and endorsing the terrorist organizations Hamas and Hezbollah.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
245. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House notes:
1. That the Harden/Murrumburrah District Hospital and Nursing Home kitchen, which serves 32 beds, the Day Care Centre and Meals on Wheels, has been in a poor state of repair, with a leaking roof, poor heating and defective equipment, and subject to Department of Health inspection.
2. That malfunctioning air conditioning was replaced in 2003 by a local tradesman who has not yet been paid.
3. That a further Department of Health inspection has been deferred until March at the request of the Southern Area Health Service (SAHS).
4. That SAHS has indicated that funding is unlikely to be available for reconstruction of the kitchen for up to two years.
5. That the 22 year old hot water urn and the gas stove, oven and deep fryer have all been classed as dangerous to staff.
6. That the kitchen enters into a corridor used by Nursing Home residents,
and further notes that the Nursing Home Committee has raised $200,000 towards a dementia area, and that a further dollar for dollar grant is available from a local trust if the Southern Area Health Service will meet OH&S standards for the kitchen.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
246. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the unabated increase in gun crimes across Sydney.
2. Notes the presence in busy mall areas of armoured money vans handling cash from businesses and banks.
3. Notes these vans are often targets for criminals thus endangering guards as well as bystanders.
4. Notes that in 2003 an innocent 17 year old in Hornsby Mall was shot by a perpetrator attempting to steal guns as well as cash from such a van.
5. Calls on the Minister for Police to inform the people of New South Wales what is being done to decrease the incidence of gun crimes.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the Legislation Review Committee’s findings in relation to Labor’s natural resources legislation, including the fact that it trespasses on rights and contains insufficiently defined powers.
2. Notes the Committee sent an urgent letter to the Minister for Natural Resources on November 18 2003 but the Minister has still not responded to the serious concerns raised.
3. Calls on the Government members of the Committee to demand in Caucus that the Minister take the Committee’s work seriously and respond immediately.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that Sydney Water Managing Director Greg Robinson told a Parliamentary Committee he recommended architects Misho and Associates, acquaintances of his wife, be awarded a contract without notifying the Board of his conflict of interest.
2. Notes that Chairman Gabrielle Kibble yesterday confirmed Mr Robinson had breached his disclosure of interest requirements.
3. Notes that the State Owned Corporations Act 1989 imposes a penalty of $11,000 for failure by a directir to “disclose the nature of the interest to a meeting of the Board”.
4. Calls on the Minister for Energy and Utilities to deal with the conflict of interest already admitted by Mr Robinson.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
249. Mrs HANCOCK to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that Ulladulla High School has a current enrolment of 1,233 but only sufficient permanent buildings for 880 students.
2. Notes that additional students are accommodated in 11 demountable classrooms, including 3 on the school oval.
3. Rejects the proposed destruction of 70 established trees for four additional demountable classrooms noting that tree removal has already caused major erosion and flooding problems.
4. Calls on the Government to advise when students in the South Coast electorate will be provided with modern school facilities.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the release on 19 February 2004 by Biosecurity Australia of revised draft import risk analysis reports for apples and bananas and the final analysis report for pig meat from a range of countries.
2. Supports the Federal Minister for Agriculture, who has today directed his department to commission economic assessments of any impact of new pork, apple and banana imports on Australian industries.
3. Offers full support to New South Wales’ world class agricultural producers and encourages all stakeholders to submit comment on the analysis before any final decision on imports is made.
4. Expresses concern about the potential disease impact of imports on New South Wales’ agricultural producers.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
251. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Government to:
1. Use a staffing formula based on a school’s anticipated enrolments, with staffing determined at the end of the prior year by the principal, school council and relevant school education area;
2. Appoint staff according to this formula from the beginning of Term 1 for the full term, augmented by additional staff if extra students enroll;
3. Lower the cut off point for reduction to a single teacher in very small schools from 25 to 20;
4. provide an additional half-time teacher for schools of between 100-159 students to release the principal for management duties;
5. Review allocation of relief from face to face (RFF) teaching time in primary schools; and
6. Minimise the impact of RFF on teacher/librarians.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
252. Mr RICHARDSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that on 19 February 2004 the MV Island Trader sails from Yamba to Lord Howe Island carrying 60,000L of fuel oil.
2. Notes that the ship is classified as a general cargo ship not as an oil tanker.
3. Notes that the ship will enter the World Heritage listed Lord Howe Island lagoon to discharge its cargo.
4. Notes the comments of marine surveyor Captain David Pyett, (The Australian on February 13) that “the slightest mistake and the ship will tear its bottom out”.
5. Calls on the Minister for the Environment to justify his statement, made in the House on February 17 in relation to a leaking oil tanker, that “the Government takes pollution threats seriously and deals with them immediately”.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Area extends from the Camden Haven Catchment in the south to the Tweed Catchment in the north.
2. Notes the recent establishment of the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority with offices at Grafton, Armidale and Murwillumbah, leaving the southern part of the catchment management area over 3 ½ hours away from the nearest CMA office.
3. Calls on the Minister for Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources to retain an office in the southern part of the CMA, at Kempsey, where departmental offices already exist.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
That this House notes that:
1. In the past six months the Member for Bega has told constituents that he opposes stamp duty, payroll tax, land tax and poker machine tax.
2. These taxes represent about 30% of the State Government’s budget revenue.
3. At the same time the Member for Bega has told constituents he supports extensive additional funding for highways, demountable class rooms, town water supply, hospitals and dental services, the Member’s budget deficit means Bega residents cannot take his promises seriously.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
255. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Government to reject the development application for a 14 story building on the cliff overlooking Luna Park, and advise the developer that any building on the site must comply with the Luna Park Master Plan height limit of 7.5 metres.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that on 18 February 2004 the Chairman of Sydney Water Gabrielle Kibble refused to produce to the Parliamentary Committee the Internal Audit Bureau report into allegations that Managing Director Greg Robinson breached conflict of interest guidelines in recommending friends and acquaintances for contracts.
