NSW MPs NO LONGER "HONOURABLE"

[news.com, October 8, 2006] The term of address, "the honourable member", which has been in use since the NSW Parliament opened 150 years ago, is to be dropped. Instead of referring to, say, "the honourable member for Strathfield" MPs will, under new standing orders, simply say "the member for Strathfield." In another blow in favour of modernism, MPs will no longer be obliged to bow their heads to the Speaker when they enter or exit "the bearpit." The prayer read by the Speaker at the opening of proceedings each day will be altered, too. The old prayer said: "Almighty God, we humbly beseech Thee to vouchsafe Thy blessing upon this Parliament. Direct and prosper our deliberations to the advancement of Thy glory, and the true welfare of the people of our State and Australia. Amen!" The new prayer says: "Almighty God, we ask for your blessing upon this Parliament. Direct and prosper our deliberations to the true welfare of Australia and the people of NSW. Amen." For the first time, Parliament's standing orders will include a special reference to Aboriginal Australia which will follow the prayer: "We acknowledge the traditional owners, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We also acknowledge the traditional owners of the lands we represent and thank them for their custodianship of country." Following the passage of the Constitution Amendment (Pledge of Loyalty) Act earlier this year, the standing orders have been re-written to replace the oath of allegiance with the loyalty pledge. In the past, all MPs were sworn in with the 1902 oath: "I [member's name] do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Her Heirs and Successors according to law. So help me God." Under the more republic pledge MPs elected at the March 24 state election will state: "[Under God], I pledge my loyalty to Australia and the people of NSW." The oath for ministers will no longer refer to "Her Majesty's executive council", but simply the "executive council of NSW." The reference to "Under God", will become optional, a change that provoked fierce debate from traditionalists when it passed both houses in March. Christian Democrats MP Fred Nile is so angry about the removal of the British monarch from the swearing-in ceremony that he says he won't make the pledge of loyalty even if it means breaking the law. The new standing orders will be debated and approved by Parliament before the end of November.

TWO NATIONAL PARKS HANDED BACK TO INDIGENOUS OWNERS

[Australian Associated Press, May 6, 2006] Two national parks on the NSW far south coast have today been officially handed back to traditional indigenous owners. NSW environment minister Bob Debus signed off on an historic agreement with the Yuin people to hand over management of the Gulaga and Biamanga national parks. Under the agreement, between the state government, local Aboriginal Land Councils and Yuin people, the parks will be jointly managed with majority Aboriginal input. Mr Debus said the lands held great cultural significance. "This handback in a significant step in modern Australian history and a big step forward for reconciliation," he said. Aboriginal affairs minister Milton Orkopoulos said the agreement was the product of two years of negotiations. "Restoring cultural pride and identity is a vital part of our efforts to end Aboriginal disadvantage in NSW and today sees another tremendous step forward," he said. Seven national parks in NSW are now co-managed between Aboriginal people and state agencies. Gulaga Mountain was the first place on the Australian continent named by Captain Cook, who called it Mount Dromedary as he passed on January 22, 1770.

