CUNNINGHAM NEWS Newsletter of the Federal Member for Cunningham, Michael Organ MP

New Office - Globe Lane ISSUE 6 JUNE 2004 Web - www.michaelorgan.org.au

IN THIS NEWSLETTER • Federal Budget BUDGET PROVIDES • Employment • Lower East Crown Street • Industrial Manslaughter SLIM PICKINGS FOR • Royal Commission • Global Warming THE • ATSIC Rally Treasurer Peter Costello’s latest budget lending right scheme which will allow • Port Kembla Expansion is a lost opportunity for the community local authors to continue to receive • Superannuation with tax cuts favoured over urgent royalty payments when their books spending needs in health care and are borrowed from public libraries. • 50th Wedding Anniversary job creation for the Illawarra and is We should also be expecting to receive nothing more than old-fashioned, pre- • ‘Oilies’ Surfing Spot a slice of the $45 million per year election pork-barrelling tagged for accident black spots to be • Bulli Hospital The government’s decision to allocate spent on the . Emergency Department a paltry $7.2M over 4 years for the With the imminent release of the continuation of the voluntary work • Sports Awards government’s Auslink white paper, initiative program is a far cry from a the jury is still out on the prospect of • May Day job creation scheme the community federal funding to expand Port Kembla has been asking for by anyone’s and its rail links. • Medical Retrieval Unit measure. Overall this budget provides slim • Public Education The would-be PM, Treasurer Peter pickings for the Illawarra. • Inviting Michael to Functions Costello, is continuing to turn a blind- eye to the unemployment crisis in the The Government’s decision to only • Constituent News Illawarra. provide tax cuts to people earning above $52,000 per year is a slap in The government has turned a deaf ear the face for low income earners, to pleas for investment in job creation Michael Organ MP particularly those people doing it extra schemes in this Budget, and withheld Federal Member for Cunningham tough in the Cunningham electorate. a surplus of over $2.4 billion dollars Shop 501 Globe Lane despite the Illawarra having amongst The Government’s neglect of the Wollongong NSW 2500 the highest unemployment rate in the least well-off people in in an nation. affront to decency. PO Box 387 Wollongong NSW 2520 Likewise, the failure to fund a medical Phone: 02 4228 3666 school for Wollongong University is Fax: 02 4228 3677 a disappointment and there was no mention of a licence for Wollongong Freecall: 1300 301 821 hospital’s Magnetic Resonance Imaging Email : [email protected] Machine in the budget papers. Web: www.michaelorgan.org.au On the other hand, the government has allocated $44 million over four years to continue the educational

1 A SUSTAINABLE EMPLOYMENT FUTURE FOR OUR REGION Unemployment in Wollongong is currently among the and the arts. We already have excellent examples of highest in the country at 9.7%. Youth unemployment employment generation in this area through initiatives is even higher. This is a national outrage and a national such as Film Illawarra, and Wollongong City Council has tragedy. But the federal government’s recent Budget also done some very good work in promoting cultural offered no solutions for this problem besetting our region. employment. More can be done however. For these reasons addressing the issue of unemployment Some of our unemployment problems can be addressed will be my top priority for the remainder of 2004. through increased government funding. For too long our region has been neglected by federal governments I firmly believe that this great region can generate who have taken the people of the Illawarra for granted. employment in a way that is both socially and I have invited Kevin Andrews the federal Minister for environmentally sustainable. Employment, to visit the region and observe first hand the There are opportunities to revitalise some of the traditional problems of unemployment we face here. forms of employment, but in ways that are environmentally Solving the unemployment problem in this region also benign and not damaging to human health. One example is requires bringing people in the Illawarra together to push a that of the Port Kembla Container Terminal, which I have common employment agenda - to develop local industries been working on very closely with local business. and export local products. I have already been involved in Tourism also has the potential to provide a major impetus this process by facilitating a cooperative, all-stakeholders for job creation in the region. Local initiatives to promote path for redevelopment of Port Kembla, and I have the unique qualities of the region are already paying championed the establishment of an Illawarra economic dividends. development organisation to be owned, controlled and driven by Illawarra stakeholders. Such initiatives are a step The Illawarra region is well-placed to benefit from the forward for employment in the region and I will continue development of high-tech, ecologically sustainable sunrise to promote and facilitate the development of such bodies. industries. Already the is a leader in research in this area and organisations such as I believe that a sustainable employment future for this Futureworld in Coniston are showing the way in the area region is not only possible but absolutely vital, and I of renewable energy. commit myself to promoting this vision locally and to the federal government. Other former industrially based regions, such as Newcastle, have