2. Notes that Ms Kibble told the Committee she had legal advice that having sent the report to ICAC she would not produce it to the Committee.
3. Notes that the ICAC confirmed on 19 February 2004 that Sydney Water was told it was not precluded from producing the Internal Audit Bureau report to the Committee.
4. Calls on the Minister for Energy and Utilities to direct the immediate release of the report to the Committee.
(Notice given 19 February 2004)
257. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House notes:
1. The Minister for Health’s media conference on Thursday 19 February 2004 involving Mrs Anna Panetta and baby Parris Panetta.
2. The Minister’s telephone call to Mrs Panetta on the following day apologising to her for media criticism stemming from this attempt to deflect attention away from the death of baby Natalia Lalic.
3. The Minister for Health’s lack of contact with the Lalic family to apologise for the failures of the health system that contributed to Natalia’s death.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that Bendemeer Public School has not retained their second teacher as numbers have fallen below 26 students due to the impact of the drought.
2. Notes the advice of the Deputy Premier’s office that the application was rejected because “Bendemeer is no longer drought declared”.
3. Notes that schools in Niangala, Curlewis, Currabubula, Barraba, Duri, Spring Ridge, Mullaley and Walhallow have drought exemptions to retain their teachers although below prescribed student numbers.
4. Calls on the Minister to allow Bendemeer School to retain its second teacher.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Deplores the Federal Government’s focus on removing people on the disability support pension from income support in order to place them into paid employment, rather than properly addressing their needs.
2. Calls on the Federal Government to allocate additional funds to provide assistance such as training and wage subsidy programs to improve living conditions for these people.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
That this House acknowledges that 2004 is the two hundredth anniversary of the Castle Hill uprising and the subsequent battle of Vinegar Hill and congratulates those involved in the commemoration of that anniversary.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
That this House congratulates the State Government and the Minister for Health for:
1. Allocating $2.8 million to the Illawarra Area Health Service for the purchase of a state of the art MRI machine for Wollongong Hospital.
2. Calls on the Federal Government to meet it commitments to health and grant a license to operate the MRI machine under the Medicare system.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that the Australian Capital Territory Government has announced that it intends to build a new prison within two kilometres and sight of New South Wales residents in Jerrabomberra and Letchworth.
2. Notes that the ACT Chief Minister has stated that his preferred site is actually on surplus Commonwealth land in the Majura valley near the Canberra Airport.
3. Calls on the Federal Government to act immediately to make the Majura site available to the ACT Government so that residents of Jerrabomberra and Letchworth are spared this unwanted neighbor.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
263. Mrs PALUZZANO to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises that the reduction in bulk-billing by doctors has contributed to a rise in numbers of people presenting to emergency departments.
2. Congratulates the Government for committing 2 million dollars for start-up funds for the general practitioner clinics in emergency departments.
3. Calls on the Federal Government to assist in the roll-out of the general practitioner clinics, especially at Nepean Hospital.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
That this House recognizes the work of the Liverpool Museum and supports the decision that it remain in its present location.
(Notice given 24 February 2004)
265. Mr HUMPHERSON to move—
That this House notes:
1. The failure of the Government to address drug use and availability in New South Wales prisons with over 2200 positive drug tests recorded annually, one in seven inmates tested using illicit drugs, and over 1000 inmates on methadone maintenance programs.
2. That inmate drug addiction cannot be tackled whilst the problem of drug availability is ignored.
(Notice given 25 February 2004)
266. Ms KENEALLY to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the Botany Migrant Resource Centre has been a vibrant community hub providing settlement services to new arrivals in the local government areas of Randwick, Botany, Sydney, Waverly and Woollahra since 1981.
2. Notes that 25,892 people arrived in these areas from overseas in the five years 1996-2001.
3. Notes that the 2001 Census shows that 40% of residents in the electorate of Heffron were born overseas.
4. Condemns the Federal Government for ceasing all core funding for settlement services to the Botany Migrant Resource Centre this year.
(Notice given 25 February 2004)
That this House notes the continuing construction of the Inner West Health Care Centre in Croydon, which will be one of the most comprehensive community health facilities in New South Wales and notes the commitment of the State Government to providing excellent health care services to residents of Sydney’s inner west.
(Notice given 25 February 2004)
268. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House notes the importance of a healthy diet, and congratulates New South Wales apple growers on their “Applequest” initiative to promote healthy eating in schools, by donating 100,000 apples to State schools.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
269. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme for young people is now within the Department of Sport and Recreation where support staff have been reduced from 7 to 2.
2. Notes that although Treasury provides $400,000 approximately for the program a large proportion of this funding is spent on other programs.
3. Calls on the Government to give full economic and managerial support to the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme in New South Wales, recognizing that over 6700 participants commence an award each year.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
270. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the recent District and Supreme Court decisions against the Southern Area Health Service for a breach of duty of care involving the sexual assault of a mental patient by a trainee nurse.
2. Calls on the Premier and the Minister for Health to apologise to the patient and her family.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Supports the innovative Country Week program, aimed at promoting the benefits of living and working in country New South Wales.
2. Notes that Country Week was a policy of The Nationals prior to the 2003 State election.
3. Calls on the Government to further support Country Week by offering excursion fares on Countrylink rail services for passengers attending the expo at Homebush Park in August 2004.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that Albury Base Hospital is so underfunded that it has failed to pay $7,140 to a local business, AIC Automation, overdue since 6 November 2003.