EDDIE OBEID TO BE DUMPED FROM NSW UPPER HOUSE TICKET

[Sun Herald, July 2, 2006] EDDIE Obeid, the powerful factional warlord who helped Premier Morris Iemma's ruthless rise to power last year, is to be dumped from Labor's upper house ticket for next year's state election. Mr Obeid, 63 in October, has served 15 years in Macquarie Street as an MP in the NSW Legislative Council. He recently underwent heart bypass surgery for the second time and colleagues have decided it is time to put him out to pasture. His place on the ticket is expected to be taken by one of several high-profile Muslim candidates who, if elected, would become the first in Parliament in NSW -- and would send a strong signal of Labor's commitment to community harmony and inclusiveness. Those candidates include the former mayor of Rockdale, Shaoquett Moselmane, who was promised an upper house nomination after making way for Frank Sartor to take the seat of Rockdale; solicitor Talal Yassine, who surrendered the seat of Auburn to Barbara Perry in 2001; and the highly regarded Dr Jamal Rifi, of the Australian Muslim Doctors Against Violence and former chairman of the Community Relations Commission. Mr Obeid, nicknamed The Sheik and widely acknowledged to be the wealthiest MP in State Parliament, was dropped from the ministry in 2003 by former premier Bob Carr, but his political career was resurrected when he became one of the architects of Mr Iemma's ascension to the premiership in August last year. Mr Obeid's 11th-hour decision to withdraw support from the front-running leadership contender Carl Scully, who was one of his political proteges, and switch to the Iemma camp was widely denounced in political circles as an act of total bastardry. His departure would cause a realignment in the party's right-wing faction known as the Terrigals, named after the location of Mr Obeid's Central Coast holiday spot where he and his followers plotted their influence over pre-selections, ministerial candidates and fighting the left. Energy, Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi, who also played a key role in sinking Mr Scully's premiership hopes, will be handed the Terrigals baton when Mr Obeid leaves. Mr Obeid's demise has not simply been hastened by recent poor health. He continues to attract headlines and unwelcome media attention over his family business activities, and most ministers believe the time has come to cut him loose. Two left-wing upper house MPs, Meredith Burgmann and Jan Burnswoods, have decided to step down at the next election, while six wish to stand again - Finance Minister John Della Bosca, Health Minister John Hatzistergos, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald, Amanda Fazio, Henry Tsang and Mr Obeid. The left has nominated Helen Westwood, the mayor of Bankstown, and Lynda Voltz, chief of staff to Tourism Minister Sandra Nori, to succeed Ms Burgmann and Ms Burnswoods, while the right is determined to make a token attempt to freshen its ranks by axing Mr Obeid. If Labor is re-elected, Ms Fazio, a former ALP executive officer, is widely tipped to become the next upper house president on a $215,000 salary plus a chauffeur-driven car, generous expenses and a private dining room at Parliament House for hand-picked guests.

FRED NILE MLC SEEKS TO BAN SMOKING IN CARS

[BBC News, Sydney, Tuesday, 28 February 2006] Authorities in Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, are to consider banning smoking in cars. A parliamentary inquiry will look at the effects of passive smoking on passengers, particularly children. Supporters of the proposal have admitted, however, that enforcing such a ban would be difficult. Smokers in Australia have already been squeezed out of bars and restaurants, as well as some beaches and most other public places. Now Fred Nile from the Christian Democratic Party has drawn up a private member's bill that makes cars the next target. His idea will be investigated by a parliamentary committee. The plan appears to have the support of the state government. A spokesman said that tough action should be implemented to stop the small number of irresponsible people who smoked around youngsters in their cars. There is, of course, the tricky issue of enforcement. Ministers have conceded that applying any ban would be difficult. Similar laws have been proposed in parts of the United States and Germany, but were rejected on privacy grounds. The New South Wales government said there would have to be far more public debate before any new measures were brought in. This type of smoking ban has been rejected by the state parliament on two previous occasions. Supporters of the legislation have argued that research into the dangers of passive smoking has proved that change is urgently needed.

OPPOSITION CONDEMNS SPEED CAMERA RORT

[Australian Associated Press] The NSW government was reeling in the cash from speed cameras while starving highway patrol officers of funding, the opposition said today. Opposition police spokesman Peter Debnam said RTA speed cameras alone were delivering a $1 million a week windfall to the government. Police cameras targeting speed and red light infringements also made $48.79 million in revenue in 2003. "This year Bob Carr got $101.78 million from cameras," Mr Debnam said. "About $2 million a week rolls into Bob Carr's Treasury while at the same time highway patrol officers are starved of funding. With more cameras and less and less highway patrols, it's no wonder the death toll isn't coming down." Revenue from police cameras had more than doubled in the past eight years, Mr Debnam said. "The government's camera strategy isn't about road safety. It's secret and it's about revenue," he said. Mr Debnam urged the government to release a monthly list of camera revenue and serious crashes by location. The top revenue makers were twin cameras on the Princes Highway at Kogarah ($6.7 million) followed by two cameras in the Eastern Distributor ($3.9 million) and two on the Southern Freeway at Gwynneville ($3.1 million).