benefited from the development of cultural industries LOWER EAST CROWN STREET DEVELOPMENT The lower east Crown Street development proposal has Margaret Gooden, like so many others, cannot be dismissed been controversial as locals have reported concerns about as nostalgic and anti-development but rather as having the increasing traffic, street shading and wind tunnels along with foresight to recognise the value that already exists in our built a loss of character in the beach end of Crown Street. environments and seek developments that complement our best assets. Margaret Gooden is particularly concerned about the loss of the unique ambience that is east Crown Street and agrees with many others that the heritage listed former Post Office sets the tone for that part of the city. Margaret used to live in what is now called Santanas Café, when her parents Mavis Murphy and Frank Murphy (known as Spud Murphy), lived from 1935 to 1973. Upstairs comprised two bedrooms and lounge room, whilst below was a hairdressers, later to become a shop in the early 1950s. There is a strong call for sympathetic and environmentally friendly developments in city centres as well as spaces that are people friendly. The eastern end of Crown Street unlike other precincts in the Business District, has a sunny, less noisy, accessible atmosphere thereby making Margaret Gooden and Michael Organ discuss the future of Lower it a preferred meeting place for locals and visitors. East Crown Street. 2 Launch of “No Job Is Worth Dying For” Photographic Exhibition An exhibition of 20 enlarged and framed photographs of Member's Bill - legislation that has been drafted which unsafe work places was launched at my Wollongong office provides for custodial sentences of up to 25 years and fines in May. This purposefully low key event was attended by of $50 million in circumstances where bosses negligently the media, workers, union officials and two people that kill workers. Next the exhibition is off to Tasmania, then have been particularly struck by workplace injuries. An South Australia and the other States, before finishing up in Illawarra worker Mr Gary Corbett, who suffered serious Canberra where Michael’s legislation will be introduced in injuries including the need to have screws placed in his the Federal Parliament by Senator Kerry Nettle, sadly after spine, spoke of the need for the compensation process nobody in the Labor party would support it. to be improved. Also, Sue Exner the mother of 16 year old Joel Exner, who died on his third day at work after plunging 15 metres from the roof of a western Sydney building site, gave a moving account about the need for effective industrial manslaughter laws. The exhibition then moved to the NSW Parliament on 19 May, just two days after a NSW parliamentary inquiry called for the introduction of industrial manslaughter laws. I spoke at Parliament and called on both the Federal and State governments to introduce laws to protect workers from criminally negligent employers. The photographic exhibition promotes the need for effective industrial manslaughter legislation at a critical time- both in the context of the upcoming Federal election and at the same time as the Federal Government introduces legislation that would override the ACT's ground breaking industrial manslaughter laws. The backdrop to this exhibition is my Criminal Code Amendment (Workplace Death and Serious Injury) Private Sue Exner and Michael Organ at the opening of the exhibition. WHY A ROYAL COMMISSION INTO AUSTRALIA’S INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES IS NEEDED The Australian people were lied to about Saddam Hussein. concede that the reasons for going to war were deficient There was no immediate threat. There were no large and flawed. stockpiles of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons The objects of my Bill, that I introduced to the House of of mass destruction. The story was a beat-up. Pure and Representatives on 8 March 2004 are: firstly, to establish simple. a royal commission to investigate the intelligence advice That is why I moved to establish a Royal Commission into provided to the Australian government that related the Australian intelligence services on 8 March this year to its decision to invade Iraq in 2003 and to continue It must be said that the Australian Intelligence Community the occupation of Iraq in 2004; secondly, to expose any assessments are more moderate and cautious that those misrepresentation, neglect or omission of advice provided from partner agencies, particularly those in the United to the Australian government by the Australian Public States. However, even within their caution, it is arguable Service or other sources that related to this invasion; that they overstated the degree to which weapons of mass and, thirdly, to expose any misrepresentation, neglect destruction existed. or omission in the Commonwealth government’s public communication of this intelligence. Whereas the Prime Minister told the House on 4 February 2003: Royal Commissions have a long history with regard to espionage, spying and the broader intelligence industry— “The Australian government knows that Iraq still has such as the Petrov royal commission of 1954. The Greens’ chemical and biological weapons ... Iraq must not be proposed Royal Commission shall comprise three persons allowed to possess weapons of mass destruction ... it must appointed by the Governor-General, each of whom shall be be disarmed.” a former judge of the High Court or of a Supreme Court of a So the question is begging: what weapons? There was no state or territory and one of whom shall be appointed to be smoking gun and no nuclear reactor, nor were massive the chair of the royal commission. A Royal Commission is chemical or biological weapons pointed at us. Even the what is needed to restore trust in the intelligence service. government’s staunchest advocates would be sure to

