14204

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY

Friday 1 June 2001 ______

Mr Speaker (The Hon. John Henry Murray) took the chair at 10.00 a.m.

Mr Speaker offered the Prayer.

LONG SERVICE LEAVE LEGISLATION AMENDMENT BILL

Bill received and read a first time.

BILL RETURNED

The following bill was returned from the Legislative Council with amendments:

Casino Control Amendment Bill

Consideration of amendments deferred.

DEATH OF EVELYN CRAWFORD SNR

Dr REFSHAUGE (Marrickville—Deputy Premier, Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Minister for Housing) [10:02 a.m.], by leave: I move:

That this House:

(1) notes with regret the passing of Evelyn Crawford Snr; and

(2) recognises her valuable contribution to promoting and advancing the issues of Aboriginal people, particularly her involvement in Aboriginal education.

Respected Aboriginal elder Evelyn Crawford passed away on 21 May 2001, aged 73. She was born Evelyn Mallyer in 1928 on Rossmore Station near Bourke. Her Mother, Anna Mallyer, was a Barkindji woman, which made Evelyn a member of the Barkindji people of western New South Wales. Evelyn spent much of her early life on Yantabulla Station in the far-western region until her family travelled to Brewarrina mission. Brewarrina mission proved to be a harsh place, and the family later moved back to Yantabulla mission, where life was thought to be better, with fewer restrictions and rules placed upon them.

Evelyn married at a young age to Raymond Crawford, with whom she had 14 children. At the time of her passing this family had extended to 37 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Evelyn loved to talk about her childhood and her culture. It was this love that resulted in the publication of her autobiography Over My Tracks, for which she won the Anita Kioble Award. In Over My Tracks she talks about some of the pain and heartache she enjoyed, particularly during her childhood. This childhood and culture would help develop the spirit and strength that would come to inspire many other indigenous people.

Without obtaining formal qualifications, Evelyn worked all over far west New South Wales and southern Queensland as a nursery maid, house maid, in shearing sheds and as a rodeo rider and drover. However, following the death of her husband, Evelyn ventured into Aboriginal education by way of voluntary work at Brewarrina Central School. This was her first positive experience in the education system that initially shunned her, and this new experience meant that she embraced education. The principal and staff recognised her unique teaching skills and offered her the position of Aboriginal teachers aide. This job required formal training at the University of Sydney. This was the first time that Evelyn participated in any formal education.

After successfully completing her training, Evelyn spent eight years in this position before becoming the Aboriginal Home Liaison Officer. After resigning from this position she became the first Aboriginal person appointed to the position of TAFE Aboriginal Regional Co-ordinator for the western region of New South Wales. Here, she was instrumental in the establishment of the TAFE campus at Wilcannia and initiated numerous vocational training courses for Aboriginal people in these remote communities.

Evelyn served on many educational committees at local, regional, State and national levels, and she created many educational opportunities for her people, coupled with fostering and empathy of the many 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14205 difficulties confronting Aboriginal people. Evelyn was a founding member of the Aboriginal Education Consultative Group, for which she was rewarded with life membership. She was also a founding member of the Proclaimed Place in Brewarrina, founding member of Ngemba Housing, Orana Haven Rehabilitation Centre and Brewarrina Community Centre Committee, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Brewarrina Aboriginal Preschool.

Evelyn was also a board member of the Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Education Corporation and the Brewarrina Cultural Tourism Aboriginal Corporation, and was involved in the recording of Aboriginal sites with the National Parks and Wildlife Service. One of her proudest achievements is the fully operational Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum, of which she was responsible for the planning and development and was a chairperson. These achievements culminated in two very special awards for Evelyn. For her contribution to advancing the interests of Aboriginal people in New South Wales, Evelyn was recognised in the 1993 Australian Honours List and was awarded the Order of Australia. In 1998 Charles Sturt University also recognised Evelyn's achievements with an honorary doctorate.

For all those deserving accolades, it was the lives that Evelyn touched and inspired that are equally impressive. On a very real level, Evelyn influenced and inspired people. At her funeral on 26 May a long line of people spoke of the ways in which Evelyn changed the course of their lives. She gave them the courage to stop drinking, or to get an education, or to teach others—basically, to contribute and to be able to get more out of life. Evelyn also saw the inadequacies of the education system for Aboriginal people both through her own children and through others, and that gave her the strength to change things for the better for her children and Aboriginal children throughout the education system. Here was a woman, Evelyn Crawford, who embraced her culture and experiences, both the pains and the joys, and passed on that experience and knowledge to those who needed it most. It is fitting to end this tribute with these wise words from this remarkable Barkindji woman:

The past is not for livin' in you know, but it sure makes for real good thinkin'.

Mr HAZZARD (Wakehurst) [10.07 a.m.]: As shadow Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and on behalf of the New South Wales Coalition parties, I support the Deputy Premier's motion acknowledging the passing of Evelyn Crawford, OA, and the contribution that she made during her lifetime to the causes of the Aboriginal people. The Deputy Premier finished his speech with words found at the end of the first chapter of Evelyn Crawford's autobiography, which was written with the assistance of Chris Walsh. The Deputy Premier quoted these words:

The past is not for livin' in you know, but it sure makes for real good thinkin'.

One who reads the autobiography of Evelyn Crawford cannot help but be moved by the range of experiences she had during her lifetime. Evelyn Crawford saw the worst and perhaps the best of people. She certainly was witness to the history reflecting what Aboriginal elders and Aboriginal Australians generally have lived through. As has been noted, Evelyn was born in 1928, but it was not until about 1958 that she found out when she was born.

Unfortunately, over many years Aboriginal Australians were not given the recognition to which they were entitled. Many Aboriginal people at that time experienced the problem of not having a birth certificate and not being acknowledged as an equal—indeed many people would say that in some parts those problems continue to exist. I was moved by a number of reflections that Evelyn made in her book, and I would like to draw some of those to the attention of the House. The first is in the introduction, in which she said, almost with a degree of surprise:

Here I am goin' over my tracks, takin' people with me.

There was a time when Evelyn would not have thought people would have been interested in her going over her tracks and taking people with her. However, we have moved forward a long way and people are interested. Certainly, people in this place on both sides of politics are interested in going along the tracks of people like Evelyn Crawford. We are interested because we want to ensure that we learn from her experience. We want to ensure that Aboriginal people, particularly the younger generation, do not experience the sorts of problems that Evelyn Crawford had to overcome. Doubtless it was part of what made her the person she was. Evelyn also reflected upon that early in her book when she said:

All the things in my life are part of me now, and that's like the core of the person I am.

That certainly is true for all of us as it was for Evelyn Crawford. However, we would like to think that from those things that made the core of Evelyn Crawford we will learn as a community and ensure that young 14206 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

Aboriginal people do not suffer the ignominy that Evelyn suffered as she grew up. I refer again to the problems of not knowing your roots, your place in the world and your date of birth. Evelyn recounts that she was in Broken Hill as the regional Aboriginal co-ordinator for western New South Wales, which she notes is everything west of Dubbo, a vast area. I do not think things have improved a lot in the last few years because not enough resources are allocated to the western area. That is not a political statement but simply acknowledging the limitation of resources. More resources should be made available to the west of the State.

Evelyn had a constant focus in the administration for which she worked. She said the people in her office kept passing on the message "Your age, we need your age …" and she reflected, "I suppose they had to keep their pieces of paper up to date." She said she did not know what year she was born and those who did not have a full understanding of the difficulties of Aboriginal people since the coming of European settlers said, "Oh, come on, Ev, that's incredible." Evelyn reflected, "I suppose they thought I was one of those coy white ladies that try to hide their age." She said:

One day in 1985, I was going back to Broken Hill from Brewarrina where I'd been working with teachers and I passed Rossmore Station, not far out from Bourke. I drove in and asked some station hands, "Who's boss here now?" They called the young feller who owned property then and I asked him, "Who was the boss here about 1930?"

"My grandfather—they lived in that old house over there. Why?"

"I was born here, in a tent under those trees near that tank over there, me and my sister."

"Is that so? Come on over to Grandma's old house, see if we can find anything. There's still the old station books there."

We went over to the old place and in the room that had been the station office we found this little old book. And written on one page it had:

Born, to station, calves – 9 lambs – 28 foals – 2

Born, to Hannah Black and Jack Mallyer, one girl baby.

We was on the Station ledger, like we was their stock!

As it happened, after all those years an Aboriginal Australian found her birth date by going back to the station where she was born. At least she came to know her birth date because it was recorded with the calves, lambs and foals! One must reflect that we are grateful that life has moved on but Evelyn said, "Even today people find it hard to believe I didn't have a birthday until I was fifty-eight." That embodies the obligations and responsibilities that the broader Australian community has towards Aboriginal Australians. We need to listen to and reflect on their words, to listen and absorb their history, and Evelyn is very much part of that history.

Evelyn was born with no birth certificate and to some degree with no real record of her identity. However, she knew she was a Barkindji woman, knew her family and experienced the love of an extended Aboriginal community. She obviously suffered difficult times, particularly when, according to her records and books, her family moved on to the roads, and travelled the highways and byways of New South Wales and Queensland. They settled on a mission that was, in her words, harsh and eventually her family left the mission. She experienced difficulties, as did many Aboriginal Australians—and sadly they still do today—of not receiving an appropriate education. She had no formal education until she gave herself an education when she became an educational assistant at Brewarrina school.

Some time after that she was offered the opportunity to have formal training at the University of Sydney. Apparently that was her first type of formal education and by that stage she had learned a lot on the highways and byways of life and was certainly contributing back to Aboriginal people. After she received formal education she was able to contribute more, and that reflects the hopes of members on both sides of this Chamber that we can offer Aboriginal people better educational opportunities. The other night I attended with the honourable member for Wollongong the Friends of Tranby annual dinner. The point was made there, as it is made every year, that the way forward for Aboriginal people is education.

Tranby Aboriginal people are doing it for themselves, but they are certainly supported by funds from State and Federal governments. They know that the only way forward for people like them—and for people like Evelyn Crawford—is education. After Evelyn resigned from her position as Aboriginal home school liaison officer at Brewarrina, she was the first Aboriginal person appointed to the position of TAFE Aboriginal regional co-ordinator in that vast region west of Dubbo, the western region of New South Wales. Evelyn was instrumental in the establishment of the TAFE campus at Wilcannia and initiated numerous vocational training courses for Aboriginal people in those far western regions. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14207

I am sure that many honourable members have travelled to Wilcannia and those far western areas. The last time I was in that area the topic of conversation was education. Other issues were debated, such as insufficient leisure activities for young people, the difficulties that they were getting into and the lack of employment. The local Aboriginal community and non-Aboriginal community have attempted to create employment but their efforts have not been all that successful. The fundamental issue that was discussed when I last visited the area was the fact that they still need more education opportunities. The school principal and teaching staff at Wilcannia High School are trying to ensure that educational programs within that environment are appropriate to members of the local Aboriginal community. The key is to ensure that the educational programs are relevant. I am sure that Evelyn knew that when she was working so hard to establish that TAFE campus at Wilcannia.

The Deputy Premier also acknowledged that Evelyn was a foundation member of the New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group. People who have worked with that group, including Linda Burney, the current Director-General of Aboriginal Affairs, have made major contributions to the education of Aboriginal people in New South Wales. It should be acknowledged that Evelyn's role as a foundation member was one of the most major contributions that could have been made to give Aboriginal Australians in New South Wales a better way of life. The fact that Evelyn was eventually awarded the traditional Australian award in 1993—the Order of Australia—is only a blip on the radar of Evelyn Crawford's successes and achievements.

Evelyn is one of the vanguard of many Aboriginal women in New South Wales who have promoted Aboriginal causes. Women in Aboriginal communities across New South Wales and Australia have shown time and again their strong backbone in moving forward on many issues. They are at the forefront of trying to improve the lot of their people. As elders they provide not only nurturing but also a strong guiding force within Aboriginal Australia. Evelyn Crawford was one of the greatest of those guiding forces.

The Coalition parties have no hesitation in supporting the motion moved this morning by the Deputy Premier. We extend to all of Evelyn Crawford's immediate and extended family our sincere condolences. I ask members of her family to reflect on the fact that they should be immensely proud of the many things mother achieved for New South Wales and the broader Aboriginal community. That this Parliament is reflecting on her achievements today indicates the high regard in which the community and members of this Parliament hold Evelyn Crawford.

Mr MARKHAM (Wollongong—Parliamentary Secretary) [10.25 a.m.]: I support the motion moved by the Deputy Premier, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs. I am saddened by the death of Dr Evelyn Crawford. Evelyn, a well-known Barkindji elder, died in Broken Hill on Monday 21 May, at age 73. Dr Crawford was a pioneer in Aboriginal education in the far-western region of New South Wales. She published a book on her life at Brewarrina entitled Over My Tracks, which won the Anita Kioble award. She was acknowledged as a valuable source of information about Aboriginal culture. She was the mother of 14 children, four of whom lived in Broken Hill. She was also the grandmother of 37 children and the great grandmother of 17 children.

Dr Crawford was widely known as Aunty Ev. She died in her home at Knox Street and was buried in Brewarrina on Saturday 26 May. She was born in May 1928. In these modern times the month of May is an important event in Aboriginal culture. National Sorry Day is celebrated on 26 May and this week—27 May to 3 June—we are celebrating Reconciliation Week. Aunty Ev was esteemed as an educator. People travelled from across New South Wales for the funeral, and representatives of State government departments came from Sydney. I was invited to attend her funeral on Saturday but, because of prior commitments in Wollongong—I was guest speaker at a reconciliation dinner on Saturday evening and I had to attend a rally on Saturday morning—I had to decline that invitation. It saddened me that I was not able to be in Brewarrina last Saturday to pay my respects to Aunty Ev's family. The Chairman of the New South Wales Reconciliation Committee, Rick Farley, who was at the funeral, said that the attendance showed the impact she has had on the local community and the State.

Evelyn married at a young age, had 14 children and, after her family escaped from the Aboriginal mission station in Brewarrina, she set up her home in the town. I have gone to that mission on many occasions over the years. Like most missions, it was located on the fringe of a white dominated society. It is said that Evelyn escaped from that mission. That is exactly what she did, along with thousands of other Aboriginal people throughout this country.

When her husband died Evelyn Crawford began voluntary work at Brewarrina Central School and later became an Aboriginal teachers aide. However, she had to complete studies through Sydney University, her first 14208 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 formal education, in order to be able to accept the position. She later established a TAFE campus at Wilcannia and many training courses for indigenous people in western New South Wales. In 1998 her achievements were recognised by Charles Sturt University and she was awarded an honorary doctorate of arts.

Evelyn was vitally involved in the fully operational Brewarrina Aboriginal Cultural Museum. She was responsible for the development of the museum and, at the time of her death, was still an active board member. I remember the many occasions on which I visited the museum at Brewarrina and saw its incredible collection. It tells the history of the Darling-Barwon River people—the Barkindji people. It explains how the fish traps at Brewarrina were constructed and used.

The Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, who is present in the Chamber, declared that area a site of Aboriginal importance and it has been listed as an important heritage site. That move was applauded by Aboriginal people from not only Brewarrina but along the river. The Barkindji people considered it long overdue, and the Minister acted out of respect for the people of Brewarrina and the Barkindji nation.

Evelyn served on many different educational committees at local, regional, State and national levels. She created many educational opportunities for her people while fostering and developing empathy and understanding of the many difficulties confronting them. In 1977 Evelyn was a founding member of the New South Wales Aboriginal Education Consultative Group [AECG], and her dedication and commitment to this organisation was rewarded with life membership. Evelyn was active on that body until her passing.

This morning I spoke to Charles Davison, the chief executive officer of the AECG, who told me that Evelyn had remained very supportive of that organisation. Linda Burney, the chief executive officer of the New South Wales Department of Aboriginal Affairs, served as chief executive officer of the AECG for 10 years before its constitution forced her resignation. Charles Davison then assumed that position. These two high- calibre people loved and supported Aunty Ev, and it is easy to see why. As an educator, she was highly regarded and respected not just in Brewarrina or New South Wales but throughout the nation.

Involvement in various committees was high on Evelyn's list of priorities. She was a founding member of the Proclaimed Place—Blugum Place—in Brewarrina, Ngamba Housing, the Orana Haven Rehabilitation Centre and the Brewarrina Community Centre Committee. Evelyn was instrumental in the construction and operation of Brewarrina Aboriginal Preschool. In recognition of her work and contribution to the Brewarrina community, she received the Edith McCarthy Award. Evelyn's contribution to advancing the interests of Aboriginal people in New South Wales was recognised in the 1993 Australian Honours List when she was awarded the Order of Australia.

Long before I was elected to the New South Wales Parliament my family and I used to visit Brewarrina twice a year, at Easter and in September when the mine in which I worked shut down for the holidays. We did that for many years and my children still visit a property called Waratah, which is about 25 miles outside Brewarrina on the road to Carinda. Jenny McClelland, formerly Mrs Ryan, owns Waratah station and our families have developed a lifelong friendship. Jenny is a councillor on Brewarrina Shire Council, chairperson of the western division group of shires of the Shires Association of New South Wales and chairperson of the Western Catchment Management Board.

I rang Jenny yesterday when I learned that this motion was to be debated today. Jenny is an activist in that part of New South Wales and knew Auntie Ev. I asked her about her involvement with Evelyn over many years—the Ryan family have lived on Waratah property in Brewarrina for a long time. Jenny said, "Yes, Col, I sure do remember Evelyn. Many times we used to sit and discuss not only educational issues affecting Aboriginal people and children but educational opportunities for kids generally within the western division of New South Wales."

As the honourable member for Wakehurst said, education is an important ingredient in reconciliation and in ensuring that Aboriginal people get a fair crack of the whip in this country. That is only right. We recently attended the Friends of Tranby dinner, at which that point was highlighted time and time again. Bob Bellear, an Aboriginal judge in New South Wales, was a guest speaker at the dinner. He explained how he had come from a background of poverty and put himself through university because he believed that was the only way forward for him and his family. Bob continues to express that sentiment.

Bob's brother, Sol Bellear, works for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and is an advocate of education for Aboriginal people in this State. People such as Aunty Evelyn, Bob and Sol and many other 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14209

Aboriginal people have dedicated their lives to making sure that their people have an opportunity to undertake not only higher education but education at any level. We know that education comes in many forms: we continue to live and learn. Aboriginal people must learn the ways of the white man and the culture of their own people and country.

Mr Hazzard: We must also learn the ways of the Aboriginal people.

Mr MARKHAM: I will say only that, although the State education curriculum encourages school principals to teach Aboriginal culture, I have discovered on my travels some principals who do not do that because no Aboriginal children attend their schools. That is absolutely horrendous. Children from this multicultural society must learn about the first inhabitants of our country. Many schools have great programs run by dedicated principals, teachers and Aboriginal teaching assistants who follow in the footsteps of Evelyn Crawford. It is important to recognise that fact. Evelyn's daughter—who is also named Evelyn—delivered the eulogy at Evelyn's funeral, and I will read a quote from it that I think sums up what Evelyn Crawford was and stood for. Her daughter said:

She recognised the difference in each of us and she taught us things accordingly. Mum never told any of us how to live our lives, what to do, or who to spend time with but she was always there to listen or to lend a shoulder to cry on. Those of you who knew Mum will recognise the patience she had when dealing with people.

My family, my wife Melissa and I pass on our deepest condolences to the extended Crawford family throughout this country and simply say, "Your mum was a true and respected human being."

Motion agreed to.

Members and officers of the House stood in their places.

APPROPRIATION BILL

APPROPRIATION (PARLIAMENT) BILL

APPROPRIATION (SPECIAL OFFICES) BILL

INSURANCE PROTECTION TAX BILL

STATE REVENUE LEGISLATION FURTHER AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Debate resumed from 31 May.

Mr O'DOHERTY (Hornsby) [10.40 a.m.]: The budget delivered by the Treasurer in this Chamber a few days ago is very disappointing. It is a budget with continued rising revenues but nonetheless fails to address falling standards in New South Wales. It is a budget of missed opportunities. It is a budget with decreasing outcomes for the community despite increasing revenues. The total revenue available to the Treasurer to work with in the current financial year, the year not yet quite finished, is $31.3 billion. That is a staggering amount compared to the revenue before Labor came into office. The total State revenue, from both State and Commonwealth sources, has risen from $20 billion in 1994-95 to a revised figure of about $31 billion in the current financial year, and next year is expected to be $32 billion.

Just to give those reading this speech in future an idea of what that is per capita, in its first year in office the Government inherited from the previous Government something like $3,200 per capita to work with and next year, 2001-02, it will take, effectively, through all sources, from the people of New South Wales $4,949. That tremendous growth should encourage the people of New South Wales, those contributing to that amount, to ask what they have received from the additional revenue they have given to the State Government in the past six years.