2. Calls on the Government to ensure that AIC Automation and all other local businesses are paid promptly within the 45 days stipulated by the Area Health Service.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
273. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House deplores the Government’s action in claiming credit for reducing kindergarten class sizes at Brungle Public school which only has one kindergarten student, Gundagai South Public which has only eight kindergarten students and Cassilis Public School which has two kindergarten students and a total enrolment of only 15 students.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Condemns the Government for cuts to CountryLink, services to Central and Bundanoon
2. Notes petitions with thousands of signatures from Southern Highlands rail users calling on the Government to not cut these services.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
275. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the promise by the Government to commence connecting households in Brooklyn and Dangar Island to the sewer in 2005;
2. Notes the 2000 report citing sewerage connection as an important measure to improve the health of the Hawkesbury River;
3. Calls on the Minister for Energy and Utilities to confirm that connection of Brooklyn and Dangar Island to the sewer scheme has:
a. construction approval;
b. inclusion in the Budget: and
c. a 2005 commencement timeframe.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
276. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the growth in number of students attending Chatswood Primary School and further projected growth given the school’s proximity to the Chatswood Transport Interchange; and
2. Calls on the Minister for Education to approve the urgently needed capital works funding for the school.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
277. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates the National Roads and Motorists Association on its safety audit of the Bell’s Line of Road;
2. Recognises the danger points on this road identified in the report; and
3. Calls on the Government to recognise the importance of the road to both Sydney business and residents, and country business and residents in the Central West.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes, despite the Government’s election promise of “no forced amalgamations”, the Minister for Local Government has disenfranchised ratepayers in the villages of Corindi, Red Rock and surrounding areas;
2. Notes nominations for Coffs Harbour City Council closed on 25 February 2004; and
3. Calls on the Government to extend the date for nominations for the Coffs Harbour City Council to enable those disenfranchised voters to nominate for positions on the council.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
279. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House calls on the Government to change the last day of school for the NSW public school year for 2004 from Tuesday 21 December to Friday 17 December.
(Notice given 26 February 2004)
280. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the comments of the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Southern Area Health Service, Stuart Schneider, that he is not a permanent appointment to this position, thus making him the third acting CEO in fifteen months.
2. Condemns the Minister for Health for not being able to attract a permanent CEO to the Service.
(Notice given 9 March 2004)
That this House condemns the Leader of the Opposition for committing a future Liberal Government to increasing noise and resumption of public land and houses in West Tweed for the Tugun Bypass.
(Notice given 9 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the Government’s recent announcement of over $30 million additional funding for health initiatives in New South Wales, aimed at reducing waiting lists for elective surgery; transitional care beds, community care packages and IT services; and attaching general practitioners to emergency departments in 45 hospitals.
2. Notes that Canterbury Hospital will be one of the first hospitals included in the roll-out of the general practitioner services.
3. Notes that the Federal Government’s approach to bulk billing has created unprecedented pressure on emergency departments.
(Notice given 9 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the threat posed by Avian Flu and the possibility of a global pandemic if H5N1 shuffles its genetic material with human influenza.
2. Urges the Federal Government to:
a. Reveal the size of its stockpiles of anti-viral drugs;
b. Ensure adequate public health laboratory capacity for diagnosis of flu and other epidemics; and
c. Provide adequate surveillance mechanisms for monitoring and reporting infectious disease.
3. Congratulates companies for taking pro-active measures to prevent Australian poultry being infected by migratory birds.
(Notice given 9 March 2004)
284. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) industry is worth $2.3 billion to the New South Wales economy.
2. Notes that whilst one-third of the state’s population resides outside the metropolitan area, only 58% of convention attendees visit country New South Wales prior to and post-convention and only 2% of international visitors to Sydney travel west of the Blue Mountains.
3. Notes the Government has cut the tourism budget by 8% last year.
4. Calls on the Government to better support tourism in country areas.
(Notice given 10 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that the Australian National Audit Office has revealed that the Commonwealth Government has significantly underspent its promised $1 billion greenhouse program with only 71% of funding committed and just 23.4% spent.
2. Notes that climate change will have a significant impact on the environment and economy of the Snowy Mountains region with the tree line rising, and decreasing snow and rainfall.
3. Condemns the Federal Government for its failure to properly address climate change.
(Notice given 10 March 2004)
That this House notes that the Easy Access upgrade of Summer Hill Railway Station is nearing completion.
(Notice given 10 March 2004)
That Standing Order 165 be suspended to permit consideration of the following Motion forwith:
That, given the Premier’s admonishment today of the Member for Broken Hill for being inebriated, this House rescinds the resolution of the House of 10 March 2004 suspending the Honourable Member for Ku-ring-gai.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
288. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that Brooklyn Public School has been broken into three times in the past eight days resulting in loss of computer equipment.
2. Notes the 2003/2004 Budget Papers statement that “new and upgraded security alarms will continue to be provided to at-risk schools”.
3. Calls on the Minister for Education to assist Brooklyn Public School to improve its security with the provision of such an alarm system.
4. Calls on the Minister for Education to assure this House that $1 million has not been removed from allocations for guards and electronic security for schools.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
That this House notes the frustration of commuters and businesses with the continual cancellation, termination, late running and generally poor service provided on the Richmond railway line and calls on the Government to take immediate action to ensure a frequent and reliable service.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
290. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that 17 people have been killed on the Princes Highway south of Kiama to the Victorian border in the last six months, at a time when the Government spends only 0.0019% of the State’s Road Programme Budget on this 400kilometre stretch of highway.
2. Notes the Federal Shadow Minister for Road’s statement that the Premier and State Minister for Roads should stop playing political games and fulfil their responsibilities.
3. Calls on the Minister for Illawarra, Member for Kiama and Member for Monaro to support their electorates and urge the Minister for Roads to fund the highway.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
291. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Calls on the Minister for Fair Trading to urgently investigate the reason for the significant delays encountered by homeowners having their complaints dealt with by the Office of Building Services.
2. Notes that despite several inquiries into the building industry many homeowners are still unable to obtain a satisfactory resolution to their problems.
3. Condemns the Government for failing to ensure adequate protection for consumers.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
292. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Calls upon the Government to immediately address a shortage of head teachers in science and English/history at the Condobolin High School.