3 Germany received as much rain as it normally gets in a year GLOBAL WARMING: in less than two days in August last year. Those floods killed at least 108 people in Europe and forced 450,000 to evacuate. A Global Responsibility Weather related disasters, including floods, droughts and The following is an excerpt from a speech I made in Parliament wind storms, are growing in frequency and intensity. during the last sitting period. Since 1980, 10,867 weather-related disasters have caused I commend the Carr Government for choosing to take action more than 575,000 deaths and have forced many more people on the issue of climate change and encouraging the states and to flee their homes. territories to follow suit. In 2002, economic losses to homes, businesses, and crops The fact that the Federal Government has completely failed from weather disasters approached $53 billion worldwide, a on this issue will haunt their term of government for decades 93 percent increase over 2001 losses. to come. By 2050, mega-catastrophes, which used to appear every 100 The CSIRO says average global annual emissions over the years, are predicted to occur every 25. past decade were 13.3 billion tonnes. But its new figures show that 18.7 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide were released into There has been a lot of international discussion amongst the the atmosphere in 2002, and 17.1 billion tonnes last year. major polluters-the Western developed countries. This level of annual increase in emissions could lead to a Unfortunately, during the term of this government, Australia faster than expected jump in the Earth's temperatures. has gone to the forefront as the worst per capita greenhouse gas emitter on the face of the planet. Almost every other equivalent nation on the planet has signed the Kyoto protocol, not because it is going to fix global The Minister for the Environment and Heritage - and, warming, but because it is the first small step towards reversing therefore, I presume, the Howard government - recognises the pollution of the atmosphere which is going to lead to and has taken heed of the CSIRO that that figure of a 60 per massive social, environmental and economic dislocation in cent reduction in global warming gases by mid-century is the the coming centuries if we do not do something. minimum if we are not going to have the most disastrous destruction of the world's environment since the dinosaurs' The following examples demonstrate the impacts of recent extinction. weather and climate extremes. Although it is impossible to precisely link individual catastrophes to global warming, the The world is rapidly warming. The news coming from the frequency and intensity of these kinds of events is projected scientists around the planet is not getting more reassuring but to increase as the world warms. getting more alarming. A heatwave hit Europe in August last year and led to as many I am relieved that at least the state and territory governments as 15,000 deaths, mostly among the elderly, in France alone, around the country have had the foresight to take some action where temperatures hit 40 degrees Celsius. on this issue.

pre-election announcements by both sides of Parliament were disingenuous and sought to play on complaints of MARCHING IN maladministration rather than seek solutions for ensuring better use of funding in the future. Speakers rightly pointed out that improper behaviour by a parliamentarian does not SUPPORT OF ATSIC result in the abolition of the institution but rather strategies are put in place to ensure future best practice and honesty. I attended the first rally in Australia in support of ATSIC held in Wollongong on Thursday 29th April 2004. Speakers outlined the hardships facing Why did around a hundred people gather in Indigenous Australians and correctly called for the evening and march behind the magnificent genuine commitments to fund health, education Aboriginal Flag to the city centre? The and welfare improvements within Aboriginal answer is simple. The Howard Government’s communities. There was no dispute that what announcement that it will abolish ATSIC was is urgently needed is increased funding for seen for what it was, racist politicking and grassroots organisations such as the Illawarra divisive. Aboriginal Corporation and other organisations that provide valuable community and welfare The speakers at the rally included Aunty services. Mary Davis (pictured), ATSIC Regional Representative and Director of the Illawarra Many Aboriginal communities and Aboriginal Corporation, Stan Jarrett, individuals face great social disadvantage Coordinator of Aboriginal Client Service and are not appropriately consulted on Specialist NSW Local Courts, Chris Foley issues affecting their lives, thereby making current ATSIC Commissioner, Fred Moore, moves to abolish ATSIC a negative step retired miner and social justice activist, when development and further financial Col Markham, former NSW Parliamentary Secretary for and social investment is what is needed. Aboriginal Affairs, and wonderful MCing by Richard Davis The rally was the beginning of a campaign for social justice and great music from Aunty Betty Little. for Indigenous Australians and all fair minded citizens are This formidable group passionately outlined why such welcome to support the effort. 