This budget is one of rising State taxes. To demonstrate that, I will refer to some figures relating to State taxation. In 1994-95, per capita State taxation was $1,655. In 1999-2000, the last year for which we have a final figure, it was $2,360 for every man, woman and child, going directly from their pockets into State taxation coffers. In the current financial year the revised figure will be $1,998, and I want to address that. This is the first 14210 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 year that we have the GST effect in the State budget. Of course, as every person in Australia knows, the GST is collected by the Commonwealth, and all of it is passed on to the States. There is an agreement that, as a result of that, certain State taxation measures start to phase out from 1 July 2000, the start of the current financial year.

That is why the Treasurer will say that State taxation overall has started to reduce. The reason is that he has already abolished a number of State taxes. They are now being collected by the Commonwealth through the GST and are being passed back to the State. This year the graphs representing State taxation will show the GST effect in the year 2000-01, and for all time it will look like there was a reduction in State taxation this year. People need to understand that that reduction came about only because of the agreement between the Commonwealth and State governments, that the State started to phase out some State taxes and that money was collected instead by the Commonwealth Government.

All of the GST goes back to the States, and, for the foreseeable future, in case any State might miss out as the GST takes effect and grows in the economy, there is the guaranteed minimum amount payment. This State will not lose out. The forward estimates contained in the current budget show a healthy growth in Commonwealth revenue for the next five years. It is that on which the State Government's surplus depends. The Treasurer cannot claim to be creating a surplus in his own right. He is relying on increasing Commonwealth revenues.

To underline the point, from last year's budget paper I will detail briefly the State taxes that will not now be collected because they have been transferred, if you like, to GST revenue. So, while they do not appear on the State tax line in the budget this year, that revenue will still be collected from New South Wales citizens and come back to them via the GST. That is the only reason the Treasurer can claim to have been reducing taxes in New South Wales, because of the agreement that ensures they are collected in a different way.

The following are the taxes that went as a result of the Commonwealth-State financial relations agreement, the intergovernmental agreement. The accommodation levy and the wholesale sales tax equivalents levied on State enterprises were abolished from 1 July. Significantly, the gambling tax arrangements are being adjusted to take account of the impact of the GST on gambling operators. If honourable members analyse the gaming revenues presented in this year's budget, they will see exactly that. Because the GST is collected on gaming and comes back to the State as GST, previous State gaming taxes in the same amount have been adjusted. The Treasurer still gets the revenue, it is still levied in New South Wales, but he can claim it is not his tax. It is just the result of this shift from State collection to Commonwealth collection, but it is still money available to the Treasurer.

The gambling tax arrangements will be changed, according to last year's budget statement, either by reducing existing tax rates or by reimbursing operators. That underlines the point I am making. An accounting trick is involved in the Treasurer claiming that he has reduced taxation. The tax rate on off-course and on-course totalisators and fractions is reduced during the current financial year, again because of the GST arrangements. The tax rate on TAB, fixed odds and sports betting is reduced from 20 per cent to 10.91 per cent. Bookmakers are already being reimbursed the amount of GST paid on their fixed odds betting operations. The gaming machines rate at the casino has been reduced from 22.5 per cent to 13.1 per cent, again as a result of the GST effect. There are other impacts on State taxes because of the intergovernmental agreement.

To sum up the point I am making, the Treasurer claims State taxes have been reduced. However, the reality is that this year the accounting for the new tax system starts and State taxes are being phased out and replaced by the GST collection, and that is directly coming back to the people of New South Wales. So, the relevant figure for us to look at as the money available to the Treasurer from New South Wales citizens, collected through all sources, is this figure for next year of $32 billion. That is the money that was available to him when he projected his budget. That is vastly more than the $20 billion he had available from the carryover from the 1994-95 budget or the $21 billion in the 1995-96 budget. The point is, the money coming to the Treasurer has increased substantially and we are entitled to ask whether we are getting value for money for that increase.

Some State taxes are being phased out. In this year's budget the bank accounts debit [BAD] tax is to be phased out. We acknowledge that that has been brought forward. It was to be phased out in the future. The Treasurer is phasing it out this year, and he can well afford to do that, because the budget shows substantial increases in Commonwealth revenue coming to the States. Already the Commonwealth Government's GST arrangements are working for the Treasurer of New South Wales and the people of New South Wales. Increases in Commonwealth funding in this year's budget are something like $1.5 billion. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14211

Remaining State taxes are also increasing. That is why it is simply wrong for the Treasurer to claim he is reducing State taxes. His take from payroll tax has increased from $2,800 million or $2.8 billion in 1995-96 to $4.1 billion in next year's budget. This year alone he is collecting $3.9 billion in payroll tax. Payroll tax is a tax on jobs. The Government has reduced the percentage rate of the tax incrementally by tiny amounts, nowhere near what it promised. In an article the Treasurer refuses to acknowledge, two promises are on the table—one at 5 per cent and one at 4 per cent by the year 2000. I noticed at the time the Treasurer never wrote to that newspaper saying that he did not say that. It suited him to have—

Mr Greene: Was the letter published?

Mr O'DOHERTY: No, it was not. To my knowledge he did not write, that is my point. Anyway, we and others believe that the Government's promise was for 4 per cent in 2000. It is now 2001 and our rate is still above 6 per cent and still not comparable with the rate in Victoria or Queensland, and that makes business in New South Wales non-competitive. It also makes it harder to create new jobs in this State. The budget papers acknowledge that even the New South Wales Government has to admit that unemployment will increase in New South Wales in the coming 12 months.

In 1995-96 the gross revenue to the State from vehicle weight tax, registration, transfer fees and other taxes was $959 million. In 2001-02 year Michael Egan will receive $1,014 million in gross revenue from the citizens of New South Wales for those same things, an average of $256 per car. In New South Wales just having a car sitting in the garage, before even putting petrol in the tank or turning it on, costs $256. That goes to Mr Egan in vehicle taxes and other State charges. The Government has not done anything significant to reduce those figures. Total stamp duty revenue also has increased substantially in the life of the Government: in 1995- 96 it was $2.6 billion; in 1999-2000, the last year in which we have a full financial year to account for, $4.6 billion—a substantial growth of $2 billion or just under 80 per cent in the growth of stamp duty revenue to the State.

1999-2000 was an important year, with a lot of growth because of the Olympics and construction ahead of the goods and services tax [GST]. The Government's revised revenue for stamp duty this year of $4.4 billion reflects the slowdown in the New South Wales economy after the Olympics. It shows once again how the State Government failed to provide for ongoing activity after the Olympics and stands as one of the Government's great failings. The downturn in the New South Wales economy, particularly in construction, led the nation into negative growth for the December quarter. In the 2001-02 budget the Government again projects less stamp duty revenue. But the Government's budget figures are notoriously rubbery, a point to which I shall refer shortly.

Of course, land tax revenue is also increasing. In 1995-96 land tax revenue was $580 million, and next year it will be $965 million, according to Treasury's forecast. Again that shows substantial growth. Based on 1999-2000 figures, New South Wales citizens paid $2,360 to the State Government in State taxes. Victorian residents paid $2,126, Queensland paid $1,419, South Australia paid $1,847; and Western Australia paid $1,827. We are the highest taxed State; citizens here pay more, but what do they get? They get decreases in services. The Premier entertained us with one or two marginally positive comments, but the Council of Social Service of New South Wales [NCOSS] said:

Gambling taxes, although they are estimated to increase by only 2% … will blow out by a further 18% over the next 3 years. This is a cause for massive concern.

The Opposition has a commitment to create an independent gaming authority to break forever the nexus between the collection of gaming taxes and the amount of gaming in the community. The Treasurer should not be the person who decides how much gaming the community has. We do not want New South Wales families being milked through increased gaming opportunities, which lead to increased problem gambling. Too much gaming not only produces problem gambling but also involves family money being diverted to gaming, which then goes back to Michael Egan, who counts on that money for his forward estimates and services. The Government must cease being the body that decides how much gaming the community should have; that should be in the hands of an independent gaming authority, which the Coalition will establish in its first term of office. On health NCOSS said:

[This budget] fails to deal with the impacts of the massive increase in same-day hospital services, and early discharge for patients, on the community care system.

On the Olympics NCOSS said:

Last year, the Treasurer proudly boasted that the Olympics were paid for, every last cent. Besides the $79 million extra for Olympics spending, there now is the question of the minimum $50 million per year exposure of taxpayers to the future of Homebush Bay. 14212 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

Last year I listened with incredulity when the Treasurer told us he had paid for the Olympics. From memory we have debated four separate and different appropriations since that comment. And in this year's budget he said, "Well, actually, there was a $79 million overrun after we said the Olympics were paid for." Did he apologise to the people of New South Wales? Of course not! That $79 million does not include the amount that individual agencies—police, education and so on—had to pay in overtime to public servants and in other ways to run the Olympic Games.

The Auditor-General will give us the true cost of the Olympics: It will be at least $5 billion to New South Wales. David Richmond said immediately after the Olympics had concluded that the full cost to the private and public sector was something like $7 billion to $8 billion. The Auditor-General will confirm the cost to the State as well over $5 billion. New South Wales citizens, as they pay $256 to Mr Egan to run their car, as well as paying all the other State taxes, must understand that every week another $1 million from the State budget that could be spent on schools, roads and hospitals goes to Homebush Bay to try to manage the post- Olympic use of that site that the Government failed to manage properly in the first place.

The Teachers Federation said that the share of money to education has again been decreased. It makes the obvious point that the State is responsible for public schools, but is failing to address significant issues dealing with public education. The federation also says that the State is failing to provide money for early childhood, which is of particular interest to me. Money should have been set aside in this budget for early childhood programs. Other Opposition members will refer to negative comments from other interest groups.

The State government figures are notoriously rubbery. In fact, the budget papers reveal how undisciplined the Government is. Excluding changes to superannuation liabilities, government spending was more than $2 billion higher than forecast in last year's budget. That was partly paid for by higher than forecast revenue. This current financial year the Government expects to receive $500 million more in State taxes than its budget estimate of 12 months ago.

Once again the Government understates how much it wants or expects to receive and spending is overextended. For example, the cost to the people of New South Wales of the conservatorium project, which is just down the road from here, has doubled after another $75 million was injected into that project—$75 million that could be well spent employing 1,250 teachers for a year, building a substantial number of high schools or refurbishing old high schools and primary schools that desperately need refurbishing but which the Government says it cannot afford to do. As a result, pressure is placed on government agencies to rein in that kind of unnecessary waste. The Government has been completely at a loss to do that. If the economy starts to tighten, the Government will have to start reining in all that waste, but it has not shown any ability to do so.

My fear is that in going forward the Government will have to start cutting services to a greater extent because of its past lack of discipline and planning. The budget has been bad news for New South Wales; it would be worse news if there were a Beazley Labor Government. I began my remarks speaking about the impact of the GST and forward positive revenue, and growth in Commonwealth revenue from the GST, which the New South Wales budget depends on for continuing surplus budgets.

If Kim Beazley rolled back the GST, the money returned to New South Wales would be rolled back. We want the New South Wales Treasurer to say what he thinks about roll back. Does he agree with John Della Bosca? Will Kim Beazley make a commitment to the guaranteed minimum amount [GMA] payment? If he does guarantee the GMA payment where will he get the money if he rolls back the GST? He will get the money only by increasing taxes to the people of Australia and the people of New South Wales. Labor is a disaster for this State.

Mr STEWART (Bankstown—Parliamentary Secretary) [11.00 a.m.]: I proudly support this the seventh Appropriation Bill for the Carr Labor Government. As the Treasurer said in his budget speech earlier this week:

The 2001 Budget is socially responsive and financially responsible: in other words, it's a Labor Budget through and through.

Those words set the tone for this budget, a budget set against the backdrop of a slowdown in global economic activity and certainly the detrimental effects of the GST. As honourable members know, the GST has been devastating for small business, for building and for consumers in general. It is a tragedy that the GST was introduced in the context it has been, particularly as it affects working-class people throughout Australia. This budget was set in that context. It was also set in the context of the infamous collapse of HIH. This Government has already committed about $600 million effectively to support those who will bear the burden of that collapse. The budget was also set in the context of post the Olympic Games. We know that traditionally post Olympics 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14213 means that there is a slowdown in activity because there has been such a boom towards the completion of the Games and so on. Yet despite all these apparent economic obstacles, the Carr Government is able to report, through this budget, that the State of New South Wales has never been in better financial condition. As the Treasurer said:

We're the first government in the State's recorded financial history to reduce the State's debt and liabilities rather than add to them.

We're the fist government to pay all of the Budget's bills, rather than put some on the bankcard.

In this context it is pleasing to note that the Carr Labor Government has once again delivered a budget with a solid surplus. The budget surplus of $368 million is the result of hard work and sound fiscal management. But, importantly, at the same time it still provides a socially responsive true Labor Government focus in terms of budgetary measures for the people of New South Wales. We are a government that listens to the people, and that has been strongly evident during the past six or so years. In my local area of Bankstown I can point to several fantastic examples of where we have tuned in and listened to the people.

The Government has not only listened but also delivered. Canterbury Hospital is one result of that. As honourable members know, as a result of a 1994 decision of the then Coalition Government, Canterbury Hospital was destined for demolition. It was to be demolished; there was to be no hospital in the entire Canterbury area. I am pleased to report that we now have a modern, state-of-the-art hospital, which cost in excess of $60 million, that services the health needs of the people in that area. Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital in the heart of my electorate is testimony to what this Government has done in terms of tuning in and listening to the people. That hospital is one of the best facilities in the world. This multi-million dollar complex with state- of-the-art equipment is unsurpassed in terms of delivering health services and infrastructure.

The Roberts Road-Centennial Drive overpass is a modern, multilane overpass crossing the Hume Highway. Under the Coalition Government's strategy and policies, that overpass was not destined to be built until 2012 and beyond. However, I am pleased to report that it was built and completed in 1996-97. The overpass is now heavily utilised by many Sydney motorists as it provides an opportunity to get through the traffic bottleneck. It is efficient for traffic and is delivering service infrastructure to the people of Bankstown. TAFE and schools have benefited. In my local area many schools have benefited through the Computers in Schools program and refurbishment programs. In particular, TAFE has benefited from extensive refurbishment and the construction of a new TAFE campus at Chullora.

Many millions of dollars have gone into upgrading Stacey Street, which is a very busy arterial road in the centre of my electorate. Most recently, an important set of traffic lights were installed at the intersection of Greenacre Road and Stacey Street at a cost of about $1 million. Under the Coalition Government those traffic lights were not destined to be installed for some years to come. It is due to the direct intervention of the Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads that we now have traffic lights at that intersection. The people of Bankstown owe the Minister for Transport a great debt for showing sensitivity to the people of Bankstown and tuning into their needs.

Policing has been a major benefactor of the Carr Labor Government's actions over the past six or so years. There has been an improvement in police numbers in Bankstown. We have the largest command not only in New South Wales but also in Australia, with more than 200 police equipped with modern resources. Bankstown police command has fantastic local leadership that is delivering results. We have had many well- publicised targeted operations over the past few years, particularly in Telopea Street. I commend the police for their hard work in that direction, and for breaking the back of local and syndicated crime in my local area. I know that there is more work to be done but we are certainly on the right path to reducing crime concerns in Bankstown in a real way.

This the seventh Carr Labor Government's budget continues the tradition of delivering for the people of Bankstown. Expenditure on capital acquisition projects in the Bankstown electorate during the 2001-02 financial year is expected to total a massive $21.6 million. The seventh Carr Labor budget has, once again, delivered to the people of Bankstown their fair share of State resources and infrastructure. This State budget continues the Government's focus on sound financial management while at the same time providing equity in terms of resourcing the Bankstown local area.

The major capital works for the Bankstown electorate in this budget include $5.5 million for public housing, including new housing projects to be built and the completion of works in progress; $1.025 million for 14214 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 local rail service infrastructure; $3.135 million for local road improvements; and $1.78 million to improve water distribution services in the Bankstown local government area. I am particularly pleased that the Bankstown electorate has gained from the Government's 16 per cent increase in transport and roads funding statewide. The Bankstown area has reaped the benefits of considerable roads and traffic funding in the past five years or so, and this budget continues that tradition.

This year's highlights for local road improvements include $730,000 for improvement works along Juno Parade, Greenacre; $160,000 for road paving works in Canterbury Road; $282,500 for relocating turning bays at the intersection of Stacey Street, Canterbury Road and Fairford Road; and $1.2 million to local councils for improvements to council-controlled roads in my local area. Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital will also benefit from additional funding being provided in this budget for health services in south-western Sydney. The Carr Government will pour record levels of funding into New South Wales health services, with spending during 2001-02 reaching an all-time high of $7.77 billion statewide.

Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital will receive an additional $500,000 for its intensive care facilities, along with the provision of new state-of-the-art equipment, during the life of this budget. I thank the Minister for Health for being so responsive to the health and infrastructure needs of my local area. I know that that interest will continue. The Minister is due to visit my local area shortly, and I know that he is very much in tune with the people of Bankstown. They are thankful for his input, particularly in relation to Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital and Canterbury Hospital.

Local police will receive additional resources, which will help them to more effectively target local crime. Our local police will be fitted with the best available crime-fighting technology, which will focus on transforming police patrol cars into virtual police stations, giving officers instant access to police intelligence any time and anywhere. The highlight of the new equipment will be the provision of mobile data terminals [MDT] in police patrol vehicles. These computers will be a great asset to local operational policing, and will provide police with access to fax equipment and data in their cars, which previously was available only through the local police station.

As Parliamentary Secretary for Education it is particularly pleasing for me to note that the budget has a major focus on education. Young people are, and should be, our biggest future investment. The 2001-02 State budget provides a record $7.6 billion for education and training. Since 1995 total funding for the portfolio has increased by more than $1,800 million, an increase of some 30 per cent. I strongly commend the Minister for Education and Training, John Aquilina, for continuing this focus. The Minister is a true education Minister, one that has focused on providing not only equity in education in New South Wales but a plan for the future of education. He has recognised that education is now competitive and that public education is, should be and will be at the forefront of the provision of all education in this State. The State budget builds for the future by focusing on technology, school improvements, quality education and training, and employment opportunities to assist people to improve their lives and secure their futures.

A major component of the Education and Training budget focuses on schools. The total recurrent and capital funding for schools is $6 billion, up by 6.2 per cent on last year's budget. The key priorities for school education in 2001-02 will be to: improve the amenity of schools through the schools improvement package of capital works—I am pleased to note that the Minister responsible for capital works is in the Chamber and I thank him for his input in progressing such an important capital works program—introduce new technology strategies, including the staged implementation of expanded Internet services for teachers and students in government schools and TAFE New South Wales; introduce a computer skills assessment program for all year six students in government schools; and continue to focus on improving literacy and numeracy skills.

In 2001-02 $257.6 million will be spent on school capital works as part of this package, which represents an increase of $80.4 million or 45 per cent on the 2000-01 allocation. The Government is providing a substantial injection of funds to improve the amenity of schools through the schools improvement package of capital works. Over the next four years the $1.1 billion will provide: more than $240 million for 23 primary schools and eight new high schools in growth areas including the Tweed, Camden, Kellyville, the Hawkesbury, the Central Coast and the Hills District; more than an extra $70 million to upgrade classrooms, libraries and security at 1,000 public schools; $130 million to improve facilities for students, teachers and school staff, including $50 million for better disabled access; $80 million for new school halls; an extra $50 million to replace 330 demountables with permanent facilities; and $45 million for landscaping, new fencing and general improvements at older schools.

The 2001-02 budget will provide for the commencement of 38 major new building projects, including new primary schools at Cecil Hills, Glenwood and Prestons, and a replacement primary school at Rouse Hill. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14215

Work will commence on the first stage of the upgrade of Mullumbimby High School, the second stages of new high schools at Kellyville and Mount Annan, and a joint high school and TAFE facility at Tuncurry. This is a fantastic result for education. Much-needed and planned infrastructure, particularly through continued public works, will be put in place to benefit public education now and in the future. I commend the Government for announcing the provision of free email addresses to all students and free access to the Education intranet from home or anywhere in the world through the Internet. Individual email addresses will enable teachers to set homework for students electronically, confident that every student has access, and confident that they can communicate with and work with students in a safe and secure electronic environment.

This project, which is a world first, is state-of-the-art technology. It will improve computer literacy and ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in the public school system. Although I am very proud of the achievements in education through the focus of this budget, several schools in my area require significant attention. Bankstown Public School is 85 years old. It has 944 students and 68 teaching staff. It is a large and growing school. Classroom facilities need comprehensive refurbishment, a new administration facility is needed and the brickwork, which is of structural concern, requires rectification and underpinning. I will continue to make strong representations to the Minister because Bankstown Public School needs funding support.

Banksia Road Public School is a 40-year-old school with an enrolment of 346 students. For some time it has been desperate for a school hall. I will continue to make representations to the Minister in the hope that they will be successful. Yagoona Public School, another older school in my electorate, has 458 students and 26 teaching staff. The school is in need of general refurbishment and rectification of ongoing plumbing problems. I have made representations to the Minister, who has taken note of some of those concerns. Some rectification works have been carried out, but more is required. Chullora Public School is 49 years old. It has 378 students and 26 teaching staff. It is desperate for a covered outdoor area and an assembly hall.

