The Hon. MICK VEITCH [12.46 p.m.]: I move:

That this House:

(a) condemns the O'Farrell Government for closing offices and cutting 47 Regional Development and Small Business jobs in Tweed, Broken Hill, Goulburn, and Coffs Harbour, and

(b) notes this announcement breaches the O'Farrell-Stoner Government's election commitments for a "decade of decentralisation" and 40,000 jobs in regional New South Wales.

It would be fair to say that the decision to close the offices in Tweed, Coffs Harbour, Broken Hill and Goulburn has caused a lot of discussion in my part of the State. The Mayor of Harden Shire Council, Chris Manchester, in a recent discussion on the closure of the Goulburn office indicated his dismay at its closure. He said that Harden had used the office in the past, most specifically when the abattoir was closed—and we all remember the significant issues that caused in the community. He also indicated that this was not the only time the office had been used and that he knew of local business houses that had used the regional development office at Goulburn in the past.

The Mayor of Young Shire Council, Stuart Freudenstein, spoke with me about the closure of the Goulburn office. He indicated that he could not believe the Government would be so inconsiderate of the needs of small business in regional New South Wales. To close the Goulburn office and tell communities they will be serviced from Wollongong, or to close the Broken Hill office and tell that community it will be serviced from Dubbo, beggars belief. The day before the announcement the Hon. Peter Primrose asked the Minister, the Hon. Duncan Gay, about the possibility of closures. To be fair to the Minister, he clearly did not know that the announcement was to be made. Many community leaders have expressed dismay and concern at the decision.

The Hon. Duncan Gay: The question to me was not about small business.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: It was about the closure of the offices. The Mayor of Tweed Shire Council, Barry Longland, was quoted by ABC North Coast as saying that the move was at odds with the New South Wales Government's policy of decentralising government services. He went on to say, "That service to our community is invaluable. I really can't understand it." Coffs Harbour City Council is quoted in the Coffs Coast Advocate as having greeted the decision to close its office with dismay. Indeed the Mayor of Coffs Harbour, Keith Rhoades, said, "I cannot understand the logic of this move." The General Manager, Steve McGrath, spoke about the closure in the context of the National Broadband Network rollout.

With the huge advantages that will bring to the area

he is referring to the National Broadband Network [NBN] rollout

particularly in regard to attracting new companies and industries, the decision to close the local Trade and Investment office is a backward step that will have an impact on the growth of jobs.

My understanding is that the Coffs Harbour City Council has committed its concerns to writing and contacted Ministers who include the Deputy Premier, Minister for Trade and Investment, and Minister for Regional Infrastructure and Services, the Hon. Andrew Stoner, and the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Small Business, the Hon. Katrina Hodgkinson. Closure of the Goulburn office has caused significant concern in the part of the State in which I live, as I mentioned earlier. The concerns emanate not just from the Goulburn Mulwaree Council. On 21 March the Goulburn Post reported that "Local groups have lambasted the Government's decision". The article states:

The Goulburn Group—

the Hon. Duncan Gay knows that group—

has described it as "short-term thinking at its worst".

A report citing comments by the President of Goulburn Regional Enterprise, Peter Mullins, was published in the Goulburn Post:

"While this decision to close the local office is unavoidable in the government's eyes, nobody is standing up and explaining how the level of service will be maintained. I'm led to believe it will diminish and that runs counter to the government's thinking." Mr Mullins believed the issue was one of leadership; the government was saying more services would be available online, but this approach was neither "proven nor successful".

It is difficult to see how the decision to close offices fits with the Coalition's election commitments that relate to a decade of decentralisation and creating jobs in regional New South Wales. But what is even more difficult to understand is what appears to be the reluctance of Ministers, who are responsible for the decision, to meet with the Goulburn Mulwaree Council to explain the rationale. Recently the Goulburn Post published an article under the headline "Time ticks on office closure" indicating that the council had expressed concern over not being able to meet with Ministers or secure dates to discuss with Ministers the closure of offices. The article states:

The council wants to discuss the impact of the State's decision in May to close Goulburn's Trade and Investment office on June 30 ... The decision to close Goulburn's office has drawn widespread condemnation ...

Earlier I referred to comments made by the Goulburn growth groups. The article goes on to state that the secretary of the Goulburn and District Chamber of Commerce, Sandra Walker, told Tuesday's meeting of the Goulburn Mulwaree Council that the reply received from the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Small Business, Katrina Hodgkinson, was "all gobbledygook".

The Hon. Walt Secord: Gobbledygook?

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: Her words were "all gobbledygook". I will now discuss closure of regional offices and what that really means. The words "regional development" represent a significant issue for country New South Wales—they are not buzzwords. I am certain that country members of The Nationals, the Labor Party and the crossbenches understand the importance of regional development in country New South Wales.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: And the Liberals.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: I stand corrected: There are a couple of Liberals. There are some issues around closing regional offices. People who live in Young have been told that they will be serviced from Goulburn, and that is just unbelievable. I cannot understand why anyone would support such a decision. However, the real issue is that Ministers who have made the decision should go out to communities and explain why the decision has been made. Ministers should front up. If Ministers make a decision but are not brave enough to front the crowd to explain the reasons for the decision, they should get out of politics. I can tell the Government that the Goulburn community is not happy about the closure of the local office. People who live in Broken Hill are trying to work out how they can be serviced from Dubbo. That in itself is interesting, but the rationale that services will be provided online is also difficult to understand. People who understand regional development will understand that in many cases what is required is a face-to-face meeting. People want to see someone and talk to them about the issues.

