4947 Questions and Answers
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4947 PARLIAMENT OF NEW SOUTH WALES LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2003-05 FIRST SESSION OF THE FIFTY-THIRD PARLIAMENT ___________ QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS No. 135 WEDNESDAY 8 JUNE 2005 ___________ (The Questions and Answers Paper is published for each sitting day and will contain, by number and title, all unanswered questions, together with questions to which answers have been received on the previous sitting day and any new questions. Consequently the full text of any question will be printed only twice: when notice is given; and, when answered.) 4948 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Wednesday 8 June 2005 Q. & A. No. 128 7 June 2005 (Including Question Nos 3976 to 4014) Q. & A. No. 129 8 June 2005 (Including Question Nos 4015 to 4043) Q. & A. No. 130 9 June 2005 (Including Question Nos 4044 to 4106) Q. & A. No. 131 28 June 2005 (Including Question Nos 4107 to 4140) Q. & A. No. 132 29 June 2005 (Including Question Nos 4141 to 4173) Q. & A. No. 133 30 June 2005 (Including Question Nos 4174 to 4214) Q. & A. No. 134 1 July 2005 (Including Question Nos 4215 to 4232) Q. & A. No. 135 12 July 2005 (Including Question Nos 4233 to 4268) 4949 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Wednesday 8 June 2005 Notice of Question given on the date shown 3 MAY 2005 (Paper No. 128) *3976 COUNTRYLINK STAFFING—Mr Stoner to Minister for Transport— In relation to Countrylink staffing on the North Coast line: (1) What is your response to the Parry report on Countrylink staffing? (2) When will you indicate your position to Countrylink staff? (3) Why do the payslips of staff show ‘unknown work group’ as their location? (4) On what duties are Murwillumbah station staff now employed? (5) Have these staff been offered redundancy packages? (6) If not, when will they? (7) What is the status of the proposed Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for Countrylink staff? Answer— RailCorp advises: (1) and (2) Following the release of the Parry Report in December 2003 the NSW Government committed to review CountryLink operations. This review of business operations is currently underway. (3) The payslips of some staff were issued with a message which resulted from a computer upgrade recently undertaken by RailCorp. This message has been removed and will no longer appear. (4) Murwillumbah station staff are currently performing duties associated with the expanded coach service at both Murwillumbah and Casino stations. These staff have not been offered redundancy packages. (5) RailCorp has reached an in-principle agreement with rail unions on the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for all staff, which has been lodged for certification by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. (7) RailCorp has reached an in-principle agreement with rail unions on the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for all staff, which has been lodged for certification by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. *3977 SECURE STAFF PARKING—Mr Stoner to Minister for Health— In relation to secure parking for staff at Kempsey District Hospital: (1) Are you aware of numerous instances of damage and theft of cars belonging to staff and parked at Kempsey District Hospital? (2) Are you aware that seven cars were damaged on the evening of 16 April 2005, including two in the ‘designated area’ for staff vehicles? (3) Will you commit to fencing part of the carpark to provide safe parking for staff on shiftwork at the hospital? Answer— (1) to (4) Inclusive: On 16 April 2005 there was an instance of damage to a number of staff vehicles and a health service vehicle, and the theft of good from two of those vehicles. 4950 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Wednesday 8 June 2005 Three of the damaged vehicles were parked in the designated area for staff vehicles. Approval has been given for security fencing of part of the Hospital’s carpark to provide secure parking for staff working at night. *3978 SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE POSITIONS—Mr Stoner to Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs— In relation to Senior Executive Service positions and their equivalent in Public Services departments, agencies, Statutory Authorities and State Owned Corporations: (1) How many such positions existed as at the end of the 1995-96; 1996-97; 1997-98; 1998-99; 1999- 2000; 2000-01; 2001-02; 2002-03 and 2003-04 financial years? (2) What is the latest number of such positions? (3) In which agencies were such positions located, for each of the abovementioned periods? (4) At which geographic localities were such positions located, for each of the abovementioned periods? Answer— The Government’s pre-election promise in 1995 set a target reduction of the Chief and Senior Executive Service by approximately one third (400 positions). Under this Government, the number of CES/SES positions has reduced significantly