I will continue to make strong representations, which are much deserved, to the Minister for Education and Training on behalf of Yagoona Public School, the other schools I have mentioned and all schools in my electorate. I am extremely pleased that the budget has provided a funding boost for education among migrant communities. It is particularly important for an electorate such as Bankstown, which is home to more than 120 different nationalities. The Premier's announcement of $85 million in this budget for specialist migrant education is extremely welcome. The budget also delivers for culturally diverse communities that are predominant throughout New South Wales. Such communities are very much the focus of my local area.

Some $85 million will be allocated to the Department of Education and Training to support programs designed to meet the needs of people from non-English speaking backgrounds. More than $25 million will be provided to area health services; $12.7 million will be provided to support 185 multicultural projects through the Department of Community Services; and Carnivale, a festival that celebrates cultural diversity and one that deserves funding, will receive $705,000. Funds for a diverse range of other programs and organisations will be directed towards the multicultural community that surrounds New South Wales, and which is particularly predominant in my area. We will outline those throughout the course of the year.

In conclusion, I commend the Premier, who, through the allocations of this budget, has provided a boost to funding available for young people and young people's programs. As I have already indicated, young people are our future and we should be investing in that future. This budget provides nearly $5.5 million for the Commission for Children and Young People—an organisation that provides fantastic opportunities for our youth. The budget also provides $250,000 for entertainment for the young and $300,000 for youth in sports programs. This is a fantastic budget. In the context of problems I have already outlined—namely, the GST and the slowdown in global economic activity—this budget has produced a surplus. In lay person's terms, budgets do not get any better than this one for New South Wales and for my electorate. I commend the Premier, Executive Government and the Treasurer in particular for focusing on providing a true Labor budget for the people of New South Wales.

Mr D. L. PAGE (Ballina) [11.20 a.m.]: As the parliamentary representative for Ballina and as the shadow Minister for Land and Water Conservation, I welcome the opportunity to comment on this year's budget at both the local level and at my shadow portfolio level. On this occasion I will break with tradition and comment on the local level first. At the Ballina electoral level, the biggest disappointment in this budget was its failure to fund the construction of the Alstonville bypass. A small allocation of $300,000 has been made for the much-needed bypass which, according to the budget papers, is now expected to cost $32 million. Given the long history of this project, it is impossible for me to overstate the level of anger, disgust and disappointment over the Carr Government's failure to provide construction funds for the Alstonville bypass. Local people and I are outraged that this project is not proceeding this year. 14216 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

Why are people so frustrated and angry? They are frustrated and angry because the public consultation process for this project was concluded five years ago. The environmental impact study [EIS] has also been completed and there is no reasonable barrier which should prevent the Alstonville bypass being built. The Carr Government is dragging out the final planning and land acquisition stages of the project to delay meeting its obligation to inject real money to enable construction to commence. For example, last year the Government allocated $450,000 and this year it has allocated $300,000 for the project. The total cost of the project is $32 million—an amount which is increasing every year that the project is delayed. So far $1.8 million either has been spent or has been allocated to the project, and not a sod has been turned. I ask whether it is a good use of taxpayers money to spend so much money at the planning stage and not get on with the job.

I must point out that up to 18,000 vehicles a day pass through the main street of Alstonville. The vehicles are mostly through traffic travelling along the Bruxner Highway between Ballina and Lismore or vice versa. In other words, very little traffic is local traffic. If the bypass were built, nearly all the current traffic would be removed, thereby markedly reducing the potential and actual conflict between pedestrians and motor vehicles in Alstonville. There is a significant safety issue involved. Moreover, travel times for through traffic will be reduced, with consequent fuel savings for commuters and commercial traffic. Noise and air pollution will be much reduced in Alstonville's central area and there would be a village atmosphere instead of the constant sound of trucks and other vehicles along the main street.

Traffic passes near three large schools. Obviously many students have to cross the main road before and after school. This safety problem will be solved if the bypass is built. Over the years I have made numerous representations to Minister Scully regarding the importance of this project. The tenor of most replies has been that the planning process is continuing but no commitment is given for funding for construction. Procrastination on the part of the Carr Government has to stop. As I indicated, the Government has spent $1.5 million and will spend another $300,000 this year, but still not a sod has been turned five years after the community consultation process was concluded. The community made very plain its preferred option. The plan was selected and subsequently an EIS was undertaken. The preliminary studies have been concluded and there is no excuse for this project not having gone ahead.

In the 1999-2000 budget papers, the estimated completion date for the Alstonville bypass was 2002, yet we are going into the 2002 financial year. The commencement date for construction is a minimum of one year away. It will take at least two or three years to build the bypass. The Government said that it would be built by the end of 2002, but the project has not been approved. The budget contains no funding commitment which will allow construction to occur. When looking through my file on the Alstonville bypass, I came across a diary note that I made on 18 February 1997. I was advised by the Roads and Traffic Authority [RTA] that the project was proceeding on schedule and that the planning process should be completed approximately 18 months to two years later—that is, in around February 1999 at the latest. After that stage, subject to Government funding, construction was estimated to be completed two years after that, in around February 2001.

The RTA expected the project to be completed by February 2001, subject to Government funding. It is to the everlasting shame of the Carr Government that funding has not been made available and that not a sod has been turned. Furthermore, through the budget the Government has just told my local community that it will have to wait at least another year, possibly longer, before construction is commenced. Is it any wonder that the people of my electorate are angry with the Carr Government? I therefore call on the Carr Government to stop sitting on its hands and fund the Alstonville bypass forthwith. The Government has a surplus of $368 million in its budget this year. It is outrageous that this project has been deliberately delayed. Some of that money could have been used to fund the Alstonville bypass. The Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads can expect to receive many letters of protest about the delay of this much-needed project. I hope that my speech today and the community's letters will move the Minister to reconsider his non-funding of the Alstonville bypass. I hope the Minister now will give the project a much higher priority than it has been given in the past.

My other major local concern is the decision to put on hold for five years the construction of a new high school for the Brunswick Valley. The reason given for the delay is that the Mullumbimby High School will be upgraded. Although the Mullumbimby High School's upgrade is most welcome and much-needed, it will be upgraded to cater for 1,000 students. In my view, that decision guarantees that the Mullumbimby High School will continue to be overcrowded for the next five years at least. No provision has been made for future needs. For several years the Government has been looking for a suitable site for a new high school for the Brunswick Valley. In fact the Government has twice decided on sites. On one occasion it decided on a site at Rajah Road, Ocean Shores, but discounted that because of nearby bats. On another occasion, Bayside Brunswick was selected but apparently that has been discounted because of sewerage problems. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14217

We are now told that all of that was unnecessary, but I cannot accept that. I believe the Government's actions are shortsighted, given the population growth in the Brunswick Valley. Population increases in the Byron shire are estimated to be at least 3 per cent per annum. I believe that the Government should continue to look for a suitable site in the area with a view to building a new high school in the not-too-distant future. The physical upgrade of Mullumbimby High School will not increase its capacity in any substantial way. Where will new students who will graduate from the multitude of primary feeder schools be educated? Some will go to the Steiner secondary school at Mullumbimby, but many will not. As I indicated, the Government's decision not to plan for the new high school in the Brunswick Valley is shortsighted.

The budget contains a limited amount of good news at the local level of my electorate. Part of the good news is that the Pacific Highway upgrade will continue. The budget allocates $22.4 million for the Tandy's Lane deviation, which is south of Brunswick Heads, and that will enable the Brunswick bypass to connect with the Tyagarah section of the highway. The project should be completed in 2002. In addition to that, $4 million has been allocated as part of a $154 million upgrade from Brunswick Heads to Yelgun, and $111 million has been allocated to complete the Yelgun to Chinderah upgrade. The latter two projects are funded jointly by the Commonwealth Government and the State Government. An amount of $4.5 million has been allocated to enable planning to continue for the Ballina bypass, which at this stage is estimated to cost approximately $245 million.

The Ballina bypass preferred route has subsidence problems and that may add significantly to costs. Given that the extent of highways being upgraded through the joint $2.2 billion State-Commonwealth agreement will be less than had been originally envisaged because of cost blowouts it will be important that, at the conclusion of that agreement in a few years time, a commitment of continued funding of a similar quantum be made, if large projects such as the Ballina bypass are ever to eventuate. Indeed, given the lead times involved with these types of projects, that commitment should really be given now so that taxpayers can be confident that the money spent on planning and land acquisition will not have been wasted through a lack of commitment on construction funding at the expiration of the current State-Commonwealth agreement. I was pleased to note that the budget contained a $6.145 million allocation as part of the $10 million upgrade of Wollongbar TAFE's hospitality and trade course facility.

At the portfolio level two issues in particular concern me about this budget. One is the continued underfunding of the country town water and sewerage scheme and the other is the New South Wales Government's lack of commitment to the National Salinity Action Plan. Under the country town water and sewerage scheme, an $85 million funding allocation by the Coalition Government in 1994-95 has been reduced by the Carr Government to $50 million over the last five years, resulting in an accumulated shortfall of around $170 million. This reduction in funding has increased substantially the backlog of unfunded water and sewerage projects in regional New South Wales. The budget reveals an allocation of $66 million this year, a far cry from the $85 million allocated to the scheme in 1995 by the Coalition Government. It will go nowhere so far as fixing the funding shortfall is concerned.

The extra $15 million or $16 million allocation this year will be gobbled up by a few large projects, leaving all other councils in the lurch. The Environment Protection Authority [EPA] requires councils to upgrade their sewerage systems to meet water quality standards, but the Department of Land and Water Conservation [DLWC] is not providing councils with its share of the funds to enable that to happen. The EPA is hitting councils over the head with a stick while the DLWC is tying their hands behind their backs. Some councils are forward funding—that is, they are paying the State Government's share in order to get the EPA off their backs. On the North Coast councils are out of pocket to the tune of more than $2 million on that account.

Mr Stoner: Kempsey has had a problem with Hat Head.

Mr D. L. PAGE: The honourable member for Oxley interjects to say that Kempsey has had a problem with Hat Head. He is one of a number of members of this House who was aware of a significant number of projects in country New South Wales that are not being funded.

Mr Webb: Adaminaby is another.

Mr D. L. PAGE: I note that the honourable member for Monaro interjects that the Adaminaby project is another. Literally hundreds of projects are not being funded as a result of this funding shortfall. In addition, councils cannot go to tender on their projects because, even though they have their money, the DLWC is not providing its share. Under the New South Wales Government code of tendering, it is not permitted to call tenders unless all funds—that is, both council and State—are available to fund the contract. This is an intolerable situation for councils to find themselves in. As well, across the State smaller communities with septic tank systems will not be able to have them replaced or connected to the sewerage systems due to the shortfall. 14218 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

As a general comment on the country town water and sewerage scheme, there is also a lack of transparency and forward planning to enable councils some certainty in the planning process. At the moment councils do not know from one year to the next whether the project is going to be funded. A list of projects in priority order should be made available to councils so that they can ring the Department of Land and Water Conservation to ask whether their project is going to be funded this year, next year or the year after, so that they can plan—bearing in mind that councils are partners in this funding arrangement. In most cases councils are providing at least 50 per cent, if not more. There need to be systemic changes to improve transparency and provide the certainty that councils should be entitled to expect as a result of forward planning in respect of the country town water and sewerage scheme.

My final comments relate to the budget allocation to combat the huge problem of salinity. A few months ago the Premier announced the allocation of $52 million over four years to tackle this problem. Despite the current negotiations between the Commonwealth and the States in regard to the National Salinity Action Plan—in respect of which the Commonwealth has committed $700 million over seven years, to be matched collectively by the States—there is no reference in the Treasurer's Budget Speech or in the budget papers to any commitment by New South Wales to this vital national push to deal with salinity problems.

This State's share of the overall contribution by the States will be of the order of $200 million plus, but there is no commitment or provision in the budget for that funding. The point is that the Commonwealth and the States will sign off on the National Salinity Action Plan in the next couple of months, I expect, but no provision has been made by New South Wales to commit funds for this important national initiative. If the New South Wales Government is to provide leadership on the salinity issue, provision must be made to match the Commonwealth's commitment. I call on the New South Wales Government why this has not occurred in the current budget.

This is a really important point: The Commonwealth has indicated it will allocate $700 million over seven years, to be matched collectively by the States. New South Wales is a big player when it comes to the Murray-Darling Basin. It is likely that the National Salinity Action Plan will be signed off between the Commonwealth and the States very shortly. There are some disagreements between New South Wales and the Commonwealth, and between Western Australia and the Commonwealth, but all other States have signed off on the plan. I am concerned that if New South Wales is considering committing $200 million or more as its share of the $700 million to be allocated by the States to match the Commonwealth's contribution, there ought to have been a reference to that in the budget—or at least an acknowledgment of it in the Treasurer's Budget Speech. It is a significant funding commitment.

It is alarming that the Government, knowing that it is likely to sign off on this national agreement shortly, has made no provision in the current budget to enable people to feel confident that New South Wales will actually provide its contribution. It was also disappointing to see the allocation of a paltry $5 million to the Vegetation Management Fund. The Government has made great play of the issue of vegetation management since it came to office and it should provide a leadership role. It is regrettable that, since the passing of the native vegetation legislation, the Government has continued to provide a meagre $5 million to the Vegetation Management Fund. That fund enables the Government to provide money as an incentive to farmers to develop property agreements to enhance native vegetation on their properties. A mere $5 million across the whole of New South Wales on an annual basis is really a very small amount of money.

I would have thought that, at this stage of the process—given a surplus of $368 million and the fact that there are record receipts coming to the Treasurer; he has never seen so much money—that the least the Government could do would be to provide more than $5 million. That was the amount provided by the Government three years ago. One would have thought the Government could have at least increased native vegetation enhancement funding for New South Wales. Once again, this represents a failure in leadership.

Similarly, the sacking of the Hawkesbury-Nepean trust and the non-allocation of funds in the current budget for that trust as a result of the sacking was obviously a very bad decision. That is the subject of a motion of no confidence currently before this House. Whilst there can be little doubt that the Government will defeat that motion on the basis that it has the numbers, I think that the community in the Hawkesbury-Nepean region and western Sydney in particular are disgusted that the Government has sacked the trust and will no longer provide the $3 million annually to run the trust.

Overall, this is a very disappointing budget. It is particularly disappointing for the people in my electorate in relation to the not funding the construction of the Alstonville bypass. It is also worrying that 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14219 construction of a new Brunswick Valley high school has been put on the back burner for five years. In the portfolio areas in particular the fact that there is no apparent funding for the National Salinity Action Plan to match that provided by the Commonwealth this year and for future years is of major concern. It should be of concern to all members of this House, including Government members, as should be the ongoing underfunding of the country town water and sewerage scheme. The allocation of $15 million announced by the Government will go nowhere. There is a backlog of $170 million for that scheme, and $15 million this year and for the next three years will not make any dent in the needs of that scheme.

That funding will be gobbled up by a few large councils. For example, Tamworth City Council requires $6 million and Coffs Harbour's system will cost $120 million if the current proposal goes ahead. It is conceivable that, if Coffs Harbour were to be funded, the whole of the State's extra allocation would be taken up by that one project. Quite clearly there is a huge need for the Government to increase the level of funding under the country town water and sewerage scheme and I call on the Government to do that.

Mr MARKHAM (Wollongong—Parliamentary Secretary) [11.40 a.m.]: It gives me pleasure to contribute to this budget debate. Let me state first and foremost that last Wednesday when I was asked by a journalist for the Illawarra Mercury what I thought about the budget, and in particular what I thought about the budget for Wollongong and the Illawarra, I said it is a great budget for New South Wales, and if it is great for New South Wales it is great for Wollongong and the Illawarra.

I wish to refer to some of the capital works programs that have been recognised by this Government because of the importance of the port of Port Kembla to the economic wellbeing of Wollongong. The multipurpose berth located in the inner harbour at Port Kembla urgently needs to be strengthened, and some $4 million has been allocated for that purpose. The multipurpose berth is now 21 years old and was built with 1970s engineering technology. Today's stevedoring requirements place larger loads on wharf structures, and as such the multipurpose berth is in need of structural strengthening to accommodate modern-day berth operations, especially in the area of the new trades that the port is moving into.

New trades under consideration for use of the facility include car imports, container imports and exports, and imports of bulk steel, paper cargoes and fertilisers. It is important that we capture the car import market. It is much easier to import cars through Port Kembla and transport them to Campbelltown than it is to bring them in through Port Botany. The exact timing of the wharf strengthening project will be in part determined by the level of commercial interest in undertaking these new trade opportunities.

An amount of $250,000 has been allocated from this year's budget for a major drainage scheme for the western basin area of the inner harbour, and $250,000 will be allocated for the project from the 2002-03 budget. With the completion of the rail spur and the development of port-related uses on land north of the multipurpose berth, there will be a need to provide an adequately designed inter-allotment drainage system to service the new leased areas and potentially future leased areas. This drainage system will need to be implemented at a fairly early stage of the overall development of the western basin south area.

Upgrades to the road network have also been funded in this year's budget to the tune of $250,000, and will receive an allocation of $250,000 from the 2002-03 budget. With the completion of the inner harbour restoration project and the need to prepare the western basin area for future port operations, the first requirement is for the establishment of road access into the area to be developed. This project allows for the commencement of port access roads into the western basin north area. Land improvements in the western basin north area have been funded in this year's budget to the tune of $400,000, and will receive a $400,000 allocation from the 2002- 03 budget. This project provides for the preparation of the western basin north area for industrial or port-related use. Included in the works is the provision of service corridors, and water and sewerage, lighting and telephone services. Future projects forecast beyond 2001 may provide for all internal roads, services and lot preparations.

The port perimeter security system will receive an allocation of $900,000 over the next three years. The system is extremely important in attracting business, by ensuring customers know that the port is secure for any product they want to import or export to the area. With the full utilisation of the multipurpose berth and western basin area of the port for potentially high-value and customs-bonded cargoes, there is a need to improve port security, certainly in the inner harbour area of the port. The system will include remote CCTV security cameras, security fencing, controlled access points of entry into the port area, and wide-area remote monitoring. The project will be phased in over three or so years and will grow in proportion to port usage.

The Salty Creek culvert and training wall at Port Kembla will be funded to the tune of $310,000 between 2001 and 2005. Cargo throughput across number six jetty is increasing and the availability of land to 14220 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 store cargoes is becoming a problem. Salty Creek to the south of number six jetty acts as a natural barrier to the use of the port land to the south-east of number six jetty. The construction of a culvert bridge would open up this area for the storage of cargoes that need to be transferred to the berth by truck. This would allow these vehicles to access the jetty without the need to use public roads. The construction of a culvert would also allow for the construction of a training wall to stabilise the entrance of Salty Creek as it enters the harbour. For years the entrance has meandered to the south and in some cases has eroded port land. In the ultimate development of an outer harbour reclamation, this culvert bridge crossing would still be used to access the southern blocks of port land.

An extremely adventurous program is in place for the reclamation of quite a deal of land within the old Port Kembla outer harbour area, to increase the berthing of ships by a further five berths. This program is but one small part of the larger capital works program. An amount of $500,000 has been allocated from this year's budget for minor miscellaneous works. Included in this category are the replacement of the marine trade information computer system and general annual provisions. The existing port marine trade information computer system is now quite old, the original software having been installed in the early 1990s. The existing system was adequate for the port-trading bulk and break bulk cargoes. However, as we move into a new phase of attracting a higher-value unitised cargo and containers, it has limitations.

A new system will allow for better management of shipping operations and programming, detailed manifest data input and tracking, an integration with finance modules and invoicing and future market analysis. The annual provisions for the corporation generally contain capital expenditure required for minor operational improvements or for renewal of ageing minor assets. That is an important and adventurous program that our Government has embarked upon as far as the port of Port Kembla is concerned, as I am sure you, Mr Deputy Speaker, would acknowledge having regard to your long association with the maritime industry. If we are to attract more and more overseas investment through containerisation of cargoes it is important that the port of Port Kembla have high-quality harbour facilities.

I should like to outline some of the road projects in the Wollongong electorate that this Government, through the Roads and Traffic Authority, has funded. A total of $4,462,000 has been allocated in the budget for such projects. Of that sum, $2,224,580 has been allocated for the total infrastructure maintenance program, including $880,000 for pavement rehabilitation on the southern freeway, which is a major arterial road that links the northern part of the Illawarra with the southern part of the Illawarra. Wollongong City Council will receive funding of $16,650 for the local government road safety officer program, $310,000 for a median strip in Corrimal Street, and $80,000 for a roundabout at the intersection of Ellen Street and Atchison Street, which is a major intersection in the central business district. The total allocation for those projects will be $444,640.