4 PORT KEMBLA EXPANSION Further development of Port Kembla is one of the key emissions and air pollution’, and it is clearly unacceptable economic drivers for job generation which were identified for road transport to provide the primary means for Port in the job summits which I hosted in the early part of Kembla to expand its operations. 2003, and I have been keeping pressure on the Federal An expanded rail freight delivery network for the region government to invest in transport infrastructure to assist is a far more appropriate means to increase Port Kembla’s that development. cargo volumes. There is no doubt that expansion of Port Kembla would The solution to the emerging transport bottleneck would deliver significant employment and other economic appear to be reviving the Maldon/Dombarton rail line, a benefits to the , to the Illawarra region project dropped by the Greiner Liberal government more and to the rest of . than 15 years ago despite the fact that significant progress Port Kembla is a major deepwater port which for many had been made on its construction. years has concentrated on coal, grain, ferrous and non- The completion of the Maldon Dombarton rail link would ferrous metals and acid exports. provide a community and environmentally sensitive means Coal and grain exports have fallen from historic highs due to boost the port’s capacity, particularly in respect of to a range of factors including international coal process container movement. This key rail link would also connect and drought. At the same time non-ferrous metal exports the port to the broader rail freight network, increasing have fluctuated widely with the closure, re-opening and access to markets. subsequent closure of the Port Kembla copper smelter. The port was able to graphically demonstrate its ability MICHAEL ORGAN to handle roll-on/roll-off car imports during the lead-up to the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 with road transport TRIES TO SHUT DOWN links to major car-holding areas in Sydney’s southwest delivering advantages to importers. PARLIAMENTARY Multi-lane roads capable of handling B-double trucks SUPERANNUATION link the port’s inner and outer harbours directly with the Hume Freeway to the southwest and outskirts of Sydney The 69% publicly funded parliamentary superannuation to the north, though road access to the south will remain scheme will remain in place for existing politicians after unattractive until the Princes Highway is upgraded to four both the Government and ALP opposed my amendment lane status beyond Kiama. that would have bought all politicians superannuation in line with the community standard of 9%. The next Rail access via the existing South Coast line is more issue of Cunningham News will provide full coverage. problematic. Watch this space. Bulk carriers already face difficulties in obtaining appropriate slots to move coal, wheat, blue metal and raw materials to and from the region. There is also the issue of the Stanwell Park viaduct, an 80-plus year old CONGRATULATIONS brick structure which already imposes significant speed restrictions on rail movements. The Moss Vale/Unanderra line, which links the South Coast line with the main Southern line to Canberra and Melbourne, suffers from a lack of passing loops and sharp curves which prevent against longer trains from being used. Clearly any further development of Port Kembla rests as much on improved road and rail access as it does on provision of stevedoring infrastructure. Any proposed increase in road transport would need to be preceded by detailed environmental impact studies focussing particularly on noise and vehicle emissions. The transport of coal down the escarpment along Mount Ousley Road is already subject to a curfew, and that the volume of private cars on this key part of the Illawarra/ Sydney road commuter corridor is increasing in line with I had the great pleasure recently of meeting and increased residential development in the Wollongong, presenting to Mr and Mrs John Dunning of Wollongong Shellharbour and Kiama local government areas. a Certificate of Congratulations on the occasion of their As the Federal government’s Auslink green paper notes: ‘road 50th Wedding Anniversary which they celebrated on 6th transport significantly contributes to noise, greenhouse gas February this year. 5 Port Security Upgrade BULLI HOSPITAL EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT Threatens Surfers’ Access The Illawarra Area Health Service’s decision to divert I have received several representations from constituents ambulances away from Bulli Hospital spells the end of the concerned that they will denied access to the long-standing emergency department servicing the northern suburbs. surfing spot known as Oilies, that area of ocean east of the On 18 March 2004 the Health Service announced that its coal loader and north of the northern breakwater, due to Board had, at an extraordinary meeting the previous night, increased security measures being put in place as a result accepted short-term recommendations from an independent of changes driven by the Maritime Transport Security Act. review into Bulli Hospital’s Emergency Department. The concerns stem from a map included in an article in the That review was conducted by Sue Ieraci and Sandra of 20 January 