2. Further notes that the English/history position has been advertised for the fourth time with applications closing in March 2004.
3. Calls on the Minister to ensure that equal access to the subjects of science and English/history is guaranteed at the Condobolin High School.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
293. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House notes:
1. The failure of the Government to include Artarmon Railway Station as part of the “Easy Access” Program.
2. The continued failure of the Government to provide access for the elderly, disabled, and commuters with prams at Chatswood Railway Station.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
294. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that teachers at Cabramatta West Public School have stated that they cannot install air conditioners or ensure internet access to all classes because the school requires funding to upgrade the wiring which was installed in 1956.
2. Calls on the Minister to:
a. Reveal to the House how many other schools have insufficient wiring and require updating, and
b. Provide additional money in this year’s Budget to ensure wiring is updated at Cabramatta West and other schools where needed.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
295. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the parlous state of Wyangala Dam, which has less than 13.5% of water.
2. Calls on the Government to conduct an urgent survey to investigate other possible additional water storage capacity to service the Lachlan Valley, now, and in the future.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
296. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the difficulty that councils have when trying to shut down illegal brothels in residential areas, including the Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai Council areas.
2. Notes that in International Women’s Week prostitutes, possibly underage illegal immigrants who may be victims of sexual servitude, are often innocent victims who need protection.
3. Calls on the Government to support the Community Protection (Closure of Illegal Brothels) Bill 2003.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
297. Mr R.W. TURNER to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates the Director, Tom Cowan and stars of the recently completed movie Orange Love Story.
2. Notes that Tom Cowan has directed films such as the IMAX productions Antarctica and Aftica’s Elephant Kingdom.
3. Notes that the movie was filmed on location around Orange in 2003 with a total budget of approximately $150,000.
4. Notes that the film premiered in Orange on Sunday 19 October 2003, and will receive world recognition when screened at the New York Film Festival in April 2004.
5. Notes the advantages and talent inherent in the Orange Electorate for further film making opportunities.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that on 26 February 2004, 45 minutes after the Minister for Energy and Utilities was asked why he had refused to dismiss Sydney Water Managing Director Greg Robinson, Mr Robinson was sacked.
2. Notes that the Minister alleged the sacking was for management and leadership issues.
3. Calls on the Premier to immediately release the Internal Audit Bureau report into Mr Robinson’s role in allocating Sydney Water contracts to mates.
4. Calls on the Minister to resign if the Internal Audit Bureau report confirms that Mr Robinson’s allocation of contracts breached Sydney Water’s probity guidelines and/or schedule 10 of the State Owned Corporations Act.
(Notice given 11 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Congratulates the Minister for the Environment on the release of the Wolli Creek Regional Park Plan of Management.
2. Welcomes the Plan which establishes a 60 hectare stretch of bushland in the inner south western suburbs of Sydney, protects remnant stands of original bushland in the Cooks River Catchment, and establishs recreation areas.
(Notice given 16 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the rally of Spanish and Spanish speaking Australians on Sunday 14 March 2003 outside the Spanish Club on Liverpool Street, Sydney commemorating lives lost in the Madrid bombing.
2. Acknowledges the presence of the Consul General of Spain, Fernando Corral, Marta Aquino from the Community Relations Commission.
3. Acknowledges the efforts of the Spanish Club in bringing the community together on this sad occasion.
4. Expresses deepest sympathy to the families of those who lost their lives and sustained injuries in this senseless and brutal attack.
5. Condemns terrorism and acknowledges the importance of people working together to bring peace to the world.
(Notice given 16 March 2004)
301. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Recognises that Monday 15 March was National Consumer Day.
2. Notes that neither the Office of Fair Trading nor the Minister for Fair Trading has made any public statement regarding National Consumer Day.
3. Expresses its concern that the last time National Consumer Day was mentioned in the NSW Parliament was on 28 October 1998.
4. Condemns the Government for missing an excellent opportunity to highlight issues of concern to the consumers of New South Wales.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that the nursery, garden and landscaping industries contribute over $1.8 billion to the New South Wales economy.
2. Calls on the Minister for Energy and Utilities to consult with industry peak bodies before instituting Stage 2 water restrictions.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the parlous state of the police cells at Kempsey, necessitating prisoners being transported by Police to cells in Port Macquarie then back to Kempsey for court appearances, resulting in Police being drawn away from local law enforcement duties.
2. Notes the Northern Region Police Commander’s promise to commence upgrading of the cells in July last year.
3. Notes that despite a lick of paint, the cells remain unfit for occupation by prisoners and in breach of the standards of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.
4. Calls on the Minister for Police to support local police at Kempsey.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
304. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House calls upon the Minister for Housing to assist local councils to examine ways in which they could incorporate affordable housing policies within appropriate development applications.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the opening of the new Strathfield Library in Homebush on 12 March 2004.
2. Acknowledges the Government contribution of $200,000 for a multi-media centre in the new library.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the importance of access to radiotherapy and chemotherapy services by cancer sufferers in rural New South Wales.
2. Notes the importance of integrated cancer services, including access for public patients to private facilities for chemotherapy treatment.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Expresses concern at the Federal Government’s announcements about education funding and their implication for public education in New South Wales.
2. Notes that the announcements:
a. devalue public education;
b. impose conditions that will further disadvantage schools in areas of high socio-economic need, and
c. enhance private sector education funding at the expense of the public education sector, which provides education to the majority of children in New South Wales.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
308. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the importance of country show to the social fabric of rural communities.
2. Notes the attendance and support of country shows by the federal Member for Eden who attended the Braidwood and Cooma Shows on 13 March 2004.
3. Notes that the Member for Monaro did not attend these shows.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
309. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the misleading correspondence and petition issued by the Premier’s office to all Members regarding the Grants Commission and the New South Wales budget.