Other projects that have been funded include linking signals at the intersection of the Princes Highway, The Avenue and Bellevue Road at Figtree to the tune of $250,000. Funding in the amount of $225,000 has been allocated for upgrades to the intersection at the Princes Highway and New Dapto Road, which has real problems with regard to traffic capacity. Funding has also been provided for upgrades to two cycleways in my electorate. Over the years I have campaigned strongly for such funding. If we are to ensure that people stay healthy and fit, we must provide adequate access onto roads and cycleways.

Two cycleway programs will be funded in my electorate. The cycleway along the F6 from the Princes Highway and Nudjia Street in Unanderra to Ghosts Creek will receive $80,000. The cycleway from the Princes Highway at Kanahooka Road to Northcliffe Drive at Unanderra will receive $50,000. Improvement of the intersection of Crown and Denison streets in Wollongong will receive $400,000, and $150,000 has been provided for the installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Windang Road and Wattle Street. Following a number of accidents over the years the community has strongly campaigned for the installation of traffic lights and it is good to see that they will be funded in this year's budget. Wollongong council will receive $26,620 in a regional roads block grant for traffic facilities. Funding of those works amounts to almost one and a half million dollars, which is very welcome in my electorate.

I now turn to the social justice initiatives for Aboriginal people in the budget. These are across the whole of government, not just in the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. The New South Wales Government is working in partnership with Aboriginal people to develop programs that increase employment and training opportunities, develop culturally appropriate services and improve economic wellbeing for Aboriginal communities throughout New South Wales. This financial year $32.6 million will be provided through the Department of Education and Training as targeted funding for Aboriginal students. This includes Aboriginal training and employment programs, grants to schools under the literacy and numeracy strategy, and funding to support over 300 Aboriginal educational assistants and 30 Aboriginal community liaison officers. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14221

The Department of Aboriginal Affairs grants program is also an excellent example of the New South Wales Government working to improve education standards and access at the community level. In 2001-02 $800,000 will be allocated to this program to help address the socioeconomic and cultural aspirations of Aboriginal people in New South Wales. The program is having a powerful and positive impact on Aboriginal communities and individuals, particularly young people. The alternative schools program in Dubbo was granted $30,000 last year. Statistically, young people who leave school early are more likely to be exposed to the juvenile or criminal justice systems. There are too many Aboriginal people, young and not so young, coming before the justice system. The situation should be reversed.

The alternative schools program aims to provide successful learning experiences to young people at risk of leaving school, and to young offenders who are not attending school. It also provides a culturally appropriate and sensitive environment in which skills are developed and in which safe choices are encouraged. By giving young people effective training and education opportunities and access to the latest in technology we are giving them the best possible chance for their future. This financial year $200,000 has been allocated to the Aboriginal business program. This program supports Aboriginal businesses to market and promote their products and services in new domestic and international markets. The 2001 Aboriginal employment and business awards will be presented in December.

We will continue to support local level initiatives this year and in the future as part of our commitment to Aboriginal self-determination for rural and remote communities. Reducing the number of young Aboriginal people in the juvenile justice system is one of the key goals of the New South Wales Government. The Department of Juvenile Justice has developed an Aboriginal overpresentation strategy for the next three years to provide improved co-ordination and strategic focus. Some examples of the many excellent programs that form part of this strategy include the Kempsey education and motivation program, which provides juvenile justice clients with culturally appropriate education, training and work-based learning opportunities; and the Aboriginal mentor scheme, which matches young people on community-based supervision with an appropriately trained adult to provide mentoring and support.

As part of the 2001-02 State budget, $1 million has also been provided to the Attorney General's Department every year to implement the indigenous justice strategy. This strategy will improve outcomes for Aboriginal people who come into contact with the criminal justice system or who are victims of crime. The New South Wales Government is committed to meeting the needs and aspirations of Aboriginal people in this State. Last night I was privileged to be at a function in the Jubilee Room at Parliament House hosted by Sandra Nori, the Minister for Small Business, and Minister for Tourism. Fourteen young Aboriginal students who had undertaken the Hospitality Indigenous Program received a Certificate II in Hospitality (Operations). The Minister spoke at length about the importance of tourism and the involvement of young Aboriginal people. The course was conducted by a private college, Lloyds College of Hospitality and Tourism. The 14 students have been placed in different areas of the hospitality industry including clubs, hotels, restaurants and motels in Sydney. Two of the graduates have been employed in Parliament House, which is a recognition of the program they have undertaken, and five other students have found employment elsewhere in the tourism and hospitality industry.

National Sorry Day was celebrated on 26 May. This week is National Reconciliation Week. This year many thousands of Australians, indigenous and non-indigenous, remembered and commemorated Aboriginal people affected by separation. Aboriginal people dedicate this day to the loved ones who never came home or who are still finding their way home. That is what Sorry Day is all about. Reconciliation Week is about all of us understanding what happened in the past. Sorry Day is not about guilt; it is about showing that you understand and are willing to commit yourself to help Aboriginal people overcome the devastating effects of forcible removal.

While Australians today cannot be held responsible for the past, we are responsible for the future. The decisions we make today will form part of the legacy we leave our children. It is important that we have a balanced picture of our history, one that acknowledges not only the achievements of the settlers but also the terrible consequences of those achievements for Aboriginal Australians. This also helps us understand how Aboriginal people came to be treated as a different and inferior people. The fact is that many indigenous peoples still today are affected by the consequences of their lost cultural identities and land. I am pleased to report that New South Wales leads the country in making real progress towards reconciliation. This is not only in statements but also in practical initiatives at grassroots level.

This is the leading parliament in Australia in recognising the rights of indigenous people. On many occasions we have strenuously debated the rights of indigenous people. Every time, this has resulted in a 14222 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 bipartisan approach to Aboriginal affairs by the Parliament. This is an example for other Australian parliaments. On Saturday 2 June there will be a major reconciliation dinner in Sydney. A couple of weeks ago John Ryan, a member of the upper House, and I wrote to all members of Parliament in a bipartisan way inviting people to come to the dinner. We are both members of the New South Wales Aboriginal Reconciliation Council and we thought it would be a good opportunity for the bipartisanship of this Parliament to be shown. Many members of this House and the other Chamber have accepted invitations, and I congratulate them. [Time expired.]

Mr DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Order! I acknowledge the presence in the gallery of the school captains and vice-captains of country high schools.

Mr BROGDEN (Pittwater) [12.00 p.m.]: I join with you, Mr Deputy-Speaker, in welcoming to the Parliament today the captains and vice-captains of schools which are predominantly out of Sydney. Some 15 years ago, when I was the vice-captain of my school, I had the pleasure to go to Government House. At the time the Governor was Sir James Rowland. The highlight of the visit was that, as he delivered his speech to us, his dog was relieving himself behind him, and we all had to keep a straight face. He was a charming man, and it was a useful day.

I will focus today on issues affecting my electorate of Pittwater, and to matters relating to my shadow portfolios of Urban Affairs and Planning, Sydney Water, and Youth Affairs. I will first reflect on concerns regarding the electorate of Pittwater. This is a mean and miserable budget for the people of Pittwater and the northern beaches in general. The Government has shown a total disdain for the people of Manly, who have had minimal funding in important areas. There is no funding in the budget for Pittwater for new capital works in the education area, despite the fact that the primary schools in my community continue to grow strongly. Avalon Primary School desperately needs a new hall, but that is simply not on the Government's capital works funding program. The school has 850 students and last weekend celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, which was attended by the Governor and her husband, Sir Nicholas Shehadie.

The two most fundamental issues in Pittwater with which this Government seems to be reeking havoc are Mona Vale Road and Mona Vale Hospital. The Government has committed $9 million to upgrade Mona Vale Road, of which $3.8 million will be spent this year. The only reason those funds are being expended is that in 1997 two people died in an horrific accident on that road, and this Government was forced to act. The amount of $9 million for the upgrade is simply not enough. As part of the upgrade three new sets of lights will be installed, and the speed limit has already been dropped from 80 kilometres per hour to 70 kilometres per hour. Instead of those initiatives, the Government should improve the road and make it a two-lane dual carriageway, at a cost of $40 million to $50 million.

The Government is fixing the safety problem but creating a massive traffic problem as a consequence. Reducing the speed limit and introducing three new sets of lights will worsen the terrible traffic problem on Mona Vale Road. It is bad enough now when one gets caught behind a bus or truck on Mona Vale Road in the morning. Instead of those cosmetic changes the Government must commit to a full upgrade of Mona Vale Road to a two-lane dual carriageway, and complete ring road 3, which would run from the northern beaches across to southern Sydney. Once the Coalition is elected to Government it will immediately commence the full upgrade of Mona Vale Road to a two-lane dual carriageway, as promised.

The Northern Sydney Area Health Service received $500, 000 in the budget to further investigate consultative processes within the community. I want to make clear once again my strong position as the member for Pittwater. I am committed to the maintenance of Mona Vale Hospital and the upgrade of services at that hospital. The Coalition is committed to the retention of Mona Vale Hospital and the upgrade of Manly hospital. During the past six years the Government has been aggressive in its downgrade of those two hospitals. The Government's hidden agenda, which was lied about until recently, became clear through the actions and language of the Director of the Northern Sydney Area Health Service, Dr Stephen Christley: to close Manly and Mona Vale hospitals and build a new hospital on a yet-to-be determined site, somewhere apparently in between—but the best guess is Frenchs Forest.

That Government policy has recently been rejected by a vote of 68 per cent of the nearly 20,000 who responsed to the survey on the northern beaches. The Government went through its own consultative process, some of which I supported and some of which is absolutely unsupportable and lacked credibility in its execution. The Government gave residents of the northern beaches an opportunity to fill out a householder survey and return it to Health Department consultants. The survey showed quite clearly that 68 per cent of those who responded from the northern beaches do not support the Government's plan for one hospital on one site. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14223

Yet the Government continues to push on, through its bureaucrats in the Northern Sydney Area Health Service, with its plan to close Manly and Mona Vale hospitals and build a new hospital somewhere in between. The Government still will not indicate where it will be built, how much it will cost and what services will be offered.

The Government is trying to sell the people of the northern beaches a pig in a poke. It is asking members of Parliament who represent the northern beaches electorates to sign a blank cheque across to this Government. Honourable members representing the electorates of Wakehurst, Davidson, North Shore and I have refused to do that but, for some unknown reason, the so-called Independent member for Manly has agreed to sign a blank cheque to the Government for Manly hospital to be knocked down and a new hospital to be built somewhere else. Why he has done that defies any understanding—unless you come to the conclusion, as I have, that he is a stooge for the Australian Labor Party and wishes to smooth the way for the completion of the Labor Party's agenda on the northern beaches, that is, a reduction in our health services and the demolition of Manly and Mona Vale hospitals. That is the only conclusion to which I can come. Indeed, in today's Manly Daily Dr Michael Riley, President of the Australian Medical Association, New South Wales Branch, is quoted as saying that northern Sydney's health service was savaged in Tuesday's budget. He described it as a Labor mates budget, and said:

We are concerned [the AMA] that there seems to be no evidence of any capital works in Sydney's peninsula area and the money allocated to rural and regional areas is a mere drop in the ocean …

What we are seeing is a gradual running down of peripheral hospitals such as Manly, Mona Vale …

I welcome the injection of Dr Riley's views into this debate. He speaks truthfully about the reduction of services and funding for health services on the northern beaches. The real game that is going on between the Minister for Health and his bureaucrat on the northern beaches, Dr Stephen Christley, needs to be exposed. Dr Christley's view, which has been clearly stated in public and private fora for the past two years, is that he prefers the closure of Manly and Mona Vale hospitals and the construction of one new hospital on a site which is yet to be determined. In contrast, his master the Minister for Health has stated again and again to the Manly Daily and other newspapers that Manly and Mona Vale hospitals will not close. Indeed, in a recent interview with Alan Jones on radio 2UE I attacked that government policy. Following my interview the Minister for Health phoned the station. A transcript of the program at 8.20 a.m. on 21 May states:

Now Craig Knowles the Health Minister has rung in a rage, so I have got to put this on record because it is now 19 minutes to 8 on Monday the 21st of May.

The Health Minister Craig Knowles has rung and spoken at 25 past seven and in the most laconic way has said I am not going to close either hospital.

He then made one or two alterations which I can't repeat with deference to him …but he said "How many times do I have to say it?"

So there you are, he said Manly and Mona Vale are not going to close, but, Minister, that's only half the equation.

I want to bring to an end the games being played by the Government, in particular the Minister for Health, on the future of Manly and Mona Vale hospitals. If it is the case that the health Minister wants to tell the people the people on the northern beaches, that he will not close either Manly hospital or Mona Vale hospital, he must pull the leash tight on his bureaucrats and stop wasting money and time on this farcical consultation process. He should give the people an indication that Manly and Mona Vale hospitals will stay open and that their health services will be maintained and upgraded. The Minister should stop playing this game of allowing a public servant to find out how far he can get and whether he can convince people on the northern beaches to insist on a new hospital or close the Manly and Mona Vale hospitals. At the same time the Minister tries to keep the public line: we will not close either.

We do not want ghost hospitals, we do not want empty buildings while the Government continues with its plan to build a new hospital. We want an undertaking now from the Minister that his words mean something. That undertaking can come in only one form, and that is the end of the consultation process, the end of the Health Department's plans to close Manly and Mona Vale hospitals, a guarantee that the funding for those hospitals will continue, and, more importantly, an adoption of the Coalition's two-hospital policy for the northern beaches. Our policy is to maintain and upgrade the services at Mona Vale Hospital and maintain and upgrade a health presence on the southern end of the peninsula. If that policy means the construction of a new hospital at Manly, then so be it.

Mr Greene: Is that a written policy?

Mr BROGDEN: Absolutely, and it is issued. I turn now to my portfolio as shadow Minister for Planning, Sydney Water and Youth Affairs. This year the Government made some interesting statements with 14224 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 respect to its budget for planning; even more interesting is what the Government did not say. A few things are missing from the budget. First, the Government's Green Space program seems to have disappeared entirely from the budget. I do not know where it has gone, it has totally disappeared off the radar screen. The Opposition asks the Government to advise where the Green Space program has gone and indicate whether that program and its funding will exist in the future.

I turn now to affordable housing. In the past two years the current Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning, the Deputy Premier, introduced two significant amendments to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act relating to affordable housing. The Coalition supported one amendment but opposed the other. At the same time as the Government was indulging in rhetoric about affordable housing, it was talking about the crisis of homeless people in New South Wales. But the budget for the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning with respect to affordable housing has been slashed. In the 2000-01 budget the Carr Government estimated that it would provide $6.8 million for affordable housing projects.

This year's budget indicates that less than $2.4 million was actually provided for those projects. Therefore, only one-third of the budget allocation was delivered last year. This year the Government has allocated only $550,000 for affordable housing projects. The Government's rhetoric is not matched by the dollars. It has slashed its dollar commitment to the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning for affordable housing. The Government continues to force the burden of providing affordable housing onto the private sector—people who are attempting to buy homes and first-home buyers—rather than deliver on its commitment for a policy and assistance for an affordable housing project.

This year's accounting and budget expenditures for the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority has simply disappeared. I am not aware that that agency has been abolished; in fact, to my knowledge it still exists. I am not aware that the Government has changed that authority's status. I note that the authority is in the final stages of completing mergers with other government authorities that have responsibility in and around the city of Sydney. A budget for that authority was contained in last year's Budget Paper No. 3, Volume 2, but it has disappeared from the 2001-02 budget papers. I am keen for the Government to inform me why the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, a government body chaired by Labor mate and former Premier's Department head Gerry Gleeson, has disappeared off the radar screen this year.

The Coalition continues to be bitterly disappointed with the Government's approach to a budget allocation for youth affairs. One of the key initiatives of the Greiner and Fahey governments was to have a separate budget for youth affairs. This Government has not followed that tradition. There is no separate budget paper for youth affairs, as there is for other important areas in the State, such as regional affairs. It appears that the Government is unwilling, if not unable, to put together a budget paper to highlight its spending and initiatives in youth affairs.

As I have done in the past, I commit the Opposition to having a stand-alone Minister for Youth Affairs, who would have direct responsibility for the Youth Advisory Council and related legislation. The current Minister Assisting the Premier on Youth, the Hon. Carmel Tebbutt, has no legislative or direct responsibility for youth affairs. The Opposition will also re-establish the Office of Youth Affairs, which will actively co-ordinate the activities of all government agencies and interested private sector parties on matters relating to young people. Lastly, we will depoliticise the Youth Advisory Council, which has been abused and politicised by the Government in recent years.

I refer now to the Government's continued mismanagement and poor handling of the Sydney Water Corporation. The Sydney Water Corporation is still reeling from the water crisis of three years ago. The budget papers show that its management is poor. Because the Sydney Water Corporation is an off-budget agency, the best information we get from the papers this year and most years is the capital expenditure of the Sydney Water Corporation and the dividends that will be paid—not by an individual corporation, because the Government has clouded those figures. However, we get an indication of the amount that will be paid in dividends and tax equivalent payments by all waste and water agencies.

During the next five years the Carr Government will rip $1.3 billion through tax equivalent payments and dividends from waste and water agencies into Treasury at the expense of capital works, services and fair pricing. Sydney Water dividends are up, payments to Government are up, services are down, rates are up, and capital expenditure is up—but only at the expense of rates. Rather than Sydney Water operating within its budget, last year it asked the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Authority [IPART] for a 12 per cent increase in water rates. IPART had the good sense to allow an increase of only 5 per cent. That money has gone into higher dividends and more capital works. That is the fundamental problem that the Government has with Sydney Water. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14225

In the capital works program the Government has slashed many important areas of capital expenditure. Last year the Improve Business Systems program was allocated $310 million and this year it has been allocated only $181 million, a reduction of 42 per cent. That will do one thing and one thing only, and that is to affect Sydney Water's capacity to deliver good services to its customers and the community at large. The program to minimise sewerage surcharges has been cut by 14 per cent, or $100 million. The program to upgrade sewage treatment plants to protect oceans has been cut by $193 million, or 32 per cent. The program to upgrade systems for bulk water quality and supply, a very important program, has been cut by 3 per cent, or $2.96 million.

So the Government has made cuts in important areas of Sydney Water's capital expenditure. In other areas there have been blowouts in expenditure. Sydney Water continues to be a very poorly managed agency of the Government. That can be seen, in real terms, in the fact that on Sunday of last week Sydney Water discovered a dry-weather sewage overflow in a creek in Waitara. Also, despite the expenditure of $470 million on the Northside Storage Tunnel—we think it is $470 million, but we are yet to be given the full cost of the tunnel—it overflowed raw sewage into the harbour in recent heavy rain. This Government continues to poorly manage Sydney Water, and that is a matter in which the Opposition will continue to be interested.

Mr AMERY (Mount Druitt—Minister for Agriculture, and Minister for Land and Water Conservation) [12.20 p.m.]: I join with other honourable members in speaking to the 2001 State budget. I commence by congratulating Treasurer Michael Egan on the success of this his seventh budget. When the Treasurer was reading a previous budget speech I interjected and said that he was the best Treasurer since Lang. After looking at the public works program, I can appreciate the strong argument around this place that Michael Egan is even greater than Lang. Of course, we would have to investigate that. But that was an extremely good budget.

Honourable members from both sides of the House will make speeches about this budget. Those who have not heard Opposition members making their contributions to the debate on this budget should at least read those speeches in Hansard. Honourable members who have not heard or read the Opposition speeches could have gained the false belief that this city, State and country are beautiful places in which to live. We need to read their speeches to realise just how bad a place we are living in—if the speeches made so far by Opposition members are any guide! I commend to honourable members that they read from the proof of Hansard at least the first paragraph of the speech of the Leader of the National Party so that they may know the view of Opposition members of the world and the State in which we live. As I say, unless members read those speeches, they would probably think that this city and this State are nice places to live in!

The first of the three areas that I would like to comment upon—hopefully not from the perspective of some Opposition members—is the allocation to my electorate of Mount Druitt. Many honourable members would know that the electorate is part of the Blacktown City Council area. In the short time that I have available in this debate, I would like to refer to the portfolio budgets of the two departments for which I am the responsible Minister, that is, New South Wales Agriculture and the Department of Land and Water Conservation. First I note that the Mount Druitt electorate has done particularly well. It is a predominantly residential area, with an increasing commercial and industrial presence. In recent years, that has obviated the need for many people to leave the area to go to work.

One of the many problems that put pressure on the transport system in the Mount Druitt electorate is that many people had to travel east to go to work. Over a number of years we have seen an increase in the number of large companies moving to the area. They include Arnotts, Coca-Cola, Pepsi Cola, Woolworths and so on. Those big companies are moving to these parts of western Sydney, reducing the need for many constituents to travel east on the railway, old highway and expressways to get to work. Nothing pleases me more than to see the parking areas of the various commercial and industrial sectors of the electorate filled with the vehicles of people who have travelled such a short distance to work.