The Hon. Steve Whan: Face to face.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: Yes, face to face. They do not want to resolve the issues online or over the internet—even if they have access to the internet. They want to talk about issues face to face. I also want to know this: Who has explained to workers in the Goulburn office, who have been there a long time and have serviced the region extremely well, that they are done and dusted? The offices will close on 30 June. What will happen to those individuals? It is pretty callous when a Minister cannot explain what will happen to the workers. As I said, if Ministers cannot front up, they should get out of politics. They should not be a Minister. They have made a decision and they should go out and explain it to people. A Minister should tell people the reasons for the decision and not hide.

The Hon. Steve Whan: Certainly if you are running for preselection in the seat.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: Particularly if it is for preselection for the Federal seat of Hume.

The Hon. Steve Whan: Exactly.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: Goulburn is part of Hume. Perhaps Ministers should talk to the people of Goulburn about this decision and how it fits in with their possible candidacy for the Federal electorate of Hume. I am sure the Liberals will have something to say about the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Small Business seeking preselection for Hume. The Goulburn office has served its communities well for a very long time.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Mick Veitch for Hume. Deny you are running for Hume.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: I am not running for Hume. I have done that before.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: That is very easy to deny.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: Yes. That is done. Have I put that to rest? I am not contesting Hume.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Don't be ambivalent.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: I did that in 1997. I do not need to go back and do it again. Like other failed Federal candidates in this House—and, as I look around, I see there are a few of us—I am not going back. But if I were going to run for Hume at the next Federal election, I would stand on my dig and explain to people why I closed the office in Goulburn. A Labor member would not do what this Government is doing—we would not close an office and then not front up. The Minister needs to go to Goulburn and explain to the council, the communities and the workers in that office the reasons for the office being closed.

The Hon. Walt Secord: And to their families.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: And explain it to the families of the workers. This is a really serious issue. Goulburn is considered a growth centre. If the Ministers speak to Goulburn council representatives, they will be told about projects. Council representatives cannot understand why closure of the office has taken place. They were not advised about the impending closure of the office, but in any case they still cannot understand it. The part about this that is a little bit of a conundrum but really interesting is that somewhere along the line the Minister for Family and Community Services, and Minister for Women and member for Goulburn said that this decision is based on a recommendation made by the Small Business Commissioner. Why is that interesting?

The Goulburn office is not a Small Business office; it is a regional development office and an office of Trade and Investment. How does the Small Business Commissioner get to make a decision about an office that is not a Small Business office? The recommendation made by the Small Business Commissioner has to be enacted by a Minister of the Government. The government of the day has to enact the recommendation, and that is the issue. The Minister cannot duck and weave on this issue. The decision is the Minister's decision. When someone is a Minister, the buck stops with them. Any bureaucrat can make a recommendation—and indeed there are quite a few recommendations emanating from quite a number of reports, reviews and inquiries at the moment—but the Minister in the government of the day makes the decision. The buck stops with the Minister. The Government is blaming the Small Business Commissioner, and that is quite poor.

The Goulburn office has provided significant services for a very long time. It must be said that government offices in regions throughout the State have done a very good job. Will someone explain to the people who live in Broken Hill why that office will be closed and why they will be serviced from Dubbo? A former member for Murray-Darling once described Dubbo as coastal compared to remote western areas.

The Hon. Michael Gallacher: Who was that?

The Hon. Charlie Lynn: It was Tim Flannery.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: No, it was Peter Black. Nevertheless, it is a long way from Broken Hill to Dubbo. For a small business owner in Broken Hill who wants to meet a government official face to face in Dubbo, or obtain government services, the time commitment is irrational.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jonesl): Order! There is too much audible conversation in the Chamber.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: Most members of this House have visited Coffs Harbour at some stage and most of us would know that it is a large and developing centre. The Government announced its intention to close the office in Coffs Harbour and told local residents they will be serviced from Port Macquarie. Reports in the Coffs Coast Advocate make it clear that a number of local residents are not happy and cannot understand the rationale for being told that they will have to go to Port Macquarie to receive government services. I want to know what the local member for Coffs Harbour thinks about it. When the member for Goulburn was confronted with this issue, she said she was going to take it up with the Government. That is an interesting comment: she is a Minister of the Government and she sits at the Cabinet table. Anyway, what has the member for Coffs Harbour had to say about the closure of the office? If newspaper reports are any guide, he has not said a lot. The decision seems to have gone through without a lot of comment being made.

The Coffs Harbour City Council would like to talk to the Minister about the closure of the regional office. I cannot understand why The Nationals have supported the whole impact of 47 jobs being cut and closure of four offices in country areas of New South Wales. I just cannot understand why The Nationals have supported that decision. I cannot understand why members of The Nationals have not stood up and said, "This is wrong." Why are they are not railing against it? Where are all the media reports of members of The Nationals saying, "I'm going to take up the fight on this. This is a wrong decision. This decision flies in the face of The Nationals policy." Surely The Nationals would stand up for regional development.

The Hon. Rick Colless: Where was Country Labor when the agriculture department offices were closed?

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: The Hon. Rick Colless is banging away. He must have been taking lessons from "Gang-gang" Khan. Sure the Hon. Rick Colless would stand up and say, "This is not good for regional development." I ask the Hon. Rick Colless to explain, when he makes his contribution to the debate, how The Nationals can support job losses in country areas of New South Wales and closure of regional development offices—unless, of course, The Nationals just do not care about regional development.

The Hon. Rick Colless: You know that is not true.

The Hon. Steve Whan: You have just done it.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: The offices will shut on 30 June and 47 jobs will be gone.

The Hon. Steve Whan: Shame.

The Hon. MICK VEITCH: That is what is happening. On 30 June it will be all over, red rover.

[The Deputy-President (The Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones) left the chair at 1.00 p.m. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m.]

Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted at 2.30 p.m. for questions.

Item of business set down as an order of the day for a later hour.