2. Calls on the Premier to apologise to New South Wales taxpayers for wasting their money on this failed advertising campaign and for abrogating his responsibilities to the State.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Supports the public meeting being held in Broken Hill on 18 March 2004 about Darling River flows and water quality.
2. Notes the silence from the Minister for Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources and the Minister for Murray Darling on this issue.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
311. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes complaints from parents and teachers about the disgusting state of school toilets and calls on the Minster for Education and Training to:
a. advise what Code of Practice is followed to ensure the safety and cleanliness of public school toilets;
b. advise how adherence to such a code is monitored;
c. provide a report on the schools where toilet facilities currently do not comply with safety and cleanliness requirements, and
d. provide resources to ensure all school toilets are of a satisfactory standard.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes allegations of attempts by the Government to silence ambulance staff in the inquiry into the death of Mr Tabac on 10 February 2004.
2. Notes documents showing an ambulance worker in his seventeenth hour of duty was despatched to the scene of the accident, rather than an on-call officer.
3. Condemns the Government for again attempting to silence health workers.
4. Notes that the Opposition will be sending information from concerned staff to the Coroner to ensure its investigation.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
313. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the community of Young will be endeavouring to raise $200,000 to pay for an onocology unit in the new co-location hospital at Young.
2. Calls on the Government for financial support to assist the endeavours of the Young Community.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
314. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the visit to Sydney made by a delegation of Gender Teine Japanese women from Sapporo City in January this year.
2. Notes that the Mayor of Sapporo City sponsored the visit to look at gender issues in Parliament as well as workplace and carer roles.
3. Congratulates the Women’s Electoral Lobby and Liberal women who made time to host this important visit.
4. Calls on the Minister for Women to advise why she declined the request to assist the Japanese visitors while they were in New South Wales.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Condemns the Minister for Energy and Utilities for failing to consult irrigators, turf-growers and horticulturists before implementing Stage 1 water restrictions.
2. Calls on the Minister to consult and heed the advice of irrigators, turf-growers and horticulturists before implementing Stage 2 water restrictions.
(Notice given 18 March 2004)
That this House congratulates the Member for Bligh on her victory over the Labor candidate in the Sydney City Council mayoral election held on Saturday 27 Mar5ch 2004
(Notice given 30 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Welcomes the announcement of a new CountryLink rail timetable between Canberra and Sydney, and reinstatement of a day return service to Sydney.
2. Notes that the previous Coalition Government closed the Cooma line in 1989.
3. Congratulates the Premier and the Minister for Transport Services for listening to country communities.
(Notice given 30 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Strongly supports the introduction of a uniform national defamation law in Australia.
2. Calls on the New South Wales Government to work towards a federal model that favours the right to free speech over the archaic notions of reputation currently embodied in the laws of the various states and territories.
(Notice given 30 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Commends the New South Wales Rape Crisis Centre and staff for the vital support and expertise they provide to women in the state who have experienced sexual violence.
2. Calls on male and female representatives of New South Wales Parliament to lead by example and condemn sexual violence against women in our respective communities.
(Notice given 30 March 2004)
That this House notes the Senate Community Affairs Committee report into poverty entitled “A Hand up not a hand out: Renewing the fight against poverty” and further notes the Government’s initiatives to reduce poverty and create opportunity for all.
(Notice given 30 March 2004)
321. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the function of the Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission to oversight the State’s health watchdog.
2. Notes that since 1999 the chairman of the Committee has been the Member for Lake Macquarie.
3. Notes the findings of the Interim Report of the Walker Inquiry into Camden and Campbelltown Hospitals.
4. Notes the failure of the committee to blow the whistle on the HCCC’s failures until a media coverage of the problems at Camden and Campbelltown Hospitals.
5. Calls upon the Member for Lake Macquarie to resign the chairmanship of the committee.
(Notice given 31 March 2004)
That this House notes the values that underpin the public education system in New South Wales: integrity, excellence, respect, responsibility, cooperation, participation, care, fairness and democracy.
(Notice given 31 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that at full capacity, Killara Feedlot near Quirindi employs 36 full time staff, and another 19 indirectly, and they contribute over 9 million dollars to the local economy.
2. Notes Killara Feedlot requires a minimum water allocation of 1500 megalitres to remain viable.
3. Notes under the Namoi Valley water sharing plans, Killara faces a water reduction to 510 megalitres and would be forced to close their doors.
4. Calls on the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources to approve a minimum industrial allocation of 1500 megalitres to Killara Feedlot to ensure their survival.
(Notice given 31 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Congratulates the community, parents, teachers and students at Jerrabomberra School on the official opening of the school on Wednesday 31 March 2004.
2. Notes that Jerrabomberra, like the region’s other public schools, is achieving top quality educational results as well as developing young people with the values that are important to Australians in the 21st century.
(Notice given 31 March 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the recent incident at Manly Hospital where a man suffering from a drug induced psychosis was detained in a room for 164 hours without a toilet or adequate facilities due to a shortage of beds.
2. Notes that a nurse was seriously assaulted by the man resulting in a broken nose.
3. Notes that due to staff concern about their safety, and the conditions in which the patient was forced to endure, new admissions to the East Wing were stopped.
4. Calls on the government to immediately address the chronic shortage of beds for acute mental health patients in New South Wales.
5. Notes that a forum on mental health will be held at Harbord Public School on Saturday 3 April.
(Notice given 31 March 2004)
326. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates Lisbeth Lenton on becoming the world’s fastest female 100m freestyle swimmer, and Ian Thorpe for his iconic, mature and professional handling of the difficult situation of his disqualification in the 400m freestyle at the Australian Swimming championships.
2. Recognises the outstanding facilities at the Aquatic Centre in Sydney Olympic Park built by the Liberal/National Government.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that:
a. The Premier of NSW held trade and business talks in Sydney in March 2004 with the Hon Roberto Formigoni, regional leader in Italy;
b. Italy is now the world’s sixth largest economy;
c. In 2002-2003 bilateral trade agreements between Australia and Italy reached $6.6 billion.