The Mount Druitt electorate has always had a large Department of Housing presence, particularly in suburbs such as Blackett, Bidwill, Hebersham and Shalvey. The department has been going through an urban renewal program in Bidwill which has changed the shape and face of Bidwill, and I believe that will have long- term benefits for that suburb. I understand that Shalvey, which is in the Mount Druitt electorate, will be the location of a similar program in the future. I note in the budget papers a sum of $968,000 to build 12 units in Rooty Hill, adding to the relatively new public housing places that have come to the area in recent years.

The electorate also does well when it comes to improving transport and roads. Just a few minutes ago I was talking to the Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads in the House about a couple of issues relative to my electorate. Just running through this area of portfolio responsibilities, I see that some $102,700 will be 14226 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 spent on minor roadworks and $2.09 million will be spent on road maintenance. I am really pleased that pedestrian safety will be enhanced with a pedestrian refuge being built at Francis Street—the bypass of the township of Rooty Hill—and Orion Street, Rooty Hill.

Of interest will be the $34,000 allocated for red bus lanes for the area. That is becoming more of a common feature around this city and its suburbs. But the biggest item is the $12 million for planning of the western Sydney orbital road from Preston, in the Liverpool area, through my electorate and on to Baulkham Hills. This issue will be of particular interest to local constituents. I will be working with the Minister to address any concerns about how the route will impact on local residents. I believe these matters will be able to be sorted out.

The massive increase in the education budget will also see benefits locally, with the big-ticket item being the $14 million expenditure on building and upgrading the Chifley multicampus college. I was pleased to meet in the House earlier today with the school captains and leaders of the Chifley college and students from Plumpton High School. They were here to look at the Parliament and how it operates. Senior high school education was a big issue in the area back in the 1980s. I and the Federal member Roger Price frequently found ourselves fighting for the establishment of a senior high school. I often wondered whether the students in my electorate would have the benefits of that system. I am pleased to acknowledge that it was the Minister for Education and Training, John Aquilina, who brought this concept of the multicampus college, the Chifley college, to our electorate. I am pleased that this massive allocation of $14 million will see the new building constructed in the next couple of financial years.

The electorate has also done well with the Premier's mid-term budget. I am pleased to acknowledge that the parents and citizens association at Rooty Hill Primary School was delighted that its campaign for a security fence was successful. There are numerous other issues relating to our older schools. My electorate has many of the older schools, so the announcement of a 10-year plan to upgrade those schools will find many local school communities putting in submissions to access this program. I look forward to hearing from school communities.

Overall, the documentation that comes with the budget shows an allocation of some $113 million for local capital works in my electorate. According to the documentation, this sustains some 1,692 jobs. That is without referring to the recurrent expenditure on facilities such as those for the local police. I am very pleased to acknowledge that the local police are doing an extremely good job in my area. Mount Druitt has one of the busiest police stations in the suburbs, but it is making great progress with crackdowns on drugs, housebreaking and so on. Again, TAFE has done well. In the last 12 months the Minister for Education and Training attended and announced the opening of yet another facility at Mount Druitt. The fire stations and emergency services also have done very well in this budget.

I now move on to the portfolio areas. The success of these budgets can be seen not just from the detail in the budget but from the fact—which I am really pleased about—that the allocations failed to produce from the Opposition a single question in the week following the delivery of the budget. This was in a Parliament in which at least 50 per cent of Opposition members represent rural electorates. In a portfolio area that predominantly relates to regional areas, allocations to both of my portfolios failed to attract even one question from the Opposition, which usually is charged with enthusiasm to find something negative to say about Labor budgets. Their silence in question time I take as an indication that these rural-based portfolios also have done very well from this budget. I will give some details.

Before referring to the allocations to my departments, might I invite honourable members to draw a comparison between the Carr Government's mid-term budget—not an election budget, but a budget brought down in the middle of a four-year term—and the Federal Government's election budget and its allocation to the Federal Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. That department's budget has been cut by almost $200 million. While the Carr Government's allocation to my departments under its mid-term budget has increased, the Federal Government's allocation to its department has decreased by nearly $200 million—that is, a cut in the allocations to this rural-based portfolio from $1,924 million in the current financial year to $1,733 million for the year 2001-02. Of course, under that budget we have seen the Commonwealth Government pull out of the Australian Wool Research and Promotions Organisation, the Australian Pork Corporation and the Pig Research and Development Corporation.

The so-called Federal Government assistance to dairy farmers has not resulted in any Commonwealth expenditure. Not one cent of Federal Government money is going into the dairy assistance package. It is merely a continuation of the transfer of the milk consumers levy. Not only is the Federal Consolidated Fund not 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14227 allocating any money for the dairy assistance package, the Federal Government is making a profit on the deal by way of increased taxation. The Federal Government transfers for another year money from the milk consumers to dairy farmers, something that is very necessary, but it gets a large slice of that through taxation. The longer the program is extended—and they could extend it for 50 years—the more money the Federal Government will get from milk consumers.

So far there has been no clarification as to whether the five-year $1 billion Natural Heritage Trust [NHT] funding is new money or whether as much as $300 million has been rolled over from the existing funds. Landcare funding has been cut by $30 million from $63.5 million in the current financial year to only $31.2 million in the year 2001-02. I notice that the shadow Minister for Agriculture has entered the Chamber. When the Opposition is waffling on about a reduction of a few hundred thousand dollars in a budget of $150 million, the House should remember that the Federal Government is knocking off $200 million in one year from a rural-based portfolio only months before a Federal election. I am sure rural communities will judge the Howard Government accordingly at the Federal election.

I understand that the shadow Minister for Land and Water Conservation spoke about salinity. Natural Heritage Trust funding has been reduced for the Murray-Darling Basin by more than $15 million, from $50.07 million in the current financial year to $35 million in the year 2001-02. Bushcare is another casualty of the Howard budget. Its funding has been cut by about $16 million, yet the Opposition has to rummage through the budget papers to find something negative to say about the budget. Bushcare is backed up by volunteers, not only in the western suburbs of Sydney, the Hawkesbury-Nepean area—about which there has been lengthy debate this week—but right throughout regional New South Wales Bushcare is a major project that supports many volunteer organisations. The Federal Government has cut its funding for the financial year 2001-02 from $100 million to only $83.8 million.

Mr Ashton: Outrageous.

Mr AMERY: It is outrageous. Again, rural communities and volunteer groups will vote with their feet on that one. Recently I opened the Flood Mitigation Authorities Conference, at which everyone called for a restoration of the 2:2:1 flood funding formula. However, there is only silence from Canberra. I understand that the Federal Opposition has promised to return the flood funding formula to the previous system and not continue the present system, which disadvantages local government throughout this State. Despite this horror coming out of Canberra, the New South Wales Leader of the National Party has suggested that the agriculture budget in New South Wales is poor or has been cut. Even taking the bottom line for the whole department, the Consolidated Fund allocation is only down by $400,000 from $151.9 million to $151.5 million.

Had the Leader of the National Party not been so lazy in reading the budget papers he would have seen that last year's budget included a one-off allocation of approximately $4.5 million as the establishment cost for Safe Food. That allocation will continue to be reduced until Safe Food is fully established. This year the requirement is only $696,000, so the department is doing very well. I wish the Leader of the National Party had read the budget papers in more detail.

Mr Ashton: They had plenty of time after they walked out.

Mr AMERY: They walked out of question time on Wednesday, so they should have had an opportunity to read the budget papers more thoroughly. The department will actually increase its presence and funding in key areas, focusing on outcomes at the expense of red tape. Yet again, grants for noxious weeds have been increased, from $6.7 million in the last budget to $6.887 million this year. That is in addition to the $5 million the department spends on research at its various research stations. Unlike the former Coalition Government, which kept funding at the same level for four or five years, the State Labor Government has increased funding for noxious weeds each year. Extension services always attract attention because many rural communities view agriculture through the extension officers. As at 30 June 1995 there were 260 extension officers. As at 30 May last year there were 360 and as that 28 May this year there were 369. That is a massive 42 per cent increase since 1995.

The way the department has been able to increase its level of service to rural areas whilst maintaining stable funding levels is a vindication of the policy to transfer many of its services to the bush. That can also be said of the move to continue to save on corporate services, increased cost recovery in the non-public benefit area and substantial investment in technology to reduce operating and service delivery costs. In conclusion in relation to the agriculture portfolio, I would like to advise the House that we have had a briefing from our two 14228 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 veterinarians who are working on solutions to foot and mouth disease and who have just returned from the United Kingdom. As a result of that briefing, I have announced that the department will undertake a major review and upgrade plans to prepare us for any exotic disease outbreak. Among other things, special response teams are being formed, training sessions are being undertaken and training guidelines are being updated.

The budget for the Department of Land and Water Conservation has been substantially increased by $46.3 million, from $516 million in the current financial year to $562.3 million in the coming financial year. That increase reflects the department's ever-increasing role in the management of our natural resources. This coming year will be an exciting one for this area of public administration. The implementation of the Government's water reforms and the Water Management Act, which went through the Parliament last year, provides that water users will get a clear right to their water and environmental flows will continue to improve the quality of our river systems. Catchment management boards will finalise salinity targets. The budget includes an allocation of $10 million for hazard mapping on salinity, pilot projects and further research and extension work. As well, $1.55 million will be spent on monitoring equipment, and salinity will now be a major component when accessing decisions that affect our landscape.

By the end of next financial year I hope to be able to report that we have a more accurate picture on the rate of land clearing. This debate has lurched from one side to the other, with claims and counterclaims about the true rate of land clearing. Critics say that the New South Wales rate is higher than those of some of its neighbours, with the possible exception being Queensland. However, those same critics fail to realise that New South Wales counts all clearing in its clearing rates. When farm forestry and grassland are cleared, that is counted, and when woody weed, a noxious weed in the Western Division, is cleared or when willows are removed to save our river banks, that is also counted. I understand other States do not count all of those activities in their statistics.

This year the Government will spend $2 million on native vegetation mapping. When all the mapping and science is available, we will be able to identify the various types of clearing carried out. Eventually, we will be able to better factor in how much vegetation is actually going back into the landscape. I mention farm forestry plantations and the revegetation being undertaken by farmers, Landcare and Bushcare groups. In particular, I mention Greening Australia, which is working with farmers to provide assistance to establish wildlife corridors throughout the countryside. I would need unlimited time if I were to outline all the ways in which my two departments are supporting the $8.5 billion agricultural industry, managing our natural resources and finding solutions to problems including salinity, acid sulfate soils, noxious weeds and animal disease control. I will do that on another occasion. However, I contrast this Government's record and goals with the carping and moaning of the Liberal and National parties.

What has been the Coalition's response to these massive natural resource issues that have been the subject of debate in this country for years? We have heard groans from members from distant electorates who serve on various water and vegetation committees. We have been questioned about the number of Aboriginal representatives on those committees and we have been asked whether that will have an outcome on the management of our natural resources. We have heard buzz words like "city-centric greenies" and so on. We have heard negative arguments about how much water should be left in the river for water quality. Opposition members have said that the salinity issue is important but they fight in the trenches any policy that is designed to correct the problem. The general approach of members of the Opposition is to knock, knock, knock, but they offer no solutions. I draw the attention of honourable members to the speech made in this House by the Leader of the National Party. He failed to say one positive thing about any line item in the budget. That is a poor reflection on an Opposition that has no direction, no vision and no policies.

Mr SLACK-SMITH (Barwon) [12.40 p.m.]: The New South Wales State Government has left no doubt as to the esteem, or lack thereof, in which it holds rural and regional New South Wales. For the seventh year in a row the Labor Government has failed its country voters. The 2001 budget reaffirms New South Wales' position as the highest taxed State, yet it offers little to improve basic services for people in regional and rural New South Wales. No Treasurer in the history of New South Wales has had access to so much revenue as Mr Egan, yet basic services continue to decline. Put in its simplest terms, this is an appalling case of rising taxes and falling standards. This budget has, without question, failed to improve the plan for country New South Wales and it demonstrates a lack of vision and understanding for the future.

The Government has rejected the needs of people living in rural and remote areas of New South Wales, who, under the Labor Government, will continue to suffer as a result of inadequate or basic services. The contents of this budget indicate that nothing will change in the next financial year. Labor will continue to reap 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14229 record tax windfalls but it will also preside over the longest hospital waiting lists, the longest public housing lists and the highest crime rate in Australia. Let us take a close look at the budget papers. Despite the fact that one-third of the population lives outside metropolitan New South Wales the amount of capital expenditure allocated in 2001-02 to country New South Wales falls well short of that one-third benchmark.

The Labor Government has forgotten that the rural sector produces a massive amount of income for the State through the agricultural industry and related businesses. Why then, when country New South Wales delivers so much, does the Government fail to give anything back? That is simply not good enough. This budget has again confirmed the Carr Labor Government's Sydney-centric obsession. In health, the overall capital expenditure on major works totals $430 million, but just $92 million, or 21 per cent, has been allocated to country New South Wales. That demonstrates Labor's lack of commitment to providing a decent health system in country areas. Country residents are faced with major waiting times in emergency departments while hospital beds are closed, operating theatre sessions are reduced and operations are cancelled.

Since the Premier came into office in 1995 the waiting list for elective surgery in rural hospitals has blown out alarmingly from 9,000 to 19,311 in March this year. The Government has budgeted only $350 million in additional recurrent funds to health services, which is $171 million short of the $521 million needed just to maintain the current level of services. And this is at a time of record waiting lists and deep concern by the medical profession about how the New South Wales health system has been run down by the Carr Government and country residents face major downgrading of medical services and hospitals. Similarly, of the $157 million allocated to capital expenditure on major works for education and training, only $34 million will be allocated to rural and regional New South Wales.

In my electorate of Barwon, which encompasses 105,000 square kilometres of the State and has a population of approximately 60,000, the only funding for major capital works mentioned in the budget is $1.9 million for the second stage of the development of Central School at Lightning Ridge. The first stage of development at Lightning Ridge is a credit to the builders, planners and other people involved. Lightning Ridge, a town well-known for its opal mining industry, generates a significant amount of export dollars for New South Wales. My electorate of Barwon is an area of rich agricultural diversity, a region which provides significant dividends for this Government. I listened with interest to the earlier contribution of the Minister for Agriculture. He spent most of his time bagging the Federal Government, a usual ploy when a Minister's argument is weak, rather than looking at his own portfolio, which is a smoke and mirrors portfolio. My vitally important agricultural area should not be ignored by the Government, but it has been. The budget of which Mr Egan is so proud has miserably failed the Barwon electorate and the bush. Last year the Premier stated:

This is all about saving Australia, saving the agricultural future of Australia.

This budget offers nothing other than funding cuts to the Department of Agriculture, something that the Minister for Agriculture failed to acknowledge. These cuts mean significant decreases in funding for essential research and developmental initiatives. If funding for research and development in any industry is reduced, because of present world competition there is no way that we will claw that back. Australia is an exporting nation. It is the world's biggest exporter of beef, wool and goats and it is the world's second biggest exporter of fat lambs. The list goes on.

Mr Gaudry: And camels.

Mr SLACK-SMITH: I believe that is correct, particularly racing camels. Significant decreases in funding for essential research is a massive mistake. Many of these programs are essential to ensure a continued high quality of food production and the continuation of Australia's admirable disease-free status. As I said earlier, New South Wales is the highest taxed State in Australia. The New South Wales Government has never had so much money at its fingertips, yet it cannot find the dollars to inject into one of the biggest and most vital industries in this State. Agriculture is the largest employer in regional New South Wales.

The Government's attitude towards agriculture has severely disadvantaged those involved in the industry. In the past 12 months staff in the food and fibre production division have been reduced by 26. The budget allocation for fees for services within industry is less this year than it was last year by an amount of $791,000. That means that over the next 12 months producers will be paying additional amounts for services which previously have been provided to them at a reduced rate. Any research undertaken by the Department of Agriculture or by the CSIRO will result in additional charges to make up for that shortfall.

The allocation in this year's budget for quality assurance has been reduced by $169,000; agricultural services by $280,000; resource management by $234,000; and agricultural education and animal welfare funding, an important part of the agricultural portfolio, by $108,000. Those decreases demonstrate a scant 14230 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 respect for such a rich and profitable State industry. In the long term the Labor Government's lack of foresight will be to its detriment. Let us contrast that with the contribution of the Federal Coalition Government, an issue about which the Minister was very vocal. The Federal Coalition Government allocated $600 million towards improving quarantine protection to ensure that disease does not enter this country.

Dairy farmers also missed out in this budget. The Carr Government failed to provide any assistance for that crippled industry, which it deregulated late last year as a result of the passage of legislation through this House. The Government's national action plan for salinity, a major issue confronting the agricultural industry and an issue which was raised by the Minister in debate today, failed to gain any support, despite the Premier's rhetoric about saving the agricultural future of Australia. A mere $13 million has been allocated in the budget to combat the ever-increasing problems of salinity in the agricultural sector, compared to a seven-year contribution by the Commonwealth Government of a massive $700 million. Only $13 million has been allocated to implement the second phase of the Government's water reforms.

I condemn the budget's wild dog destruction funding, which the Government has failed to increase even though there has been a significant rise in the wild dog population on the coast and in the Far West of New South Wales. Last year more than 11,000 sheep were killed by wild dogs in New South Wales. The increase in wild dog numbers demonstrates that the present level of funding is totally inadequate to combat the problem. The Minister mentioned noxious weeds, which are a constant problem in the agricultural industry. The Government has again failed to address the severity of this problem in its budget. While that funding has received a minor increase to $6.9 million from $6.7 million, I believe this falls $15 million short of the mark. Let us put the Government's noxious weed funding into perspective by comparing it with the allocation of Toowoomba City Council, which last year spent $5.6 million on gardens alone. The Minister has allocated a measly $6.9 million to combating the noxious weeds problem throughout New South Wales. These weeds contaminate crops causing a lack of yield, and the State's farmers must bear the $300 million penalty. It is a joke.

This Government continues to fail regional voters on the issue of country roads. The Rebuilding Country Roads program, which includes replacing timber bridges in country areas, has received funding of only $100 million—the Government is just maintaining its commitment to "average" spending. More than 50 timber bridges in my electorate alone need to be replaced. Many such bridges are situated on vital highways on which grain, wool and cotton must be transported and have weight limits of up to five tonnes. It is absolutely disgusting. The roads budget has suffered a $2 million cut and, if we include a modest 3 per cent inflation figure, we can see that the real terms reduction in roads funding in regional New South Wales equates to $70 million.

Mr McBride: You say that every year.

Mr SLACK-SMITH: The honourable member for The Entrance does not have that problem in his electorate; he is very fortunate. Country Labor has been claiming Federally budgeted money for country projects. The Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads has advised the Roads to Recovery program to allocate Federal money for use on State roads, thereby absolving himself completely of any funding commitment to country roads. That is a very deceptive practice. The life-saving State black spot program has also suffered a $6 million cut, which could produce disastrous results, including tragedies, in regional areas.

Although crime continues to escalate under the Labor Government—country people are particularly concerned about the incidence of rural theft—it has projected an inadequate police increase of only 65. This budget contains no plans to restore the stock squad in New South Wales. Compare that with the situation in Queensland, which is achieving good results combating its stock theft problem. Stock theft is a $1.4 million industry in New South Wales, and the problem continues to worsen. There will be no benefit for country areas such as Barwon, where crime continues to rise and country police stations are continually undermanned or closed. A local area command in my electorate is now short of five sergeants, and the situation is worsening daily. It is obvious that, despite promises in each budget since the 1999 election to increase police numbers, we have nowhere near the extra 1,000 police the Premier promised to provide over four years.

Cuts to capital works funding for housing of $193.7 million in real terms—housing is a problem in most country towns in my area—will disadvantage country people on waiting lists. This will mean further hardship for country families who are stuck on ever-lengthening waiting lists, some of which have grown by 10,138 families since the Government was elected in 1995. As outlined by my colleagues, there are many shortfalls in this budget. There are no cuts to petrol excise although this Government pockets the equivalent of 8.3¢ per litre. Queensland petrol is much cheaper because the Beattie Labor Government gives that money back to motorists. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14231

An additional $30 million has been allocated to prop up the viability of Olympic Park. Some $372 million will eventually be directed to Olympic Park, which—in addition to the current infrastructure at the park and at Homebush Bay—amounts to $72.40 per square metre. I do not know where that money will go. This is a smoke-and-mirrors budget. New South Wales is the highest taxing State in Australia and the Government is penny pinching and reducing funding to the country. The Carr Labor Government is completely out of touch with country New South Wales and is unable to understand or provide for the needs and aspirations of those living outside the metropolitan areas.

Mr BARTLETT (Port Stephens) [12.56 p.m.]: I support the seventh budget of the Carr Labor Government. I will divide my speech into four major sections: the highlights of the budget for New South Wales, the highlights for Port Stephens and a snapshot of some local industrial highlights, the environmental gains for Port Stephens, and some clouds on the horizon. This budget continues the Carr Government's record of sound financial management. I came to this place from a council that had a debt of $15 million in 1983. We had rates income of $6.5 million and $3 million was spent every year on interest and loan repayments. We could spend only half our rates income on projects. The net government debt was $12 billion in 1995 when the Carr Government came to power. That debt is now $7.5 billion and is estimated to fall to $4.8 billion by June 2005.