2004 which purports to Platt. Sandra Platt is Nurse Coordinator in the Division of show an exclusion zone surrounding the port. Emergency Medicine at John Hunter Hospital. That zone appears excessively large given the illustrated example of port security zones which accompanied the Dr Sue Ieraci is Area Adviser on Emergency Services to the legislation when it was presented to the parliament last South West Sydney Area Health Service and former Director year. Questions must be asked about the level of public of Emergency Services at Liverpool Hospital. access to be maintained for the use and enjoyment of On 17 March, the day of the Health Service Board’s the long-standing recreational facilities which seem to be extraordinary meeting, Ieraci and Platt provided a affected. preliminary report, produced that day at the request of the I have taken up those concerns with the Port Kembla Port Area Health Service and its Board intended to “...outline the Corporation which informed me that the affected area is major issues, make recommendations for short-term action under control of the Port Kembla Coal Terminal. to minimise risk, and recommend a general direction for the long-term”. The Port Kembla Coal Terminal told me that restricted access was due to the new security arrangements and On 18 March the Health Service said it had agreed to concerns about illegal dumping, drag racing and drug use “the encouragement of ambulances carrying acutely ill which were endangering recreational users of the area patients to go directly to Wollongong hospital”, although the and presenting PKCT with an unacceptable public liability preliminary report recommended that “...Bulli ED should risk. no longer receive acute ambulances.” While I understand the company’s concerns both for By 21 April, encouragement had become diverting public safety and for its own plant and equipment I am emergency ambulances to Wollongong. concerned that the public will now apparently be excluded Ieraci and Platt also proposed that “Bulli ED be redeveloped from an area which has been a renowned surfing spot for into a centre for extended hours Urgent Care Medicine, more than 50 years. following the U.S. model (i.e. walk-in, unscheduled care for Given Wollongong’s increasing reputation as a tourism non-complex illness and injury). The centre should operate destination I am sure most would agree that maintaining for twelve to sixteen hours per day, depending on feasibility access to such an undoubted attraction as “Oilies” and need.” is something which would be of great benefit to our No matter what Labor’s Minister for the Illawarra David city. I have asked for a meeting with Port Kembla Coal Campbell may say to the contrary, that isn’t an emergency Terminal management to discuss possible solutions which department, it’s a medical centre! would meet both their concerns and those of the surfing community. Illawarra Health has sold out the northern suburbs. COMMONWEALTH SPORTS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS I had the great pleasure of presenting Commonwealth Sports Achievement Awards earlier this year to Figtree’s Peter Hammond and West Wollongong’s Greg Johnson and Peter Huk who have been selected to play hockey for Australia at veteran’s level in 2004. It is a great honour to be selected to play for one’s country and I was pleased to be able to give some formal recognition to these three fine athletes who are a credit to their city, their State and their country.

6 CELEBRATING Why the Illawarra MAY DAY needs a Medical May Day, the traditional ‘International Workers Day’ is Retrieval Unit much more than a long held ritual of marches, speeches There is lots of confusion about the capacity of the and flag flying. The 1st of May provides the opportunity for Wollongong hospital to respond to accidents. Some people millions of people around the world to use public space say that current arrangements are not good enough, to reflect on issues shaping the lives of workers and those whilst others say that Illawarra’s capacity to respond to facing the greatest inequality in our communities. emergencies is as good as gets. I believe that in literally May Day themes publicly reiterate the needs within life saving matters such as this, the former view is the localities and provide a voice for workers who struggle to most prudent and the most appropriate. maintain fundamental rights such as workplace health and We need to get to the facts, we also need and should safety. expect the NSW parliament to be involved to make sure The need for a dedicated emergency medical retrieval that the community of the Illawarra has the best possible unit for the Illawarra region was a strong theme of the accident emergency response capability. This issue needs Wollongong May Day gatherings. I reiterated my support to be sorted out and sorted out quickly. for a NSW parliamentary inquiry into the issue of crisis If things are as good as the Illawarra Area Health Service care services in our area. As well as full critical response suggests, there can be no excuse for delays. Alternatively services we need adequately staffed emergency medical if there is substantial room for improvement, as the South units in our local hospitals. Coast Labor Council argues, much more needs to be The recent launch of a national photographic exhibition done. That is why I have asked Greens MLC Sylvia Hale in support of my Industrial Manslaughter legislation has to organise a Parliamentary enquiry into the capacity of been part of my ongoing