(2) Congratulates the Government for strengthening trade links with Italy, in particular the Lombardy region, which has a GDP equivalent to 70% of Australia’s GDP.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
328. Ms HODGKINSON to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that:
a. On 25 March 2004 the Government issued Tharwa Sands Pty Limited a “stop order” in relation to the company’s sand dredging operations in the Parish of Cavan in the electorate of Burrinjuck;
b. This “stop order” will deny essential materials to the value of $100m for construction and infrastructure projects;
c. There is no alternative supply of sand within the immediate region; and
(2) Calls on the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning and Natural Resources to immediately issue a temporary permit to Tharwa Sands under the Rivers and Foreshores Improvement Act 1948.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
That this House calls on the Minister for Education and Training to:
1. Support the request by Black Mountain Public School for the retention of their second teacher and demountable currently used as the school’s library, and
2. Acknowledge the special and difficult circumstances faced by small schools in regional and rural New South Wales.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that the bus service between Wauchope railway station and Port Macquarie has been cancelled because the trains are frequently too late to allow the operator to set a bus timetable.
2. Calls upon the Government to provide safe and reliable rail services for country people.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
331. Mr O'FARRELL to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that on Thursday 25 March 2004 a pregnant woman suffering abdominal pains was taken by ambulance to Manly Hospital where she remained in the emergency department on a stretcher for seventy minutes due to lack of beds, before the attending ambulance officers took her to the ultrasound department.
2. As a consequence during this time Sydney’s northern region was short one ambulance crew.
3. Calls upon the Government to reverse its bed closure policy at Manly Hospital.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
That this House:
1. Condemns the Government for its failure to combat the serious outbreak of salvinia weed in the Hawkesbury River.
2. Calls on the Minister for Agriculture to match the $300,000 contribution made by the Federal Government to alleviate this problem.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
333. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Congratulates Nick Berman, the first popularly elected mayor of Hornsby Shire Council;
2. Welcomes the prospect of a newly constituted Council;
3. Congratulates all councillors elected to the Hornsby and Ku-ring-gai Councils and acknowledges all citizens who put themselves forward as candidates.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
334. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House calls on the Minister for Education and Training to approve much needed funding for Stage 2 capital works upgrades at Chatswood High School.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
335. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Extends to the Royal Agricultural Society cordial good wishes for a successful 2004 Royal Easter Show.
2. Congratulates the Royal Agricultural Society on running this world-class event, which brings the country and the city together.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
336. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the high quality oysters produced at Tuross Lake on the far South Coast, which are under threat due to the lack of tidal flow in the lake.
2. Calls on the Minister for Infrastructure, Planning, and Natural Resources to immediately instigate the dredging of Tuross Lake so that the industry can be protected.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
337. Mrs SKINNER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that, despite pleas from the local community, Waniora School is cramped and in need of urgent maintenance.
2. Condemns the Minister for Education and Training for failing to provide necessary resources to upgrade the school.
3. Calls on the Premier to ensure money for Waniora School is committed in the upcoming State budget.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
338. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the difficulty facing permanently disabled people in meeting photo and written documentation requirements for a Disability Parking Permit.
2. Notes the need to reapply every three years.
3. Condemns the Minister for Roads for presenting permanently disabled people and their families with such onerous and humiliating requirements for a permit.
(Notice given 1 April 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that over half the eligible voters of Werris Creek and Currabubula responded to a questionnaire asking if they preferred being in Tamworth Local Government Area or Liverpool Plains Local Government Area.
2. Notes that almost 83% preferred Tamworth over Liverpool Plains.
3. Calls on the Minister for Local Government to facilitate their relocation into Tamworth Regional Council.
(Notice given 6 April 2004)
340. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Acknowledges the work of Ms Carol Devine and others in setting up and managing Diethylstilboestrol (DES) Action Australia - New South Wales, a support group for affected sons and daughters.
2. Recognises the group’s long-term efforts to bring to the attention of the community the issues associated with ingestion of DES in pregnancy.
3. Calls on the New South Wales Government to establish a New South Wales register for DES related cancer as well as a public DES clinic encompassing preventative health care and monitoring by health professionals familiar with DES.
(Notice given 6 April 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the Government’s continuing lack of funding for country town water and sewerage programs, resulting in some country sewerage schemes being condemned by the EPA.
2. Notes that the Government will be acquiring extra revenue through load based licensing of these schemes.
3. Condemns the Government for cuts of $60 million to the country towns water supply and sewerage programs in the mini-budget.
4. Calls on the Government to name the communities affected and give them assurances on water quality, sewerage scheme effectiveness and public health.
(Notice given 6 April 2004)
342. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House extends its deepest sympathies to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Peter Frilingos and further pays tribute to the professionalism, ethics and skill which he always exhibited in his practice of journalism.
(Notice given 4 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that Gunnedah Ambulance Station is so outdated that two new $100,000 Mercedes Benz ambulances are left outside in the weather because they are too high to fit inside the station.
2. Notes that in 1974, the then Government recognised the need for a new station in Gunnedah and commissioned an architect to draw up concept plans that have never been acted upon.
3. Calls on the Minister for Health to commit funds to build a new ambulance station in Gunnedah.
(Notice given 4 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes that on 19 February 2004, patients needing aged care accommodation occupied 101 of Southern Area Health Services’ 472 acute care beds.
2. Notes that if these people were provided more appropriate aged care accommodation those hospital beds could accommodate up to 10,000 additional patients each year.
3. Condemns the Federal Government for its failure to provide enough aged care beds.
(Notice given 4 May 2004)
That this House calls on the Premier to publish the specific impacts on jobs and services arising from the establishment of the Primary Industries portfolio.