STATE GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES 10-YEAR PLAN FOR NSW

[news.com, August 8, 2006] PUBLIC transport is the winner and motorways the losers under the NSW Government's 10-year plan, which aims to get more commuters out of their cars and onto trains and buses. The draft State Plan -- to be released today for public consultation -- also sets air quality as a priority, making it unlikely for motorways to be approved unless aimed at lowering the road toll. It sets 29 priorities across all departments -- from transport, health and education, to crime, business and the environment -- and provides some detail to a speech given by the Premier, Morris Iemma, in June, widely panned as announcing a plan for a plan. To the consternation of some ministers, the draft promises targets to publicly measure the performance of all government services at least annually, while a new standards survey will monitor patient, passenger and parent satisfaction. Mr Iemma trumpets his "single lighthouse document" as marking "a new era of accountability" and "a profound shift in the way government operates in NSW". The failure of earlier plans is acknowledged in the draft: "People are rightly frustrated when plans are announced but not delivered." To avoid the plan becoming a worthy paperweight, Mr Iemma intends to reform the cabinet, budget process and public service to resist immediate distractions in favour of long-term improvements. Any policy not relevant to the priorities will not be funded, and senior officials will have performance agreements tailored to meet targets. Consultations begin across NSW this month, and internet submissions can be made on STATE PLAN If people are found not to like the priorities, the Government says it is willing to change the list. As it stands, law and order features prominently, with promises to reduce violent crime and anti-social behaviour, but also a commitment to expand the role of courts to examine causes of reoffending, and provide more drug and alcohol treatment. It plans to build more "harmonious communities" -- to be measured by the involvement of different groups in employment, sports and volunteering -- and it wants to make people feel safer. The Government will "make clear" to users of transport and other services their responsibility to "treat with respect their fellow citizens, staff and physical assets." In the health area, smoking, alcohol and obesity are targeted, along with improving emergency departments, elective and urgent surgery and helping the chronically ill avoid hospital. It also wants to reduce child abuse, increase the year 12 completion rate and boost the proportion of funding for prevention programs, rather than picking up the pieces of problems afterwards. The economic targets include keeping the state's AAA credit rating, reversing the budget deficit and boosting business investment, both in Sydney and the rest of the state. The environmental priorities are improving air quality, shifting more freight by rail and "progressing towards" greenhouse gas reduction targets, while it wants to increase the supply of housing lots to help home affordability. The average distance between work and home will be cut, and more people will be encouraged to visit parks and other recreational facilities. Annual performance reports will be published encompassing all the priorities, and the entire plan will be reviewed in 2009. It is expected to be completed and adopted by mid-October. The Opposition Leader, Peter Debnam, said: "It's amazing, a few months before an election, that they don't have a strategy for the state. What exactly have they been directed towards for the last 12 months? It explains why everything's going wrong."

NO RECORDS KEPT OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR FREE PUBLIC DENTAL TREATMENT

By JILLIAN SKINNER, MP, Shadow Minister for Health [Wednesday, 21 June 2006] The Auditor-General today highlighted the failure of the Iemma Labor Government to keep records of the number of people waiting for public dental treatment. The Auditor-General’s performance audit released today states: ‘The Department is not able to identify the total number of patients who require free dental treatment, where they are, their age or condition and the type of treatment they need, or the time that patients may wait for non-urgent treatment.’ “The Labor Government has been trying to hide the embarrassing public dental waiting list in NSW for years and the Auditor-General has shown them up,” Shadow Health Minister Jillian Skinner said today. “I was leaked a document late last year that showed there were over 215,500 people waiting for public dental care and no doubt there are thousands more now. “These are people who are suffering; some in such pain that they are pulling their own teeth out with pliers, and many of them with such severe and disfiguring dental problems that they are locking themselves out of sight. “Patients and dentists tell me some are waiting up to four years just to see a dentist and up to ten years for dental services such as dentures. “As the Auditor-General points out, the Government’s benchmarks are so feeble they don’t allow any comparison between different parts of the State and they certainly don’t measure how effective Government care is. “This is another example of Labor failing to provide for the health of the people of NSW. “Dental problems can have serious effects on the overall health and well-being of patients and the Iemma Government spends less per head of population than all other States and Territories. “I call on the Iemma Government to immediately release the dental waiting list and to report to the public on the details highlighted by the Auditor-General,” Mrs Skinner said.