The Government's interest bill has fallen from about $1.8 billion in 1998—more than this year's police budget—to $1.3 billion today. That means we can allocate the $0.5 billion that we are no longer paying in interest to capital works projects in this State. The bill is expected to fall to $900 million in 2001-02. General government net financial liabilities, including unfunded superannuation, are also expected to fall. A friend who was a mathematics teacher left the profession in the 1980s because he thought the unfunded superannuation scheme, with unfunded superannuation liabilities, of which he was a member would be useless by the time he wanted to draw down on it after 2000. Net financial liabilities totalling $32,594 million in 1995 are now $22 billion and are expected to fall to $21 billion in 2005. The State Super annual report of highlights of the pooled fund 2000 summarises what the Government did last year. It states:

A reduction in the Government's unfunded liability. As a result of the accelerated contributions to the fund by the NSW Government in the last financial year and additional contributions this year, combined with strong investment return, the unfunded liability at 30 June 2000 was $5.9 billion compared to $8.7 billion at 30 June 1999.

That constitutes something like a $3 billion improvement in unfunded liabilities in superannuation for all workers across the State in that system. If 25,000 teachers, 50 per cent of the service now, retire in the next 10 to 15 years at an average of $1,000 per fortnight, $625 million per annum will be available for positions that were under threat back in the 1980s because superannuation was unfunded. In six years we have had a reduction of these liabilities and that puts the Government in a position to prepare for uncertain times; it is ready to meet any uncertainties that may lie ahead.

Total education expenditure statewide is $7.6 billion, a $1.8 billion funding increase since Labor came to office in 1995. There is $1.1 billion for bringing old schools up to new schools standard over four years, a huge and gratefully acknowledged increase for Port Stephens and like electorates, which have very old schools that need upgrading. I am speaking about Soldiers Point Public School and Raymond Terrace Public School, to name just a couple. Of that figure of $7.6 billion, $7.1 billion is for salaries. That is an enormous drain on the State. The issue that I think is well worth raising at this time is the $46 million being put into the system for the removal of disruptive students and the setting up of alternative schemes for disruptive students. Teachers are burning out because of constant challenges to their authority by disruptive students—and I speak from experience as a former teacher. I hope that this $46 million will bring some relief in that regard.

This year Health will receive receiving $8.3 billion, a $40 6 million increase over last year's allocation. I noted from the Treasurer's comments that this year there will be 6 million visits to outpatient services, 1.8 million visits to emergency departments, 1.3 million admissions, 650,000 ambulance calls and 70,000 births. An amount of $46.6 million has been allocated for ambulance equipment replacement. Some of that funding is going to the Tilligerry Peninsula, which is in my electorate, to provide a new ambulance station, two new ambulances and 11 staff—a recurrent expenditure of $1 million every year for those positions.

Since 1994 funding to the Department of Community Services has increased by almost $1 billion. Of that, $166 million is going to 15,000 foster care places, and $390 million to disability services. The $58 million funding increase for police services will allow us to increase police numbers by 200, to aim for our 1,000 extra police officers by the end of this parliamentary term. Funding has been allocated to provide state of the art capital equipment for police cars, making them virtual police stations. We cannot have police stations in every small village, but this initiative will make every police vehicle in effect a police station—and I think that is a huge advance. 14232 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

Mr W. D. Smith: It is a great idea.

Mr BARTLETT: I thank the honourable member for South Coast for his support. I wish to talk about the $100 million cut to the electricity levy that has been imposed over the past few years. Smorgons, a steel smelting company in my electorate, was having difficulty meeting electricity costs associated with its production. I have been working with the company and the Premier's Department for six months. In 1995 it cost $63 a megawatt hour for electricity. It is now $40 a megawatt hour for electricity. That levy cut is worth $1 million per annum to Smorgons alone and it will allow the company to keep its workforce in place in the Newcastle region. Similarly, I hope that the electricity levy rebate will allow Tomago Aluminium to revisit its fourth potline proposal, which is a $1 billion investment in my electorate.

I recently had a meeting with the chief executive officer of Austeel, which has proposed a $2.8 billion steel plant for the Hunter area. He itemised as a reason for coming to Newcastle the reduction of electricity prices from $63 a megawatt hour to $40 a megawatt hour. He has since sold the whole of the plant's steel output for the next 25 years and is confident that $2.8 billion will come to the area. The plant will be among the world's lowest-cost steel producers. It will have an annual production of $2.5 million. Every year it is likely to be worth to the Hunter the same as the Olympics were worth to Sydney. It will create something like 10,000 jobs during construction and 1,500 new permanent jobs once the plant is up and running. It will be a major boost to the Hunter region, and the State Government is looking at putting in about $240 million in infrastructure costs. It will be a huge tonic for the Hunter region as well as for New South Wales.

I now turn to the budget highlights as they affect Port Stephens. Something like $30 million in capital works and programs is going to the Port Stephens electorate. Of the order of $13 million is being spent on roads: $3.5 million on Nelson Bay Road, some acquisition works and planning for Bobs Farm Straight, as well as $2 million for planning for the construction of a duplicate Toule Street Bridge. The sum of $1.5 million has been allocated for preconstruction activities associated with the 10-kilometre dual carriageway Karuah bypass, and there is money for traffic signals at the Hexham intersection on the Pacific Highway. The tender documentation for the Karuah bypass is almost ready. The bypass will be 10 kilometres of dual carriageway with a 600-metre bridge and will probably cost in the vicinity of $100 million to $150 million. It will be of huge benefit not only to the residents of the Hunter but also to the travelling public.

Other capital works include $341,000 for the new Tanilba Bay ambulance station, $2.9 million to build 34 public housing units at Raymond Terrace and Salamander Bay, and $306,000 towards two units of housing for Aboriginal occupants at Raymond Terrace. Nearly $500,000 is allocated for new classrooms at Salt Ash Public School and $300,000 for upgrading the Port Stephens Fisheries Centre. Funding of $1.4 million will be used to replace the sewerage line at Salamander Bay and massive amounts of money are going into the water supply system for the Hunter, such as the $6 million to increase the capacity of Grahamstown Dam by something like 50 per cent. The total cost of stage two of the project will be $22 million, and it will make a huge difference to the water supply for the Hunter. There is a whole series of smaller grants that I will not detail. Most—not all, but most—of my wish list has been covered in the budget.

I would like to give honourable members a snapshot of some of the things going on in Port Stephens right now. RAAF Williamtown currently has 2,500 people on base—2,200 service personnel, 200 civilians and 100 contractors. Over the next five years that number will increase by 500 personnel, with the extra housing and infrastructure that is required. Salaries alone for Williamtown in the last financial year amounted to $125 million, which came from the gate into the local area, with $30 million coming into the town through the purchase of materials and goods, for example, $11 million for fuel. The cost of running the Tactical Fighter Force, which is basically the F18 force out of Williamtown, is $1.2 billion a year, and the surveillance and control group going into Williamtown costs $0.36 billion a year. Over the next five years, $110 million in capital expenditure will go into the base.

Newcastle airport has taken a real hit from what happened to Impulse Airlines. Impulse was the hub airline for people coming in and going out of the Hunter region. It seems strange that Australian aviation policy is to be decided by banks in Singapore as they do deals with Qantas, and Impulse goes down the tube. The State Government put the money into the infrastructure at Newcastle Airport to build new terminals, tarmac areas and car parking, but the Federal Government played favourites. Infrastructure is where government puts money; one does not try to pick winners, especially in the aviation industry. The hub concept about which Newcastle Airport has built its growth over the last few years has taken a hit because of what happened to Impulse.

The Pisces Marine Aquaculture operation off the coast of Port Stephens has just concluded a two-year trial. It is the first off-shore snapper farm in Australia. The production system, which is 3½ kilometres off Port 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14233

Stephens and in open sea, has already withstood two one-in-20-year storms. Currently it is harvesting the first crop of snapper, with an expected harvest of more than 30 tonnes. That is equivalent, in two 25-metre diameter pods, to one-sixth of the whole commercial snapper catch of New South Wales. One export catch has already been sent to Taipei, with another two shipments expected this month. The target size eventually of the farm is 500 tonnes annually, which is more than the present total snapper catch in New South Wales.

The Port Stephens waste management plant was the first to implement the bedminster system. It takes all our household waste, mixes it with sewage sludge and produces 80 per cent as compost. It is now working on a full five-day capacity and handles in excess of 500 tonnes of mixed solid waste per week. Local landfill sites at Salamander Bay and Lemon Tree Passage have been closed. Approximately 30,000 tonnes of waste from landfill have been processed by the bedminster system and 1,000 tonnes of municipal sewage sludge have been processed. The plant is in the process of supplying about 2,000 tonnes of compost for the current golf course development in the Pokolbin area. That material was selected as being eminently suitable to increase the organic make-up of the golf course fairways and putting greens.

So we have closed our garbage dumps. We put the waste through the bedminster system and have now turned around and produced 80 per cent of compost from what was going into the waste fill sites and selling it to golf fairways. It is a huge win-win for the environment, which brings me to my comments about environmental improvements. Sutton Park sewerage scheme is just about finished at a cost of $3 million. We are halfway through the Karuah sewerage scheme project, which has a total cost of $15 million. That scheme will improve the lifestyle of the residents of Karuah. Raymond Terrace waste water treatment plant is an $11-million project that will increase capacity by about 7,000 connections. I have already mentioned the Grahamstown dam water improvements.

I spoke before of Smorgons steel making company, which is benefiting from the electricity levy. Its new plant has a one million cubic metre per hour fume dustbag collection system. It removes 480 kilograms a day of particulate matter from the atmosphere, which is 480 kilograms per day that has been removed from the Mayfield atmosphere which people used to breathe in. It is a huge success to Comsteel and Smorgons and I congratulate them. In the budget there is an allocation of $1.1 billion over the next couple of years to fund the newly formed 4,100 hectare Stockton Bight conservation zone. Also, there is an allocation of $1.2 million for the environment for the bird wetland relocation at Kooragang Island. Birds from Japan, as well as other birds from different parts of the world, fly to that wetland to spend the winter and then fly north again. It is vital for that bird flock that these wetlands remain. The Ironbark Creek floodgate program will receive $900,000. That program is buying back farmland, flooding the area and returning it to estuarine conditions, hopefully to get the prawn stocks of the Hunter back to the level they were years ago.

I see a couple of problems in the next few years. Tourism in Port Stephens continues to grow. Last weekend Danny the Dolphin came out of hiding and was on show for children with disabilities. I wish Danny the Dolphin wonderful success! However, many soft adventure tourism attractions are under threat. Shoal Bay Para-Flying is one example of a tourist attraction that had closed, but the problem is sending shock waves through the industry. Tourism creates one in nine jobs in Australia and one in eight new jobs. The public liability of the paraflying outfit at Shoal Bay, which has not had a claim made against it in 15 years, increased income from $3,500 last year to $16,500 this year, but it is now out of business.

Workers compensation is a problem. A company that employed 70 people had a workers compensation bill of $42,000 in 1996. In 1998 those same 70 people were costing $132,000. The company's business plan said the only way it could move ahead was to decrease the work force. In 2000 the work force was cut by 30, but the workers compensation premium was $115,000 for 40 workers. The company is planning to get around the workers compensation problem by decreasing its staff and increasing the number of machines. All in all, the budget was excellent for Port Stephens. [Time expired.]

Ms SEATON (Southern Highlands) [1.16 p.m.]: The Carr Government has more money than it has ever had and basic local services have never been at a worse level. As the member for Southern Highlands I can say that that is absolutely true, regardless of whether it is rail services, transport services, health services or education facilities. People in my electorate are wondering why, if the Carr Government has so much money to spend, so little of it finds its way to the Southern Highlands. Many community groups have made merit-based cases for additional resources for worthwhile projects that will not only benefit the community but, if implemented, result in savings being made on things that are currently carried out poorly or inefficiently.

The Coalition is committed to lowering State taxes to make it easier for families to get by on a weekly basis and for businesses to do what they do best: be as competitive as possible. That would enable businesses to 14234 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 employ as many people as possible, especially in regional areas where employers say time and again that, were it not for the raft of State charges and taxes, they would employ another person or two people. If every business in my electorate employed one more person, we would pretty much have zero unemployment.

The State Government has increased taxes and charges in a raft of areas. It calculates State charges on top of GST-inclusive costs. It is double dipping and taking advantage of the fact that the GST exists to inflate State revenues. It refuses to budge on petrol revenues, and the State coffers benefit from motorists to the extent of 8¢ per litre. It is worth drawing attention to the massive revenues this Government receives from gaming— something like $1.2 billion a year. The impact of that in my area is enormous. As a result of figures I managed to get from the Minister for Gaming and Racing in response to a question I placed on notice, I was staggered, as were many people in my area, about exactly how much money comes annually from the Southern Highlands, Wingecarribee shire and Wollondilly shire. In Wingecarribee shire 23,000 residents spent more than $148 million locally on club and hotel gaming over a 12-month period. That works out at about $6,000 per head. Based on the calculation that 90 per cent of money spent per person on a poker machine is actually won back in prize money, it works out that approximately $850 per head is returned to State coffers. Of course, clubs must take their administration and associated costs from that.

That means that $20 million is going back somewhere, split between the clubs' deductions for costs and Treasury. Even if half of that—$10 million—went back to the State Government, there is precious little sign of that amount being spent in my electorate. I am talking only about gaming revenue; I am not talking about all the State taxes and charges that the Carr Government has received from the people in my electorate. In the Wollondilly shire the breakdown is slightly less: 20,000 residents spent $58 million locally on club and hotel gaming. That is about $3,000 per head; a deduction of 90 per cent leaves about $400 per head, some of which is taken by clubs for administration and other costs. That means that perhaps $5 million is going to the Carr Government from the Wollondilly shire alone. Again, precious little of that amount is coming back to us, even from that type of revenue.

This budget has offered no specific local commitments to roads, police or health in my area. The only education winners are Colo Vale and Hill Top schools; they are finally receiving some funding to complete stage two of their capital works program, although the amount of that funding is still unclear. I am disappointed that we have yet to receive clarification from the Minister for Education and Training or the department on that. The Hill Top and Colo Vale school communities have been working extremely hard over the past several years, especially since three years ago when we received word that construction of the much-needed permanent classrooms and public areas, including halls, administration buildings and public spaces, would go ahead at last, after many years.

Everyone was delighted until we realised that the Government had divided the project into two stages, which had never been discussed with the school communities. Stage one commenced, and halls and public areas at both schools have been completed. If the schools had had a chance to say which of the facilities they would have liked to see built first, it is likely they would have said they wanted the classrooms first, rather than the public areas. However, they were given no choice because they were not even told that the project was to be split into a two-stage process. In the previous two budgets there was absolutely no funding coming through for stage two of the project. I should like to read to the House a letter I received from a child who attended kindergarten at Colo Vale school last year. The child, Clare, summed up the problems at Hill Top and Colo Vale schools very well when she said:

To Ms P. Seaton

Why aren't our classrooms being built? Every hot day I have to share my classroom with my sister's class because their brains are being fried in the hot demountables.

From Clare, six years old

The truth from the words of a six-year-old child! Unfortunately, Clare, who is now probably seven years old, will not see a single brick in place until she is eight or nine years old. When we opened the budget papers on Tuesday we were absolutely devastated to see that only $122,000 and $128,000 respectively had been set aside for Hill Top and Colo Vale schools. People in those school communities were hanging around the phone waiting for good news because they had put a lot of work into the project. Departmental planning and properties officers had given them some comfort when they had a reasonable expectation of seeing the whole project funded this year. The school communities were being told that there was a timetable, that the project would go to tender about July this year and that construction would commence in about October.

One can imagine how devastated people were when they saw that in the budget only $122,000 and $128,000 respectively had been allocated for these schools. As people said, that might buy a toilet and half a 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14235 classroom. They were concerned that the Government had apparently taken the salami slicer to a $2.1 million budget at each school and was simply dribbling out the funds. On the past record of this Government, people were correct to wonder whether the bulk of that budget would appear in next year's budget, 12 months from now. As it stands now, we will not see a single brick on the ground for the next 18 months. We are fearful that the budget is being pushed back as far into the never-never as possible, and that the Government is keeping its options open, to perhaps not go ahead with funding the entire project.

It is reasonable for the people from both school communities to seek a guarantee from the Minister for Education and Training and his department that the money will be in next year's budget. On Wednesday morning those school communities, understandably, sought clarification about what was happening. I am disappointed to report that there has been nothing of substance, except a brief note to one of the schools stating that the project has been approved—that is fine; we have seen the projected finishing date of 2003 in the budget—but the school will be kept informed of progress. My question to the Minister for Education and Training is this: Can he give the Hill Top and Colo Vale school communities a stronger commitment that that missing $4 million will be in the 2002-03 budget?

I am concerned about what will happen if revenues collapse and stamp duties go down in the next 12 months. In addition, in the past two or three years, since schools have had to house children in demountables, thousands of dollars have been spent on patching demountable buildings and replacing mouldy carpet. I tried to table a sample of the mouldy carpet from Hill Top school and the Minister for Education and Training refused even to look at it; he did not want it shown in this place. We have spent thousands of dollars on fixing leaks, replacing carpet and cleaning up silt from landscaping that poured down the hillside as a result of poor drainage.

We are pleased at least to see some mention of the project in the budget, but there would be much more confidence if we had a guarantee that the balance of funding for the project will be available next year. Apart from all that, these buildings should be completed now. If stage two had followed stage one seamlessly—as it was always meant to—without a two-year gap in the middle, we would have all these buildings now. We would have permanent classrooms. We would have children in decent classrooms. Children would not have to go through the freeze, flood or fry, as happens every year, depending on whether it is winter or summer.

The people of my electorate are also disappointed because they have been expecting to see a second Bowral primary school on the drawing board for some time now. Bowel primary school is an excellent school but it is packed to capacity; there is little space for it to expand. The school community is making representations to council to have the upper half of Banyette Street closed temporarily to see whether that affects traffic flow in Bowral; if it does not, we would like to acquire that piece of land so that the school gets a little more space. However, ultimately we still need an additional Bowral area primary school. We also need a new high school between Picton and Mittagong, but there is absolutely no acknowledgment of that.

In the budget are a number of items are listed across the State, including $80 million for new halls at schools, $50 million for demountable replacements, $70 million for libraries, $130 million for general upgrading and $45 million for landscaping. I can confirm to the Minister that a number of schools in my electorate have already made representations for those needs. I want to ensure that our hand is well and truly up for our share of that funding. Halls are needed at Appin and Bargo schools. Picton primary school needs a bigger hall. Its population has totally outgrown the very small hall that it has had for some years. Demountable classrooms need to be replaced with permanent buildings at many schools in my electorate. In particular, the art demountables at Moss Vale High School need to be replaced. In fact, those demountables are unsafe and do not meet occupational health and safety standards.

Many of our teachers, whom we expect to be professional in terms of delivering the highest standard of education to our children, work in spaces that are totally inadequate on any professional assessment. I have seen teachers try to create an office space in a cupboard, in a hallway, in all sorts of totally inappropriate places. I do not understand why the Minister thinks it is appropriate for teachers to be sitting preparing lessons in some of the spaces in which they are forced to work. I want to see our schools recognise the work that teachers do and provide them with professional places in which to spend time between classes.

Moss Vale and Mittagong public schools need permanent classrooms. Glenquarry Primary School needs additional space to house its library and its administrative and other areas. Cawdor school needs an upgrade and an indication of certainty about its future. Wingello school needs some of its public areas upgraded. Bargo and Appin schools desperately need permanent libraries. Our local police resources are totally inadequate. This week people in Moss Vale have been particularly worried about what some people have 14236 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001 described as a drive-by shooting incident and what others have described as a malicious damage incident. Whatever it is, if we had a permanent police presence in Moss Vale some of these incidents would never happen because, as we all know, a police presence is a deterrent to that sort of behaviour.

I have petitioned the Minister for extra permanent police in Moss Vale. I have also sought guarantees that our small police stations will be maintained well into the future. As honourable members know, resignations from the police far outnumber recruitments. Across the State it is difficult to attract police officers. Even if the Minister were inclined to provide our area with extra police resources, he needs to urgently address the lack of recruitments.

I am glad to see that we have the final allocation of money we need to complete the transfer of the Bowral Ambulance Station from the main street to the hospital campus. Tomorrow I will attend a fundraiser in Kangaroo Valley to raise money, which we hope the State Government will match at some point, to build a permanent ambulance station in Kangaroo Valley. I pay tribute to the Lions Club in Kangaroo Valley, which has already done a considerable amount of work and is organising the fundraiser on the weekend. There is huge community support for it. But at some point we will need some help from the State Government.

Mr McManus: Come and see me.