(Notice given 4 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the important work of the Ashfield Infants’ Home which provides excellent childcare and other services for children and their families and congratulates the Home on 130 years of dedicated support to children and parents.
2. Notes the recent State Government Capital Assistance grant provided to the Infants’ Home which has facilitated the upgrade of one of their playgrounds.
(Notice given 4 May 2004)
That this House acknowledges the Government’s commitment to road safety in the construction of an overhead pedestrian bridge across Canterbury Railway Station to commence by the end of 2004, which is welcomed by the people of Canterbury and the students of Canterbury Girls’ and Canterbury Boys’ High Schools and Canterbury Public School.
(Notice given 5 May 2004)
348. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the devastating fire that gutted the Old Bega Hospital, which was built in 1888, on the morning of Monday 3 May 2004 and the heroic work undertaken by the fire brigade and other emergency personnel in their attempts to salvage the historic building.
2. Calls on the Premier and his department to assist the 10 community organisations affected by this event to maintain the services that they provide to the Bega Valley community.
(Notice given 5 May 2004)
349. Mr SLACK-SMITH to move—
That this House:
1. Offers its condolences to the family and friends of the woman who lost her life at a level crossing accident at Baan Baa on Tuesday 4 May 2004.
2. Conveys its thoughts to the train driver and his family.
3. Thanks and acknowledges the tremendous effort by police and emergency services who attended the accident.
4. Urges that once a report has been concluded, every precaution be taken to ensure this tragedy does not re-occur in the future.
(Notice given 5 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Condemns the NSW Leader of the Opposition and the Federal Liberal member for Eden Monaro for misleading the Queanbeyan people by stating that a Liberal Government would have completed the new Queanbeyan hospital by 2007.
2. Notes that prior to the 2003 election the Leader of the Opposition promised only that the project would begin before the 2007 election.
3. Welcomes the fact that planning for Queanbeyan’s new hospital is well underway and on track.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
That this House notes that the current drought is affecting many households in the Hawkesbury electorate dependent on tank water for domestic purposes and calls on the Government to reverse its decision to prevent water carters from delivering on a Sunday.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
352. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the extensive industry and community criticism of the contraction of the NSW tourism budget from $56.9 million to $49.4 million over the past 18 months.
2. Calls on the Government to reinstate tourism funding to restore NSW’s tourist credibility and recapture the leakage of national and international tourists from NSW particularly to Queensland and Tasmania.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
353. Ms BEREJIKLIAN to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the contribution made by the Chatswood RSL, the Willoughby Legion Club, and the North Sydney Anzac Club to ANZAC Day ceremonies and functions throughout the Willoughby electorate.
2. Recognises the enormous community contribution made by the NSW club industry.
3. Condemns the Government for failing to recognise this contribution.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes NSW Labor’s plan, as articulated by former Prime Minister Paul Keating, to direct Sydney’s population overflow to the Central Coast, Newcastle and Wollongong.
2. Notes that there are many benefits of living in communities west of the Great Dividing Range to which many people who have moved to centres such as Bathurst, Orange, Tamworth and Dubbo would attest.
3. Condemns the Government’s lack of vision for decentralisation in NSW and the recent $6 million cut to the Regional Development budget.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
355. Mr CONSTANCE to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the statement in May by the Federal Leader of the Opposition, Mark Latham, on ABC Radio, that the Princes Highway is a State Road and the State Government has an upgrade plan.
2. Notes that the Minister for Roads has not revealed his upgrade plan for the Princes Highway to the community, or mentioned it in Parliament.
3. Calls on the Minister to stop using the Princes Highway in effort to gain political advantage, given the recent fatalities, to release any upgrade plan publicly and to start funding the Princes Highway south of Kiama.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
356. Mrs HANCOCK to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the concern of rail users in the electorates of Kiama, South Coast and Bega regarding the proposed cuts to South Coast rail services between Kiama and Bomaderry.
2. Notes the South Coast Trades and Labour Council and the Shoalhaven Group of Unions are involved in the protest against proposed rail cuts.
3. Calls on the Minister for Transport to reverse any decisions to cut South Coast rail services between Kiama and Bomaderry.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
357. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the recent announcement to build extra platforms at Hornsby and Berowra railway stations to create a clearway in the area.
2. Notes with alarm that minimal consultation has been undertaken with bus and taxi services and with the local council.
3. Calls on the Minister for Transport to include the concurrent building of multistorey car parks at both railway stations in the proposal as a matter of priority in order to cater for the proposed increased capacity.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
358. Mr HARTCHER to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the former Prime Minister, Paul Keating, suggested the Central Coast as an area of growth able to absorb Sydney’s expanding population.
2. Notes the Government’s back down on its promise of an $800 million high-speed rail link from the Central Coast to Sydney.
3. Notes the Government’s plan to downgrade the Central Coast office of the Department of Education and Training.
4. Notes the Government’s limited funding commitments to Central Coast roads.
5. Calls on the House to acknowledge that the Government has not provided the infrastructure to accommodate Mr Keating’s plan.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
359. Mr R.W. TURNER to move—
That this House:
(1) (a) Acknowledges the significant contribution that the Electrolux Whitegoods operation makes to the Orange economy.
b. Notes that despite the recently announced restructuring program, Electrolux will continue to employ over 800 people at its Orange operation.
c. Notes the increasing amount of outsourcing of component parts and labour to Orange firms and the ongoing efforts to make the Orange operation world competitive.
2. Calls on the Government to acknowledge that a new four lane divided highway across the Blue Mountains would help to decrease freight costs to all businesses in the Central West including Electrolux.
