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  4. 27 June 2007

Business of the House

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About this Item
SpeakersStokes Mr Rob; Deputy-Speaker; Aquilina Mr John
BusinessBusiness of the House, Division, Motion

      BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Page: 1947

      Reordering of General Business

      Mr ROB STOKES (Pittwater) [3.31 p.m.]: I move:
      That General Business Notice of Motion (General Notice) No. 10 [Currawong Retreat] have precedence on Thursday 28 June 2007.
      My motion reads:

      That this House:

      (1) notes that the Currawong Retreat in Pittwater is threatened by development which could destroy its unique cultural, environmental and historic values.

      (2) notes that Currawong is not currently being considered by the Heritage Council of New South Wales for recommendation for inclusion on the State Heritage Register.

      (3) calls on the Minister for Planning to take urgent action to place Currawong on the State Heritage Register.

      The sands of time are running out for Currawong. If current events are allowed to proceed, within a short time this most beautiful and important coastal site in New South Wales could be irrevocably damaged by development, and lost forever as a public amenity. That is why this motion is a matter of priority. Currawong Beach, on the shores of Pittwater, was significant to the Garrigal people for thousands of years before Arthur Phillip sailed in and declared it to be the most beautiful stretch of water he had seen. Yet Currawong now is threatened.

      In 1949 the union movement became custodian of a 23-hectare site to celebrate the enshrinement of workers' rights, such as the 40-hour week and paid annual leave. They developed a retreat which has allowed thousands and thousands of working families to enjoy this unique landscape. Yet early this year, Unions NSW voted to sell Currawong for $15 million to a property development company. We do not know what the developers plan to do. But we know that if this House and the Government do not act now, Currawong will be lost. The very same company recently was responsible for a development in Bondi that has produced 30 luxury apartments valued at approximately $8 million each. As I speak, it is almost certainly planning something similar for Currawong. It should remain a public beach. If people want private beaches, they should go to Europe or Italy in particular where they will find private beaches galore. But this is Australia, this is New South Wales, and our beaches should be public beaches.

      What should be a public beach will soon become the exclusive preserve of the multimillionaires who will be able to afford to live in over-blown mansions that will probably be built there. This must be stopped. That is why this motion is so urgent and should be reordered to be given priority. The fact that Currawong is not currently on the State Heritage register is perverse. It is surrounded by the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park which, quite rightly, enjoys full protection. It recently achieved full protection by the Federal Government recognising its heritage and environmental value. Why has Currawong never been given the same protection?

      This is a matter of priority because in the past few days, the Minister for Planning—the mendacious Minister for Planning—has given misleading information about the status of Currawong. In answer to my written question on this matter, the Minister stated:
      I am advised that the Heritage Council is currently assessing a nomination for the site to be included on the State Heritage Register.

      But this week, my office, when making our own inquiries at a senior level in the Heritage Office, was told that this is not the case—I emphasise "not the case". The Minister was wrong. The true position is that although a nomination for Currawong has been received at the Heritage Office, no decision has been taken as to whether the Heritage Council will carry out a formal assessment. I repeat—no decision! The Heritage Council is not "currently assessing" the nomination.

      Mr Frank Sartor: Point of order: We know the member for Pittwater is a new and enthusiastic member, but when another member takes a point of order, he should withdraw to allow the point of order to be heard. The member for Pittwater made a remark to which I take exception, and I ask him to withdraw it. He referred to me as mendacious and I take offence to it. He accused me of being a liar, and I take offence to that.
      The DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Order! I ask the member for Pittwater to withdraw the remark.

      Mr ROB STOKES: I withdraw the word "mendacious". But there has been no decision and the Minister's answer was, shall we say, misleading on that point. The Heritage Council is not currently assessing the nomination. As a matter of precedence, the House needs to discuss these matters and get to the bottom of what the true position is.

      Mr JOHN AQUILINA (Riverstone—Leader of the House) [3.36 p.m.]: The Government cannot understand why the member for Pittwater would want to push down in rank the motions of which notice has been given by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, the member for Penrith and the Leader of the Opposition. The motion is denied.

      Question—That the motion be agreed to—put.
      The House divided.
      Ayes, 37
      Mr Aplin
      Mr Baird
      Mr Baumann
      Ms Berejiklian
      Mr Cansdell
      Mr Constance
      Mr Debnam
      Mr Draper
      Mrs Fardell
      Mr Fraser
      Ms Goward
      Mrs Hancock
      Mr Hartcher      		Mr Hazzard
      Mrs Hopwood
      Mr Humphries
      Mr Kerr
      Mr Merton
      Ms Moore
      Mr Oakeshott
      Mr O'Dea
      Mr O'Farrell
      Mr Page
      Mr Piccoli
      Mr Piper
      Mr Provest      		Mr Richardson
      Mr Roberts
      Mrs Skinner
      Mr Smith
      Mr Stokes
      Mr J. H. Turner
      Mr R. W. Turner
      Mr J. D. Williams
      Mr R. C. Williams

      Tellers,
      Mr George
      Mr Maguire

Noes, 45

Mr Amery
Ms Andrews
Mr Aquilina
Mr Borger
Mr Brown
Ms Burney
Ms Burton
Mr Campbell
Mr Collier
Mr Coombs
Mr Corrigan
Mr Costa
Mr Daley
Ms D'Amore
Ms Firth
Mr Gibson		Mr Greene
Mr Harris
Ms Hay
Mr Hickey
Ms Hornery
Ms Judge
Ms Keneally
Mr Khoshaba
Mr Koperberg
Mr Lynch
Mr McBride
Dr McDonald
Ms McKay
Mr McLeay
Ms McMahon
Ms Meagher		Ms Megarrity
Mrs Paluzzano
Mr Pearce
Mrs Perry
Mr Rees
Mr Sartor
Mr Shearan
Ms Tebbutt
Mr Terenzini
Mr West
Mr Whan


Tellers,
Mr Ashton
Mr Martin

Pairs

Ms Hodgkinson Ms Gadiel
Mr SourisMr Morris


Question resolved in the negative.
Motion negatived.

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