Ms SEATON: I will certainly see the Parliamentary Secretary. I will remind him of what he said when I knock on his door. We are yet to see some of the details of the health budget that I hope will flow through to programs, changes and improvements to programs. We put in a very strong bid for, and I am hopeful that we will see, the provision of public opthalmology services at Bowral Hospital. The hospital also needs renal services; better geriatric services; ear, nose and throat services; urology and cancer treatment services.

We also need additional resources to reduce the waiting lists for elective surgery at Bowral Hospital. I am very much aware that a number of people, particularly those seeking cancer treatment and renal dialysis, spend literally hours and hours every day and every week travelling from our area to hospitals such as St George, Liverpool or Westmead for treatment that might last for only a few minutes. Patients, and often their carers, are basically spending large chunks of their lives being transported to and from hospital.

Sewerage connection is another important project for our area. The sewerage service in Picton, Tahmoor and Thirlmere desperately needs to be extended. We need a commitment that a dedicated sewerage line will run past the Queen Victoria Memorial Nursing Home so that we can attract other providers and, therefore, additional beds and hostel facilities. We have lost the LUCAN proposal because, among other things, the commitment from the State Government was never followed through, and that resulted in enormously inflated costs. Appin and Bargo need to be sewered in the next 10 years, which is what the Government is proposing. Our rail services need to be vastly improved. I am pleased to see an allocation of $990,000 for signal box upgrading at Moss Vale. But that infrastructure is obviously shared by everyone in the State.

We need additional improvements to our railway services that will benefit the day-to-day commuters and rail users. I need a guarantee that the additional carriages earmarked to come to us from the South Coast line towards the end of the year will be delivered. There is some discussion and some concern that they might be used for other purposes. We also need a commitment that the line will be straightened, which will enable electrification of the line. Similarly, we have had no commitment to road projects, despite representations, particularly in relation to the Wombeyan Caves Road, which one could argue deserves some State recognition from a tourism point of view.

I am happy to approach organisations such as the Sydney Catchment Authority to try to find other avenues to fund those roads. We have submitted applications to the Sydney Catchment Authority for funding for the Wombeyan Caves Road, and I am investigating whether the Sydney Catchment Authority might assist to upgrade roads in the Shoalhaven. The roads budget has not allocated sufficient money to areas such as mine. No-one in the Southern Highlands electorate is making extravagant claims on the budget. Every single item on the wish list of the people of the Southern Highlands is a bread-and-butter issue. We are not looking at anything that goes beyond the ordinary. We are simply looking for our fair share of what are extraordinarily high revenues in this State.

On any estimation one would have to say that both the Wollondilly and the Wingecarribee areas have been ignored by the Carr Government. It has taken such communities very much for granted. We need long- term planning and priorities assessed on merit. The community groups with which I work on a daily basis have 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14237 worked hard to make those cases on merit. None of the departmental people tell us that our ideas are fanciful or that we are getting out of line. We have received every indication from departmental people that those things are based on merit. I am very concerned that the Government has failed to properly accommodate the Southern Highlands in this budget. [Time expired.]

Mr BROWN (Kiama) [1.36 p.m.]: I welcome the Carr Labor Government's budget for 2001- 02, and I concur with the sentiments of the Treasurer when he described it as "socially responsive and financially responsible: In other words, it a Labor Budget through and through." Expenditure in the Kiama electorate is evidence enough for that sentiment. Money is committed to all the projects my branch members, communities and I have been lobbying for for sometime. These projects include building Flinders Public School, completing the Oak Flats Interchange, completing the electrification of the rail to Kiama, commencing the upgrade of Kiama High School, and improving access to Kiama rail station, just to name a few.

Overall the budget comes up trumps, with more spending on community improvements and more tax cuts to help families and small business in the Illawarra. I am passionate about the education of our nation. I am a firm believer that if we invest in our future we will reap rewards for all sections of our community. A good Labor budget is one that invests heavily in education and training. This is a very good Labor budget. The Government has shown a serious commitment in the Kiama electorate to ensure that our students are in good educational facilities. If we, as a government, are serious about playing our part in developing a knowledge nation, we must make the learning environments pleasant for our students and teachers. Some $381,000 is the first amount to be spent on the $4.5 million upgrade of Kiama High School, my old high school.

Kiama High School was built more than 40 years ago to accommodate about 600 students. Since then the area has sustained considerable growth. When I attended that high school it had about 950 students. Today it has approximately 1,300. The school is bursting at the seams. Stage one of the much-need upgrade will include construction of a new two-storey classroom building linked to other learning areas. I congratulate the school community, the teachers and students on the way they have helped me lobby for this extra funding. Our special thanks go to Peter Moggah, who headed the overcrowding committee and who assisted last year with my petition to made the Government aware of the urgent need for this upgrade.

Another campaign I embraced soon after I was elected was to work towards obtaining funding from the Government to build a new public school at Flinders. I am pleased to note that the budget addresses the needs of teachers and students in the Shellharbour-Flinders area with a $2.5 million commitment for the construction of the new Flinders Public School. I would like to acknowledge a number of people who have played a large part in ensuring the allocation of this money, particularly those in the Flinders School Interest Group Committee: Ron Blottin, Linda Bulabovska, Jill Boothman, Joanne Setter, Barry Bird, Melinda Little, Principal Graham Tink and Deputy Principal Dave Lewis.

Annual expenses for the education of our 760,000 students in 2,200 schools along with 800,000 students in both vocational education and training and adult education courses at 130 technical and further education [TAFE] campuses and other facilities is nearly $7.2 billion. That is an increase of $336 million, or 4.9 per cent. It is very heartening to note the increase in moneys spent on education. It is a clear indication that this budget is a Labor budget, in marked contrast to a Conservative budget. This extra money will enable the expansion of the literacy and numeracy plans, including the reading recovery and "Count Me In Too" programs. It will also provide for the replacement of 90,000 computers and the addition of 25,000 computers throughout our public schools.

The Government's emphasis on teaching our children the technicalities surrounding information technology [IT] should not be understated. If we as a State and as a nation are to progress, it will be in these emerging industries. That is why I welcome the Government's $14.3 million initiative in the field of e-learning, which will encompass the introduction of computer skills assessment in year 6. As a requirement of the School Certificate there will be another statewide assessment in year 10. An even more exciting aspect of the budget is the provision for our students of individual e-learning accounts, that is, the introduction of email addresses and Internet accounts for every student and teacher in a government school. Never have students from working families been more empowered than by this announcement and commitment. It shows that this Government has vision.

The Carr Labor Government again shows its commitment to those who live on the South Coast by the allocation of over $25 million for our north Kiama bypass. Work is well under way on this project, with a $35 million contract going to Baulderstone Hornibrook to construct the project's first phase, a bridge over the 14238 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

Minnamurra flood plains. Minister Scully has shown a great deal of interest in upgrading the Princes Highway and in supporting my calls on the Federal Conservative Government to give the Princes Highway recognition equal to that given to the Pacific Highway, which attracts significant Federal funding through its Road of National Importance classification. Minister Scully has also shown his resolve to the people of the Illawarra by making the north Kiama bypass, as he calls it, the "single biggest Princes Highway project this year".

The people of Kiama and surrounding areas will not forget the favourable treatment they receive from this Government. The last lot of major roadworks—the building of a Kiama bypass more than a decade ago— was done by the Wran Government. The residents of the Shellharbour local government area will also be pleased that $3 million has been allocated in the budget to complete the Oak Flats interchange. This interchange will fix a shocking traffic problem that builds up around Oak Flats station. It will also allow for the soon-to-be- built council east-west link to feed into the interchange. That will relieve a great deal of pressure from the congested roads of Albion Park.

The other commitments to my electorate's road infrastructure include bus access to the major shopping centre; over $250,000 committed to cycleways from Shellharbour to Dunmore and from Oak Flats to Warilla; $321,000 for pavement rehabilitation on Jamberoo Road and over $100,000 for similar works to Shellharbour Road; $1.5 million for a new route to be planned for the Princes Highway from Oak Flats to Dunmore; and around $1 million of safety and efficiency improvements to the Princes Highway south of Foxground, heading towards Berry.

Ever since I attended the Kiama Infants School I have heard the wishes of the Kiama people. They would like the rail line electrified to Bomaderry. The line has been electrified to Wollongong and to Dapto. Prior to the most recent State election I again was lobbied by many people in the community to make electrification of the South Coast line an election commitment. After discussing this with Minister Scully he agreed to do that. Electrification to Kiama is now nearly a reality. All told, the estimated cost of electrifying the line was approximately $50 million. This budget provides the remaining $6 million to complete this major piece of infrastructure. During the rail line electrification program a number of residents raised queries and concerns about the Kiama project. The queries ranged from placing the 33 kilovolt lines underground in sections to moving a substation and providing easy access at Kiama station.

I am pleased that the Carr Government has listened to the calls of the people of my electorate and has provided funds to the tune of $1.3 million to build easy access facilities at Kiama station. It is important for governments to ensure that infrastructure is accessible to all. The provision of easy access facilities is particularly important because the rail line electrification will stop at Kiama station. Many people will drive to Kiama from places south of Kiama to board the train so that they will not have to change from the diesel service to the electric service. Once again this budget has demonstrated that the Government cares about and listens to the people.

The protection of our community by our Police Force is of utmost importance to the communities I represent. In short, we want more police and a greater police presence. It is therefore pleasing that the police allocation has been increased by $58 million to a record $1.6 billion. That money is needed to ensure implementation of the third stage of the Government's plan, namely, to recruit additional police and to release existing police from clerical work to get them on the streets and protecting the community. The budget provides $66 million to fund state-of-the-art technology and $16 million has been allocated for improved IT and communications equipment. I was informed recently by the area command officers in my electorate that more police will be coming to the Illawarra and Shoalhaven. For the safety of the residents and for small business, that is good news.

This budget not only puts more money into Health and Education and includes big spending on capital works but also gives a much-needed reduction in State taxes to the tune of $1.2 billion over the next four years. One of the taxes that I find quite abhorrent is the debits tax which every State imposes. It is a tax that people just cannot avoid. It is simply unfair because a pensioner or student who withdraws $10 from a bank is slugged with a tax of 30¢ whereas a wealthy individual who withdraws $100,000 pays only $4. Pensioners need to make many small transactions and should not be penalised for doing so. That is why I welcome the abolition of this tax on 1 January 2002.

I notice that the Treasurer in his speech foresaw a problem with the abolition of this tax—the problem being the Federal Government, surprise, surprise! We still need to obtain an assurance from the Federal Government that New South Wales will not be disadvantaged by the early abolition of this tax. With the Federal 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14239

Government about to change from Conservative to Labor, I have every confidence that we will be given this assurance in time to deliver the reduction in tax. Other good news is that financial institutions duty will be abolished on 1 July this year. By the beginning of next year New South Wales will be the only State without any tax on banking or credit card transactions. People on the South Coast to whom I have spoken so far are using terms such as "delighted", "fantastic" and, "about bloody time" to describe their reactions to the abolition of this type of tax.

Because small businesses are one of the fastest-growing employers in this State, it is encouraging that the Government will cut taxes that specifically apply to small business. In particular, from 1 July 2001 the Government will abolish stamp duties connected to superannuation and franchise agreements and will lift thresholds for stamp duty on leases from $3,000 to $20,000 and on hiring arrangements from $6,000 to $14,000 from 1 July 2001. These tax reductions are not a gimmick. Every year for the past four years the Carr Labor Government has reduced taxes. It has been the Government's policy to do that, and we have done it.

It is pleasing that those on the South Coast who are in most need have had many of their concerns addressed by the provision of more services for children, young people and families. The budget includes $4 million to fund 60 additional child protection case workers. That will put more staff on the front line to tackle child abuse. It is in community services that one can see a major difference between a Labor Government that really cares about people in need compared with a Conservative Government. The most recent Conservative budget produced for this State allocated a miserly $981 million for the community, aged and disability portfolio. This amount has been nearly doubled since Labor took office. Labor's budget for the needy is more than $1,791 million.

The largest body of water in the Illawarra is of course our lake. I remember that when I was a child governments spent little or no money on this important part of our region's natural environment. Over the past several years this Government and the Shellharbour and Wollongong councils have spent a considerable amount to give the lake a good clean-out and a facelift. One has only to talk to the many recreational fishers and families who come to the lake's foreshores for picnics to know how the lake has improved over the past few years. It is very pleasing that the combined lobbying efforts of me, the honourable member for Illawarra, the honourable member for Wollongong, our predecessors, the Lake Illawarra Authority and local residents have resulted in the lake being a big budget winner.

To monitor and improve water quality and biodiversity in the lake, $550,000 has been allocated for a number of projects. These funds will enable the completion of the lake management plan by the end of this year and the monitoring of constructed wetlands to determine their efficiency in filtering stormwater run-off. Funds will also be provided for enhancement of Shellharbour's boat harbour. Works will include the formalising and landscaping of the upper and lower car parks as well as the investigation and the design of a timber jetty. It is good that lessons from past mistakes have been learned and that due consideration as well as funding will provide proper landscaping of the site to prevent erosion and pollution of the harbour and improve the aesthetics of the area.

I am proud to represent my electorate of Kiama. I am also proud to be a member of the Carr Labor Government, which cares about the needs of the people on the South Coast. This budget delivers a surplus, reduces debt, and includes big spending on capital works, the environment, education and health. I look forward to continually working hard to advance the interests of my electorate and the State as a whole.

Mr J. H. TURNER (Myall Lakes—Deputy Leader of the National Party) [1.50 p.m.]: The Treasurer crowed about Labor's seventh budget being a true Labor budget. Well, every resident of rural and regional New South Wales—particularly country and regional road users—would fully agree. They would agree because, once again, Labor has cut funding to New South Wales roads, thereby guaranteeing that vital projects will be delayed and life-saving maintenance will go undone. The roads budget has suffered a cut of $2 million in straight dollar terms, but when an inflation figure of 3 per cent is taken into account the real cut is close to $70 million. This follows another large cut of $111 million in last year's road budget.

The New South Wales Labor Government has always focused on grand road building projects in metropolitan areas, with scant regard for the majority of road infrastructure, which is of course located in rural and regional areas. But this budget continues the trend of budget cuts. The Minister's knife has again been far reaching. For the fourth successive year the State's black spot program has been slashed by the Carr Labor Government. The New South Wales black spot program has been cut by 32 per cent—from an already paltry $19 million to a miserly $13 million. 14240 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

In contrast, the Federal National-Liberal Government this year boosted the Federal black spot program spending by $16.1 million. That program has been widely recognised as practical, addressing serious traffic problems in local communities. In the electorate of Myall Lakes, for instance, $2 million has been allocated by the Federal Government to eliminate black spots on Bucketts Way. The difference between Labor and the Coalition is that Labor slashes vital life-saving road programs while the Coalition increases funding. And it should not be forgotten that the Federal Coalition reintroduced the black spot program when it came to office in 1996, after Federal Labor had scrapped the program. For the record, the Federal Coalition will have spent more than $75 million on New South Wales black spots between 1996 and next year.

Road maintenance is another victim of the Carr budget, with cuts to road maintenance that in real terms total more than $14 million. This year just $524 million will be spent by the Government on keeping our roads maintained. In rural and regional New South Wales cries for the Carr Government to upgrade roads are still falling on deaf ears. Country roads are simply falling further and further into disrepair. The Government's commitment to spend an average of $100 million on the Rebuilding Country Roads program is grossly inadequate, particularly as this program also includes the replacement of timber bridges in country areas. The use of deceptive words such as "average" is typical of this Government.

We have to look no further than the so-called Country Labor faction's press releases in relation to the budget to see the level of deceit that this Government will stoop to. In an attempt to dilute its Sydney-centric policies, the Carr Government and its sham faction have been releasing the public details of all the road work that is under way around the State. So-called Country Labor faction convenor Tony Kelly has boasted that the Carr Government's spending policies include $1 million on planning realignments of the New England Highway. The problem for Mr Kelly is that this project is a fully funded Federal Coalition initiative. The same applies to the $3.1 million spent on widening that same highway and the $1 million spent on planning a bypass on the Newell Highway.

And so it goes on. An amount of $40 million was included as overall funding for the Western Sydney Orbital road which, of course, is Federally funded. The Carr Government has falsely claimed credit for millions of dollars worth of road improvement initiatives because it is embarrassed by its own lack of funding for vital road projects. The Carr Government also likes to use this method of blurring of responsibility when it comes to absolving itself of responsibility for road upkeep. How often have honourable members heard Government members falsely laying the blame for failure to act on road maintenance on the Federal Government?

It is about time New South Wales Labor detailed the secret spending cuts it is cooking up with Federal Labor, in the event that Beazley comes to office. I hate to think of the funding situation for rural and regional roads under a Federal and State Labor regime! The Sydney-centric Carr Government had concentrated its funding into only a few of the large, well-known city projects, such as $116 million for the M5 East and $160 million for western and south-western Sydney. Only a paltry $100 million has been allocated for the Rebuilding Country Roads program, which covers the whole of country New South Wales and includes the cost of rebuilding country bridges. So far as the Carr Government is concerned, the rest of the State can whistle Dixie.

Funding for rural and regional projects is at a minimum and it looks as though it will be drawn out over longer periods of time. For example, the residents of the North Coast will have to wait three years longer than originally expected for the completion of the planning stage of the Ballina bypass and the Coffs Harbour bypass. The people of rural and regional New South Wales are dependent on the upkeep of the tens of thousands of kilometres of regional roads that criss-cross this State just to go about their essential daily activities.

New South Wales National Party electorate offices have been bombarded by letters from local councils and concerned constituents in recent months, bringing to our attention the terrible state of country and regional roads. Cold comfort is all they can expect from this Government. This budget is grossly inadequate in its capacity to fix the large backlog of road maintenance and road projects in these areas. Carr's reduction of vital road spending will detrimentally affect the lives of these people and proves yet again the complete lack of regard the Carr Government has for the third of the New South Wales population living in rural and regional parts of the State.

It is well time that the Minister for Roads matured and started to co-operate with his Federal counterparts so that people living in country New South Wales are no longer treated as second-class citizens. It is not good enough to use a life and death issue such as road safety to score cheap political points. Shame on the Carr Government for failing to recognise the appalling state it has allowed our roads to deteriorate into. Cuts to 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14241 roads funding come in the face of adverse reports, such as the "National Road Safety Strategy", issued by the Australian Transport Council and endorsed by the Minister for Roads. The report clearly states, "Improving the safety of roads is the single most significant factor in reducing road trauma."

Similarly, a report by the Auditor-General into the performance of the Roads and Traffic Authority emphasised that investment in better road maintenance contributed to lower levels of road-related deaths, injuries and costs. When the Government is fully aware that the quality of roads has a direct bearing on road accidents and fatalities, but continues to reduce funding for road maintenance and safety, how can we take seriously its supposed concerns about the alarming increase in road deaths? Furthermore, such funding cuts completely contradict the Carr Government's Road Safety Action plan to save 2000 lives by 2010.

The Minister might do well to put himself in the place of the worried parent who has to send a child to the local primary school, on a bus that has to travel on a road that has been the scene of several serious accidents in past weeks; a road so run-down that wet weather means a trip of 280 kilometres. The adequate funding of country roads is a top priority for the National Party. Roads are the most basic infrastructure for rural and regional Australia—most goods and services are transported into and out of country areas via roads. Overall, the Carr Government's road budget, peppered with cuts to vital programs, will result only in a further compromise of road safety. The Carr Government claims to be a proponent of road safety but this budget certainly proves otherwise.

I now turn to tourism. The tourism budget this year is again disappointing. The major frustration is the Government's failure to capitalise on the unique opportunity that exists in the afterglow of the Olympic Games. The Carr Government has cut funding to the marketing arm of Tourism New South Wales by 11 per cent in this year's budget. When inflation in media costs, particularly overseas media costs, is taken into account, the cut in real terms amounts to 20 per cent. In fact, just $49 million will be spent marketing our great State to potential local, regional and international visitors in the coming year. Compared with the $20 billion we receive in tourism dollars, imagine what we might receive if reasonable funds were expended. Imagine the jobs that could be created!

Regrettably, however, this Government has no imagination. It is a paltry sum but, when one considers that this money will be used to fund marketing campaigns in countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America—which have strong currencies—the capacity of Tourism New South Wales to implement effective marketing strategies is further diminished. If the Carr Government fostered the tourism interest created by the Olympics all New South Wales residents could reap the rewards. Tourism is not only an economic portfolio, potentially worth billions of dollars, but also a regional portfolio that can deliver enormous benefits to the people and economies of rural and regional areas throughout the State.

Tourism is an important growth area for rural and regional communities in terms of employment and the economy; it creates many jobs for country New South Wales. We have only one small window of opportunity to take advantage of the spotlight that was bestowed upon Sydney and New South Wales generally during the Olympic Games. Thus it would be fair to assume that the Carr Government would have been keen to maintain the impetus and expand on the favourable publicity that was showered upon Sydney during the Olympic period. It seems, however, that the Government has squandered this important opportunity. Instead we see with this budget policies that can only be described as short sighted.