3. Calls on the Government to acknowledge that its policies on workers compensation, payroll tax and occupational health and safety add unnecessary costs to production at the Electrolux plant.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
That this House condemns the Minister for Transport Services’ attack on decent hardworking Southern Highlands rail users when he labeled them all undeserving, ‘elitist’, ‘millionaire’, ‘ stockbrokers’.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
361. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House calls on the Government to appoint, as a matter of urgency, an Aboriginal Consultative Liaison Officer to the town and district of Condobolin, who would be an officer residing in Condobolin.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
362. Mr HARTCHER to move—
That this House:
1. Commends the Federal Government’s commitment of an additional $5.3 billion for science, technology and innovation.
2. Welcomes the funding in light of the fact that science, technology and innovation are amongst the fastest growing industries in NSW.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
363. Mr R.W. TURNER to move—
That this House:
1. Calls on the State Government to congratulate the Federal Government on its announcement of the F3 – Sydney Orbital Link, via a tunnel under Pennant Hills Road.
2. Notes the proposed “Purple” option is the most favoured of all options by the general public.
3. Calls on the State Government to acknowledge the overwhelming support by the citizens of the Central West for a four lane divided highway across the Blue Mountains to join the Sydney Orbital Link.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the recent fatal accident at the Adamstown rail crossing near Newcastle.
2. Notes the crossing is used by approximately 11,300 cars and has 130 train movements each day.
3. Notes the Parliamentary Secretary for Roads advised in July 2003 that current priorities in the Newcastle area preclude consideration of major alterations at the Adamstown rail crossing.
4. Notes that the Roads and Traffic Authority has advised the Minister for Roads that upgrading the rail crossing is no longer considered a priority project.
5. Calls on the Government to give priority to upgrading the crossing to increase safety levels for pedestrians, cars and trains using the crossing.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
365. Mrs HOPWOOD to move—
That this House:
1. Notes the poor condition of the asphalt basketball courts at Asquith Boys High School.
2. Notes that the school has requested the urgent repair of these courts over many years.
3. Calls on the Minister for Education to immediately make funds available to resurface the courts to prevent injury to staff, students and visitors.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
366. Mr ARMSTRONG to move—
That this House:
1. Notes that the Hon Duncan Gay MLC sought a guarantee to the people of Orange that the Head Office of the Department of NSW Agriculture would stay in Orange at the current staffing levels and be appropriately resourced.
2. Further notes that the Minister for Primary Industries responded that Orange will be a major focus of the new Department of Primary Industries and will have a substantial number of employees.
3. Calls on the Government to clearly and urgently indicate its intentions as to the future of the Head Office of NSW Agriculture in Orange.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
That this House:
1. Notes the announcement by the Member for Tweed regarding the Murwillumbah to Casino rail service, that he had met with the Minister for Transport on 5 May 2004 and that the decision to close the line still stands.
2. Condemns the Member for Tweed for failing to properly represent the Tweed.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
That this House calls on the Minister for Police to establish an independent inquiry into the resources, chronology and methodology of the police investigations into Caroline Byrne’s death and the fire at Offset Alpine Printing.
(Notice given 6 May 2004)
ORDERS OF THE DAY (Committee Reports)—
1. Public Accounts Committee Report entitled “History of the Committee 1902-2002”, dated September 2003.
2. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 4 of 2003, dated 27 October 2003.
3. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 5 of 2003, dated 10 November 2003.
4. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 6 of 2003, dated 18 November 2003.
5. Public Accounts Committee Report entitled “Triennial Review of the Audit Office of New South Wales”, dated November 2003.
6. Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission Report entitled “8 th Meeting on the Annual Report of the Health Care Complaints Commission” dated November 2003.
7. Standing Committee on Public Works Report entitled “The National Conference of Parliamentary Public Works and Environment Committees 2003 Perth, Western Australia” dated November 2003.
8. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 7 of 2003, dated 1 December 2003.
9. Report of the Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Commission entitled “Eleventh General Meeting with the NSW Ombudsman” ; dated December 2003.
10. Report of the Committee on the Office of the Ombudsman and the Police Integrity Commission entitled “Seventh General Meeting with the Police Integrity Commission” dated December 2003.
11. Report of the Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission entitled “ ;Report of the Inquiry into Procedures followed during Investigations and Prosecutions undertaken by the Health Care Complaints Commission”, Report No 2, dated December 2003.
12. Report of the Committee on the Health Care Complaints Commission entitled “ ;Study of International Jurisdictions”, Report No 3, dated December 2003.
13. Report from the Joint Standing Committee on Road Safety entitled “ Vehicle-based measures to better monitor, manage and control speed - Report of visits of inspections by delegations of the STAYSAFE Committee concerning speed and motor vehicles, 30 June 2003 – 15 August 2003 and 25-28 November 2003”, Report No. 1/53, dated December 2003.
14. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 1 of 2004, dated 16 February 2004.
15. Report of the Joint Select Committee on the Transportation and Storage of Nuclear Waste entitled “Inquiry into the Transportation and Storage of Nuclear Waste” dated February 2004.
16. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 2 of 2004, dated 24 February 2004.
17. Report of the Standing Ethics Committee entitled “Study Tour to the National Conference of State Legislatures in San Francisco, USA, 19 – 26 July 2003.
18. Report of the Committee on Children and Young People entitled “Review of the 2002-03 Annual Report of the NSW Commission for Children and Young People”, dated February 2004.
19. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 3 of 2004, dated 8 March 2004.
20. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 4 of 2004, dated 16 March 2004.
21. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 5 of 2004, dated 29 March 2004.
22. Public Bodies Review Committee Report entitled “Interstate Study Tour, 10-15 August 2003” dated March 2004.
23. Standing Committee on Public Works Inquiry into Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings, dated March 2004.Standing Committee on Public Works Inquiry into Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings, dated March 2004.
24. Legislation Review Committee Legislation Review Digest No. 6 of 2004, dated 3 May 2004.
BILL REFERRED TO COMMITTEE—
1. Government (Open Market Competition) Bill; referred to Public Accounts Committee for consideration and report (from 3 July 2003).
RUSSELL D. GROVE PSM
Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
____________________________
Authorised by the Parliament of New South Wales