efforts to seek justice for workers the Medical Retrieval Unit in the Illawarra to sort this out who have died at their workplace. I will continue to pursue once and for all. legislation that will change a negligent workplace culture that can result in more than 2,000 Australians dying from workplace accidents and disease in any given year. Heritage was another key theme of our local May Day activities and I joined Peter Zaboyak of the CFMEU in DEFENDING calling for the preservation of the Regent Theatre. The general consensus of the gathering was that too many old buildings, with their history and memories, have already PUBLIC EDUCATION been demolished to make way for shopping arcades, car In recent weeks I have visited numerous public schools in parks and office buildings. Friends of the Regent Theatre the region. These visits highlighted for me the chronic under- welcomed the news that “green bans” would apply in the funding of the public school system not only in the Illawarra, struggle to keep the Regent and its magical ceiling dome but throughout the country. with its “shining stars”, intact for future generations of The recent federal budget was an opportunity for the Wollongong kids and visitors. government to make up for years of neglect and inject much needed funds into the public education system. Unfortunately, the budget delivered little for public schools. The federal government allocates about 69% of its school funding to the private system and only 31% to public schools. This is despite the fact that a significant majority (around 70%) of students still use the public system. Whatever you think about the public/private education debate, there is no doubt that the federal government is failing our public schools. During my visits to public schools I observed first hand the excellent work done by our public school teachers. However, because of the funding shortages the work of teachers is carried out under often difficult circumstances. I have consistently spoken and voted against the Howard government’s funding bias towards the private system and called for more funds to be injected into public education. I will continue these calls because I believe that government has a responsibility to provide all children with the opportunity of a quality education. 7 Michael Organ MP INVITING MICHAEL TO Federal Member for YOUR FUNCTION Cunningham Wollongong Office: Attending functions held by organisations such as community groups, service clubs and schools is an important part of Michael’s Shop 501 Globe Lane, work as your Federal member of parliament. Wollongong NSW 2500 Michael receives as many as ten invitations a day and he accepts PO Box 387 Wollongong NSW 2520 as many as he can. The earlier he gets your invitation the more Phone: 02 4228 3666 chance there is that he will be able to accept it. If you have something coming up call the office on 4228 3666 to check on Fax: 02 4228 3677 his availability. Freecall: 1300 301 821 Email : [email protected] CONSTITUENT NEWS Parliament House: Phone: 02 6277 4366 I have achieved considerable success helping locals with their problems that they are having with the Federal and State Fax: 02 6277 8472 Government. For instance in the last few months, my office has: Wollongong Office open 9am-5pm • Written a submission to the Social Security Appeals Tribunal, Monday to Friday. after two locals were given a bill of over $6000 by Centrelink Meet the member! for overpayment of Austudy. The Tribunal wiped the debt, 9am – 12 noon every Wednesday that Parliament finding that they would have been entitled to a different benefit is not sitting. anyway. Or contact the office to make an appointment that suits you. What we can do for you ?

Please call Michael or his staff on any issue or area of concern. We are here to help.

Michael and his office can help provide assistance and support with the following:

• Any Federal matter • Organised for the Department of Immigration to grant a visa to a Moldovan man that they had twice previously been refused • Congratulatory messages from the Queen and entry to Australia. The man’s mother lives in the Illawarra and Prime Minister for;100th birthdays, and 50th had surgery to remove a brain tumour and desperately wanted wedding anniversaries to see her son. Thankfully this is now possible. • Flags for schools and other eligible groups • Assisted a woman gain an extra weeks accommodation in emergency public housing. Until our office intervened her • Certificates of Appreciation for ex-service personnel, and civilian service. housing support was due to finish on the day she gave birth to her second child! • Nominations for Government Awards

• Appeared before the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to We look forward to hearing from you. attempt to revoke a family tax benefit debt. Whilst the appeal was notionally out of time, the Tribunal decided it would allow the appeal to be heard. • Written a submission to the Australian Embassy in Manila on Acknowledgements behalf of a Philippine man whose wife and child live locally. Thanks to all the staff who helped with the compilation The Department of Immigration wants to refuse to grant the of this Newsletter, especially to Sharon Callaghan for man a visa because he overstayed his previous visa. If this her photographs and editor Carol Berry. were to happen, his son and wife would be forced to live without him in Australia, or live in poverty in the Philippines. The Department is yet to finalise its decision. CUNNINGHAM NEWS 8