A proactive and forward-thinking approach needs to be adopted. It is obvious that the Minister for Tourism has no weight with Treasury—she cannot even extract enough money to capitalise on the post- Olympics tourism glow. The Bureau of Tourism Research has produced a paper entitled Tourism trends and opportunities: What do they mean for regional Australia?, which shows that while 70 per cent of domestic tourism nights in 1999 were spent in regional Australia, only 30 per cent of international visitor nights were spent outside capitals.

In contrast, the Federal National-Liberal Party Government is strongly committed to supporting the growth of tourism in country New South Wales through its $16 million regional tourism program and regional on-line tourism program. The regional tourism program aims to help businesses in regional Australia deliver high-quality tourism attractions, services and products. Meanwhile, the regional on-line tourism program strives to help regional areas develop tourism web sites and e-commerce facilities. Interestingly, the web is growing as a means of promoting what regional Australia can offer to domestic and international visitors. The paper I referred to a moment ago shows that in 1999 17 per cent of international visitors used the Internet to collect information about Australia before their visit. 14242 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

It is unfortunate that the Carr Government has failed to seize the opportunity and maintain the impetus that was created as a result of the Olympics. Another area the Government should capitalise on is sports tourism. We proved we can put on the best Olympics ever, but what has the Government produced since then? A tennis match! We must have a properly constructed, well-funded and effective major events team in the market place to receive major events, particularly sporting events that bring millions of dollars to the economy and also create jobs, particularly for young people. At best, the tourism budget is dismal.

I now turn to specific matters concerning my electorate. I am very disappointed in the funding that has been provided in the budget for my electorate. We have had an enormous amount of growth in the electorate, yet very little capital works funding has been provided, apart from funding that is traditionally provided for upgrades to the Pacific Highway—which, of course, is a Federal- State initiative, the majority of the funding being provided by the Federal Government. Funding has also been provided for a new education campus at Tuncurry, but again—and this seems to be lost in the education argument—the Federal Government has provided more significant funding for that project.

Whilst we are happy to have those initiatives in the electorate, it is hollow rhetoric for the Premier on behalf of the Government to say that funding would be provided for massive capital infrastructure upgrades after the Olympic Games. We heard it not once, not twice, not 10 times, but 20 times. Yet the budget provided no such funding for my electorate. Major works needed to be done in my electorate, particularly in relation to rural and regional roads. As I said earlier, funding for road maintenance has effectively decreased.

Whilst I acknowledge that the Minister for Roads has allocated a total of $6 million over three years for upgrades to Bucketts Way in my electorate, the councils have put in about $2.8 million of their own resources and the Federal Government has provided about $2 million for that project. Consultants who look at these issues in a proper perspective have said that funding in the amount of $48 million is needed to upgrade Bucketts Way to a reasonable safety standard. Country areas need an assurance that a long-term program will be put in place to ensure that country roads throughout New South Wales will ultimately be upgraded to an acceptable standard. To date we have received no such assurance. All we have seen is a decrease in road maintenance funding and funding for the supposed Rebuilding Country Roads program of $100 million, which is totally inadequate when one considers that there are more than 18,000 kilometres of roads in rural New South Wales.

With regard to lack of funding for capital works I found it amusing that following a recent conference of Labor Party members who live on the South Coast they sought to capitalise on their aptitude in relation to rural New South Wales. A press release issued in my electorate said that the conference proved that you do not have to live in the city areas to have the attention of the Premier. The press release, which was issued under the hand of the Hon. Amanda Fazio of the upper House, went on to say that some of the initiatives the Carr Government had achieved in Myall Lakes included the opening of Forster police station. Yes, the Forster police station was opened—on 1 April 1996. It was constructed during the term of the Fahey Government and opened by Mr Whelan. If this is an example of the major capital works we are going to see in country New South Wales in the afterglow of the Olympics, I am afraid to say that this Government is totally out of touch.

I am also very concerned about police numbers. Again, this Government is totalling denying that there are problems in regional New South Wales. I have real problems with policing, and law and order issues in Taree. I took a delegation of people comprising the Mayor of Tuncurry and the Deputy Mayor of the Great Lakes Council, along with my colleague the honourable member for Port Macquarie, to meet the Minister for Police. We were virtually told that the problems related to rostering. We received a letter from the Minister saying we did not have a problem. Following a riot that occurred at Purfleet I made a private member's statement about this matter, but I received no response to it. Following the riot I asked the Premier a question in this House, but he fobbed it off with one of his trivialised answers, as we have come to expect from him. About a month ago I wrote to the Premier asking him to come to the area to see the problems first hand but I received no reply.

There is clearly a problem with law and order in my electorate, and indeed throughout country New South Wales. We have an authorised strength—we are not allowed to use that word in the presence of the police Minister—of about 124 police officers. We have an actual police strength —that is, the number of police actually available—of about 75. That is simply not good enough. We need to have police resources that are sufficiently adequate to maintain law and order and resolve safety issues within our community. The people of my electorate are entitled to feel safe when they go about their day-to-day activities. Under this Government and this budget they are simply not being afforded that right.

I also have concerns about education. Whilst I accept and understand that a new education campus is coming on line in Tuncurry, it has taken far too long. The Forster High School, which was built for 1,000 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14243 students, has 1,500 students. The establishment of a campus at Tuncurry has finally been approved, and that will alleviate the problem there. Construction has begun there, but in the meantime other schools are falling into disrepair. For example, the Old Bar school has six demountables that are falling apart. It is near the sand dunes and the ocean and it is obviously under tremendous attack from the elements. But the Government is continuing to erect demountables at the school rather than responding to the core entitlement of the school and building new classrooms. But it gets worse.

The Government erected six classrooms at the school, but they are now riddled with white ants because the Government got the drainage wrong, and the drainage problem has exacerbated the problem with the white ants. The budget has not addressed the very basic elements. There is not even enough money to eradicate the white ant infestation at a little school like Old Bar. More significantly, major infrastructure works such as roads are not being adequately addressed and, given that the area has no public transport, there is no long-term planning for road upgrades to allow my constituents to travel safely and comfortably. [Time expired.]

Mr J. H. Turner: I raise a matter of privilege.

Mr ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Mills): Order! There is a question before the Chair, which is that the Appropriation Bill and cognate bills be read a second time. The honourable member for Myall Lakes must wait until there is no question before the Chair before he raises a matter of privilege. I suggest he raise the matter after the debate has been adjourned.

Miss BURTON (Kogarah) [2.11 p.m.]: I support the Carr Labor Government's State budget for 2001- 02. At the outset I say that the people of New South Wales not only expect but demand that governments are financially responsible, and at the same time are able to provide the community services that they rely on to enhance their quality of life. As the Treasurer has said, this budget, like the six before it, is a Labor budget through and through. It delivers to the people of New South Wales reduced debt and liability, from 19.7 per cent of gross State product to only 9.4 per cent. But at the same time the budget has funded the biggest public works and capital investment program in the State's history, and funded substantial improvements for our schools, hospitals, transport and other public infrastructure and services. It delivers for the fourth year in a row substantial tax cuts, unprecedented in this State's history.

I have always believed that as a local member I have three major responsibilities. First is to accept and embrace the responsibility to advocate for my constituents' rights and give them all the help they need to access the mechanisms of justice and create an environment in which they can fully achieve their potential. Second, as a member of Parliament I must be prepared to engage in debates of ideological and philosophical importance, to enter the battleground of ideas, to find new solutions and approaches to delivering results for the people who elected me. My third responsibility is to deliver on election commitments. During my inaugural speech I laid out those principles as my charter, my commitment to the people of Kogarah that every day I would be out there working and doing the best I possibly could to get the results for the people I represent.

It makes me very proud to be a part of the Carr Labor Government. This Government is a forward- thinking government. It is an ideas government. Through this Government we are revolutionising areas such as the Police Service, public education, the health system and roads and transport. The Government is listening to the needs of the community and responding by developing policies to address the needs to the benefit of the community. I am also proud to be a member of this Government because it is not only delivering on its election commitment; it is dramatically boosting funding in areas of greatest need. It is listening and responding.

This budget has once again delivered for the people of Kogarah. During the 1999 State election many commitments were made to the people of Kogarah. I will list those commitments because I think it is important to mark the middle of my first term representing the people of Kogarah. I am positively updating them on the progress in honouring election commitments. They can see the wonderful projects around them. The first commitment was in health: an intensive care unit [ICU] bed, a mental health unit, a 580-space car park, a medical retrieval unit, and a hospital education centre. In education the commitments were: three stages of redevelopment of Carlton Public School, a three-stage redevelopment of Carlton South Public School and a $2 million complete redevelopment of Blakehurst Public School.

The transport commitments were: the Kogarah commuter car park, the East Hills railway line amplification, the M5 East, Allawah station upgrade, the Bexley main street improvement program and the upgrading of Rockdale station. In the area of policing there was a commitment on the much-awaited Kogarah police station. I am happy to report to the House that the promise has been delivered on the ICU bed, at a cost of 14244 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

$320,000, and it was opened last year. The promise has been kept on the mental health unit, which cost $8.2 million. It was opened in August 2000. The 580-space hospital car park, which cost $3.5 million, was opened in May 2000. The education centre made St George Hospital a state-of-the-art centre for young doctors and nurses to train and service the people of the St George area. That $10 million centre was opened in May 2000. The only remaining commitment in health is the $5 million day surgery procedure unit and the anaesthetics department, which will be built together.

I am pleased to announce that in this budget the Government has allocated $2.5 million to begin construction. Completion is expected perhaps in the middle of next year or towards the end of next year. So by next year every commitment made by me and the Government to the people of Kogarah and the people who use St George Hospital will have been met. The ploughing of millions of dollars into that hospital is truly something to be proud of. I take the opportunity to thank the Minister for Health, Craig Knowles, for his commitment to St George Hospital. David Pearce, the Chief Executive Officer, and all the clinicians and all the nurses whom I have had the opportunity to work with over the last two years. I will continue to enjoy my working relationship with them.

In education, stage one of Carlton Public School opened in June last year. It cost $1.5 million. Stages two and three have now been fast tracked and incorporated into the one project, which will cost another $1.5 million. The amount of $60,000 has been put into this year's budget for planning procedures and putting development applications through council. I expect final funding to be in next year's budget, with completion toward the end of next year. Carlton South Public School is in desperate need of a new canteen and a covered outdoor learning area [COLA]. I am happy to announce that in this budget it will receive $1.2 million to build the canteen and the COLA. The development application has been approved and building is ready to start. The Government has announced that students will get their own email addresses. The improved facilities will greatly benefit the students of Carlton South Public School.

Blakehurst Public School has received $2 million for a long-awaited redevelopment. Planning money has been released and the Minister will visit the school. I will work with the school and the local parents and citizens to ensure that we get the best possible result. I thank the Minister for Education and Training, John Aquilina. In many portfolio areas we are revolutionising government, and in education this is most important. I have always fundamentally supported the public education system. All children, no matter what economic circumstances they are born into, deserve a quality education. It is government's sole role in that area to ensure that every child has access to quality education.

With the Carr Labor Government we are achieving those sorts of goals. The biggest public works project is going on in New South Wales to build new schools and develop schools. Now all schools will have computers online. All students and teachers will get their own email accounts. I think that is fantastic, and I congratulate the Minister. That will improve the standard and quality of education for those young people who ordinarily, probably through financial hardship, would not have access to that kind of technology. I thank all principals and teachers in schools in my electorate. I am a tad biased but I believe they provide quality education, second to none. I have a good working relationship with all principals and teachers in my electorate, who every day try to make sure that all the children get the best possible education. I take this opportunity to thank them for their hard work and for their dedication to serving our community. I thank Ken Olah, the district officer.

Carley Marshall, a fantastic director of St George TAFE and an advocate for the people of St George, was transferred to Meadowbank TAFE recently. She has been replaced by Di Craven, whom I wish all the best and every success in her new role as director of St George TAFE. Kogarah, which is located approximately 25 minutes from Sydney's central business district, has a huge demand placed on its rail and road network. I thank the Minister for Transport, and Minister for Roads for responding to that demand. An amount of $6.4 million has been allocated to continue works on the seven-storey commuter car parking facility, which will provide 360 spaces and be a godsend to the people of Kogarah.

Kogarah station is a major express train station, to which many people drive and park their cars before catching a train. The cars of those commuters will be parked in the car park, which will take cars off the streets and ease traffic congestion. Recently, when I was waiting to catch the train to come to Parliament House, a few people were standing around watching the digging. When I went over someone said, "You're Cherie Burton. You're the one who is building this car park." They then gave a myriad of visions of the future, including that of visitors being able to park and a lack of the traffic congestion that Kogarah residents have unfortunately had to endure because of proximity to the city. I thank the Minister for that allocation to this crucial project for all people who live in the Kogarah central business district. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14245

A lot of people who live at Kingsgrove have suffered major disruption with the digging and inconvenience on their local train station because of the amplification of the East Hills line. There have been problems with train services on the East Hills line. I thank all constituents who have patiently understood that it is a big job to amplify and upgrade that line due to tracks not having been maintained for many years. People from the south-west who need to get into the city have placed a major demand on the East Hills line. An amount of $2.7 million was announced to continue the amplification of the East Hills line from two to four lines. When it is completed trains that are running late will not cause other trains to skip stations or run late because they can be fed off on the spare line.

I brought to the attention of the Minister the need to fully upgrade the East Hills line because the tracks from Kingsgrove to the city were in desperate need of repair. I thank the constituents who wrote to me and petitioned me because I took those concerns to the Minister, who announced last week an extra $16 million to tear up the track from Kingsgrove to Turella and replace it. I apologise to the people of Kingsgrove, Bexley and Bexley North for this additional inconvenience, but if they bear with the Government a fantastic service will be provided for them. They will have trouble-free train trips to and from work, which they quite rightly deserve. There is a little bit more pain before they get the gain, but I thank them for their patience. They have also had to contend with the M5 East, which also goes straight through Kingsgrove and Bexley North.

People who do not live in the St George area do not appreciate that trucks can be banked up bumper to bumper along Stoney Creek Road from Forest Road to King Georges Road. There has been no quality of life for the residents of Bexley, Bexley North and Kingsgrove. People do not want their children to have to cross local streets to attend school or play in areas that are polluted by emissions from the many trucks that roar up and down. The noise and pollution is completely unacceptable. When the M5 East is completed the residents of the St George area will not know themselves. More locals will be able to use local roads that they avoid at the moment because of the trucks. When the trucks are off local streets it will be an achievement on which this Government will be able to proudly hang its hat.

It cannot be understated that the M5 East will do wonders for the local community. The project, which will cost $750 million, is running on time and under budget. I expect it to open early next year. The easy access facility for the station at Allawah, which has a large elderly population, is almost finished. An amount of $900,000 was allocated for that project in this budget. There will be lift access and a complete redevelopment of the station. An amount of $460,000 was announced towards the $1 million project for the Bexley main street improvement program. There is continuing extensive community consultation to ascertain what improvements can be made to save Bexley shops. Work will begin as soon as the consultative period is over and there is direction about the community wants.

An amount of $4 million was announced for the Rockdale station upgrade and easy access, and for the bus interchange. Many commuters who live in Bexley catch the train from Rockdale. The honourable member for Rockdale and I share a commitment to that station and we have both been working hard to make sure that that commitment comes to fruition. I thank the Minister for ensuring that money was included in this budget to get the project on track. I thank the Minister for having an open-door policy. I have always had direct access to the Minister when I have had community concerns. He is genuinely committed to trying to fix the traffic and rail problems in the St George area. I thank him for his ongoing support.

The Kogarah police station project will cost about $7 million. The amount of $4.7 million has been allocated in the budget for this major project, which is expected to be completed in January next year. What makes it so unique is that the police officers have met regularly with the construction company. The police station was expected to open in December, but it will not open until January because the police wanted to make some final changes to the design so that it would be a fully operational police station. It will be a police station built by police for police. It will dramatically improve operations to have front-line police and intelligence police in the one building. This will enable the Government to fulfil its commitment for more operational police, more police on the beat and more police to deter criminals and make the community safer.

I thank the Minister for Police for his invaluable support of the project. The Government has revolutionised many portfolio areas, and the police portfolio is the main one. Law and order is the major concern for the people of Kogarah. Under the leadership of Minister Whelan police powers have been increased, resources for police have been increased and technology has gone ahead in leaps and bounds to make policing easier. The police assistance line and in-car computers are designed to assist police to be more operational and to assist in preventing crime. Police are being provided with the skills and tools they need to protect the community. 14246 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 1 June 2001

The police force has completely changed. It in no way resembles the force we were left with when the Coalition was thrown out in 1995. I thank Paul Carey, the Kogarah local area commander, and Paul Lowe, the Hurstville local area commander. The Kogarah community feels very close to its police force, regards it highly and believes that our police are doing the best job that they can. I thank all front-line officers for their work. No- one has complained about them—in fact people telephone me and commend them for their hard work.

I expect that every election commitment made to the people of Kogarah will be completed by the end of next year. For the four years that I have been the local member, and since 1995 when Labor came to government, the people of St George have consistently benefited from its six budgets. They know that, and are supportive of the Carr Labor Government and of the positive changes being made. The community is aware of the Government's ability to listen and respond to problems brought to its attention. This is an ideas Government, not a stale, unresponsive government that is a slave to the polls. The Government is forward thinking and wants to leave a good legacy for my generation and generations to come. I commend the Government and I commend the bill to the House.

Debate adjourned on motion by Mr R. H. L. Smith.

ATTENDANCE OF MEMBERS

Privilege

Mr J. H. TURNER (Myall Lakes—Deputy Leader of the National Party) [2.34 p.m.]: Mr Speaker, I raise a matter of privilege on behalf of honourable members, particularly members of the National Party and the Liberal Party, regarding the obnoxious display that we have had to go through today to prove that we were in the House. To have to parade before the Clerks of this House to prove that we are in the parliamentary precincts is the biggest slur that I have experienced since I have been a member of this House.

The practice also places in jeopardy other members of my party and members of the Liberal Party. Many members of Parliament are present in this building attending meetings such as the Regulation Review Committee meeting, or the summit in relation to regional airlines, but have not been in the Chamber. Therefore, their names have not been ticked off and they are deemed not to have been in the House. They are, prima facie, placed in a position where they may be seen to be acting corruptly. They would have claimed an accommodation allowance for last night—the princely sum of $155. Mr Speaker, I assure you that I am not going jeopardise my position as a member of Parliament by falsely claimaing $155!

Those members have had to come into the Chamber and literally perform before the Clerks to prove they were in the House. That is obnoxious and a breach of privilege of this House, and a breach of privilege of the members of this House. I know that the Leader of the National Party has written to the Clerk. I hope we will have some sanity in this House and will be treated as decent people who have been elected by 60,000 people, are paid a reasonable amount of money, and are in charge of a budget of about $30 billion. Yet we are deemed to be virtual criminals in our own place. That is one of the worst slurs I have experienced in this place for a long time.

Mr WHELAN (Strathfield—Minister for Police) [2.35 p.m.]: I was unaware of the notification in the Votes and Proceedings that attendances are recorded. This gives rise to some serious issues and, unfortunately, indicates the culpability of some members if their names are absent. I can think of many examples—and the honourable member for Myall Lakes gave one—of a member being in the precincts of the Parliament but not necessarily attending in this Chamber or being recorded. I do not know the providence of it or why it happened. I assure the honourable member that this matter will be examined. If it is a question of verification of a member's whereabouts, I would have thought that if a member certifies what he or she is doing that should be sufficient.

As we have all learnt, if a member of Parliament makes a false claim and receives funding for it, according to the rules of the Independent Commission Against Corruption that member would lose his or her seat. I take on board what the honourable member has said. I do not know where this practice has originated, and I can see some inherent difficulties in it. Historically the Whips have made a detailed list of members present, and as far as I am concerned that is much more functional practice. That has been the case in this House since 1856, and the same procedure applies in the House of Commons. If the Whips certify that a member is present, as far as I am concerned that would be adequate in all circumstances.

Mr J. H. Turner: ICAC would probably not agree with that. 1 June 2001 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14247

Mr WHELAN: We should discuss this matter further when we return and find out its providence. If it is a question of an auditory trial, we will have to look at that. If we have a recommendation from ICAC or the Auditor-General, the Government would be keen to ensure that the recommendation is complied with. We have to investigate where this practice came from before we react one way or another. If the Clerks have put together a list of members who are present at some time during the sittings and those not present, I can advise that three members of the Government have been in the parliamentary precincts, and Ministers have been working and conducting interviews in their rooms but have not actually entered this Chamber. We should not react. It is important that we comply with the recommendations adopted by the Government, whether they come from the Auditor-General, ICAC or the judge in charge of the Parliamentary Remuneration Tribunal. We should leave the matter there and say more about it next week.

Mr SPEAKER: Order! The comments of the honourable member for Myall Lakes and the Leader of the House have been noted. I will ensure that the matter is followed up by the administration when the House resumes next week.

House adjourned at 2.41 p.m. until Tuesday 5 June 2001 at 2.15 p.m. ______