CONSIDERATION OF URGENT MOTIONS
Department of Housing House Fires
Mr DEBUS (Blue Mountains - Minister for Corrective Services, and Minister for Emergency Services) [3.19]: This motion is urgent not least because in the last three weeks a dozen people have died in house fires. As honourable members are aware, earlier this week I conducted a summit involving the insurance industry, local government, and many people from the fire services, all of whom agreed on a strategy for approaching this most serious urgent problem. This is one of the last opportunities for the House to send an important message to the community - particularly to the insurance industry, which has been asked to support a program of television advertising - about the benefits of smoke alarms in the event of house fires.
Government Administration
Mr COLLINS (Willoughby - Leader of the Opposition) [3.20]: This matter is urgent because the Government lacks policy focus. This State is grinding to a halt because of the Carr Government's knee-jerk decisions and lack of consultation with a wide range of interest groups throughout the community on almost every piece of legislation that has been introduced to this House this session. Before this session of Parliament concludes the record must be set straight that the Carr Government must change its approach by being more consultative, more open and far less arrogant than it has been in its first nine months in office. From the Government's action to date across a range of portfolio areas it is clear that thousands of people have been caused a great deal of stress.
This matter is urgent because people do not know from one day to the next where the Carr Government stands. The Government changes policy as frequently as the Minister for Transport scribbles out resignations. The Premier's approach to government is damaging this State. He has not focused on long-term policy development; his vision does not extend beyond the six o'clock news. The Carr Government has no policy substance; it is all sizzle and no sausage. The Carr Government is a case study of policy on the run. Recently one morning the Premier said that there were far too many people in Sydney; and his solution was to ban all immigrants. The Premier's basic approach was to stamp visas "Not valid for Sydney" and set up some sort of exclusion zone around Sydney.
Recently he told architects who were planning the Olympic Stadium that glass and metal were out and house bricks were in. He saw a television program about accelerated learning and the next day he said he was going to ban it because it was trendy. This matter is urgent because the Government recently promised more support for school pupils. That proposal saw the light of day for about six hours until the Government claimed that the front-page story that it had generated was a figment of the journalist's imagination. More recently another great policy innovation were the higher school certificate identity cards, but that policy has disappeared without trace. Another unresolved matter is whether the Sydney Harbour Casino will get its tax break. Every jurisdiction in this country and around the world knows that casinos are a licence to print money. In this State the Premier's response is, "Why didn't I think of that?"
The Government's rhetoric has no substance. In recent weeks members heard the Premier's response to the problem of rave parties. Yesterday he attempted to answer a question I asked last week. He has a one week time lapse in providing answers to the people of New South Wales and to this House. The Premier said he was going to close the Phoenician Club; he said, "Enough is enough." He told the House he would come down on those establishments like a ton of bricks. He has come down like a feather because yesterday he told the House he was powerless to act on his promise. He changed his story and said the Government does not interfere in the court process.
The Government has done a backflip on environmental issues. I am pleased that the Minister for the Environment is in the precincts of the Chamber because her backflip on access to national parks and on State environmental planning policy 46 has plagued New South Wales and infringed on property rights in an unprecedented way. Rather than confront and debate the issue in this Chamber, the Premier changed his mind because John Laws very properly did him over on radio. These matters are urgent because - [Time
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Question - That the notice for urgent consideration of Mr Debus be proceeded with - put.
The House divided.
Ayes, 48
Ms Allan Mr Markham
Mr Amery Mr Martin
Mr Anderson Ms Meagher
Ms Andrews Mr Mills
Mr Aquilina Mr Moss
Mr Carr Mr Nagle
Mr Clough Mr Neilly
Mr Crittenden Ms Nori
Mr Debus Mr E. T. Page
Mr Face Mr Price
Mr Gaudry Dr Refshauge
Mr Gibson Mr Rogan
Mrs Grusovin Mr Rumble
Ms Hall Mr Scully
Mr Harrison Mr Shedden
Ms Harrison Mr Stewart
Mr Hunter Mr Sullivan
Mr Iemma Mr Tripodi
Mr Knight Mr Watkins
Mr Knowles Mr Whelan
Mr Langton Mr Yeadon
Mrs Lo Po'
Mr Lynch Tellers,
Mr McBride Mr Beckroge
Mr McManus Mr Thompson
Noes, 48
Mr Armstrong Mr O'Doherty
Mr Beck Mr O'Farrell
Mr Causley Mr D. L. Page
Mr Chappell Mr Peacocke
Mrs Chikarovski Mr Phillips
Mr Cochran Mr Photios
Mr Collins Mr Richardson
Mr Cruickshank Mr Rixon
Mr Debnam Mr Rozzoli
Mr Downy Mr Schipp
Mr Ellis Mr Schultz
Mr Fahey Mrs Skinner
Ms Ficarra Mr Slack-Smith
Mr Fraser Mr Small
Mr Glachan Mr Smith
Mr Hartcher Mr Souris
Mr Hazzard Mr Tink
Mr Humpherson Mr Turner
Dr Kernohan Mr West
Mr Kinross Mr Windsor
Mr Longley Mr Zammit
Dr Macdonald
Ms Machin Tellers,
Mr Merton Mr Jeffery
Ms Moore Mr Kerr
Pair
Mrs Beamer Mr Blackmore
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The vote being equal, I give my casting vote with the ayes and declare the question to have passed in the affirmative.