from 1,434 positions in March 1995 to 852 positions in March 2005. In March 2005 the Government exceeded its reduction target by 182 positions. *3979 ROAD CLASSIFICATIONS—Ms Seaton to Deputy Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, and Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, representing the Minister for Roads, Minister for Economic Reform, Minister for Ports and Minister for the Hunter— (1) What is the status of the Government’s review into Regional and State Roads classification? (2) When was its intended completion date? (3) When will results be known for rural and metropolitan? Answer— I’m advised: The Independent Panel appointed to oversee the road classification review distributed an Interim Report to councils in April 2005. Further submissions and comments by Councils are due to the Independent Panel by 30 June 2005. *3980 KURRAJONG EAST PUBLIC SCHOOL SANITARY FACILITIES—Mr Pringle to Minister for Transport, representing the Minister for Education and Training— (1) When will the temporary toilets that are over 20 years old be replaced with permanent toilets? (2) When and how will the OH&S problem, created by an over-flowing sewerage pit designed for 70 students and currently catering for 135 students, be remedied? Answer— (1) I am advised that the current demountable boys’ toilet facility was installed at the school in July 2001 and that the current demountable girls’ toilet facility was installed in October 1996. The Department has identified the need for new student toilet facilities at the school and this will be considered in the context of competing regional priorities. (2) The Department has inspected the sewerage pit and has determined that there are no current OH&S issues associated with it. However, the Department will continue to monitor the situation, as it does with all schools. 4951 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Wednesday 8 June 2005 *3981 LAND ACCOUNTS NOTICES—Ms Hodgkinson to Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Illawarra, and Minister for Small Business, representing the Minister for Rural Affairs, Minister for Local Government, Minister for Emergency Services and Minister for Lands— (1) As many of the Land Account Notices sent out recently by your Department, requiring the payment of funds in addition to monies already paid within 28 days of 19 April 2005 were not received by leaseholders until 2 May, will you extend the period allocated for payment of these accounts? (2) Why do these notices refer to an explanatory letter sent by the Minister for Lands, but not received by many of my constituents? (3) Why do these notices not contain any information relating to the period of the lease for which payment is required? (4) As many property owners receiving these notices remain severely affected by the drought, have you made any arrangements to allow these additional payments to be deferred or paid by instalments? Answer— (1) No recovery action will be taken by the Department of Lands for any accounts that are outstanding until after 1 July 2005, unless there is a pre-existing amount that is overdue from previous years. (2) The explanatory letter was only sent to holders of enclosure permits and not other types of tenures. All enclosure permit holders should have received both the letter and the Account Notice if their current postal address is recorded correctly. Some holders may not have received the advice if they have changed their postal address and have not advised the Department of Lands. (3) The notices are for enclosure permits only and not leases. These permits do not have a fixed term and continue until such time as they are cancelled. (4) Drought relief provisions for any Crown Lands account holders have been in place for several years now. These provisions enable those account holders who are in financial hardship, to make arrangements with the Department of Lands to either defer payments or to reach a mutually acceptable instalment plan that may extend over a 12 month period. *3983 MILLENNIUM MARCHING BAND—Ms Hodgkinson to Minister for Transport, representing the Minister for Education and Training— (1) What actions have the Department of Education and Training taken to promote the activities of the Millennium Marching Band within State Schools and the wider community? (2) How much direct funding is provided annually to the Millennium Marching Band by the Department of Education and Training? (3) What support, financial or otherwise, is provided to country students to enable them to participate in the Millennium Marching Band? (4) For how long will financial and administrative support, be provided for the continued operation of the band? (5) Are you currently considering, or is the Department of Education and Training developing, any proposals to reduce the level of support currently provided to the band? Answer— (1) Information regarding the Millennium Marching Band is distributed electronically to all government secondary and central schools in New South Wales early in the school year.