CRIPPLING LEVELS OF SICK LEAVE IN NSW PRISONS

By ANDREW HUMPERSON, MP, Shadow Minister for Emergency Services, Shadow Minister for Justice [Thursday, 29 June 2006] Audit Office findings today prove the State Labor Government has no commitment to tackling the crippling levels of sick leave in NSW prisons, according to the State Opposition. “Prison sick leave costs have blown out to $13 million in just four years as the State Government has made no effective effort to bring it under control,” Shadow Minister for Justice Andrew Humpherson said today. “Prison sick leave is over 60% higher than the Public Service average at a staggering 12 days a year per employee," he said. “The hidden impact of this is on skyrocketing overtime bills which have cost taxpayers $101 million over the past four years. NSW prisons under the Labor Party are the most expensive and ineffective in the country. It costs more to keep a prisoner in a NSW jail than in any other State and they are more likely to re-offend when released. “NSW prisons are bloated, wasteful and poorly managed. They are the HIH of the State government. The solution is to change the culture of mismanagement and waste by replacing a number of senior staff and injecting some discipline and direction into the system. “The State Labor Government has paid lip service to the 2002 Audit Office recommendations and, despite monitoring and data collection, has not pushed for improvements. The Department of Corrective Services has shown its lack of commitment in this area by failing to report any progress or data in its annual reports. “The number of sick days in the prison system soared since the Audit Office highlighted the problem in 2002 from 47,802 days per year to 69,388 days last year. Not only is this cost unsustainable but impacts on huge overtime budget blowouts and prevents inmates from attending education and rehabilitation programs which would help them avoid re-offending. “Major surgery is required to the management of the NSW prison system to bring sick leave and overtime down to reasonable levels,” Mr Humpherson concluded.

DEEP WATER ACCESSED AT WARRAGAMBA

[AAP April 15, 2006] Sydney's Warragamba Dam has had its usable storage levels increased by an extra 40 billion litres of water a year thanks to a deep water engineering project. A team of international saturation divers who usually work on offshore oil rigs have spent the past two weeks removing a 17 tonne concrete block from the base of the dam wall. The divers have cut a two metre hole through the wall to allow water at the bottom of the dam to be pumped into the Warragamba pipeline. NSW Premier Morris Iemma said the final stage of the deep water project was completed in the late hours of last night. "This is a truly amazing engineering feat that will add around eight per cent to the current dam storage levels at Warragamba," Mr Iemma said. "By accessing deep storage we are increasing the capacity of our dams. We are making the size of the bucket bigger." Mr Iemma said the freshwater project was part of the government's $119 million deep water access program and the first time an engineering project of this scale had been attempted. The block was removed using an underwater cutting machine flown in from Perth that uses core drilling and a diamond impregnated cutting wire. Eight divers, known as aquanauts, worked in eight hour shifts, 24 hours a day and at a depth of 85 metres while being given food and supplies through an airlock. Competing with zero visibility and freezing conditions, the divers also constantly had hot water piped through tubes underneath their suits to keep them warm. Similar deep water projects were also being undertaken at Avon and Nepean Dams, Mr Iemma said. Meanwhile, Clean Up Australia chairman Ian Kiernan has urged the NSW government not to lift current water restrictions. An Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal report has found that Sydney Water has failed to meet its water conservation targets. Mr Kiernan said lifting water restrictions would only make matters worse. "It is clear Sydney Water must improve but if water restrictions are lifted it will be easy for people to fall back into bad habits and waste water," he said.