262 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Tuesday 6 May 2003 ______ Mr Speaker (The Hon. John Joseph Aquilina) took the chair at 2.15 p.m. Mr Speaker offered the Prayer. VARIATIONS OF PAYMENTS ESTIMATES 2002-03 Mr Knowles tabled variations of the payments estimates and appropriations for 2002-03 under section 24 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 flowing from the transfer of functions from the Community Services Commission to the Ombudsman. DISTINGUISHED VISITORS Mr SPEAKER: I acknowledge the presence in the gallery of the Hon. Mal Sandon, the former Victorian Minister for Police and Emergency Services. PETITIONS Local Government Planning Control Reform Petition requesting the reform of planning controls by gazettal as a legal document, oversight by the Department of Planning, public benefit assessment of variations, and a ban on development-related donations to political parties and elected officials, received from Ms Moore. White City Site Rezoning Proposal Petition praying that any rezoning of the White City site be opposed, received from Ms Moore. National Accident Scheme Petition praying that a national accident scheme be established to cover all injured patients, received from Mr Brogden. Freedom of Religion Petition praying that the House reject legislative proposals that would detract from the exercise of freedom of religion, and retain the existing exemptions applying to religious bodies in the Anti-Discrimination Act, received from Mr Tink. Speech Therapy Services Petition praying for a review of speech therapy services funding, received from Mr George. Mental Health Services Petition requesting urgent maintenance and increased funding for mental health services, received from Ms Moore. Surry Hills Bus Services Petition praying that the State Transit Authority reinstate the old 301 bus route, extend the 352 bus service, provide bus shelters and seats at all stops, reinstate the Market Street bus stop, and provide better information, received from Ms Moore. Bus Service 311 Petition praying that the Government urgently improve bus service 311 to make it more frequent and more reliable, received from Ms Moore. 6 May 2003 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 263 Surry Hills Policing Petition seeking increased uniformed police foot patrols in the Surry Hills Local Area Command and the installation of a permanent police van or shopfront in the Taylor Square area, received from Ms Moore. Underground Cables Petition requesting that the House ensure that an achievable plan to put aerial cables underground is urgently implemented, received from Ms Moore. Hawkesbury Electorate Sewerage Services Petition praying that funding be provided to construct a reticulated sewerage system for Glossodia, Freeman's Reach and Wilberforce, received from Mr Pringle. Department of Agriculture and Mrs Kath Day Petition requesting that the Department of Agriculture not prosecute Mrs Kath Day, of Collins Creek, received from Mr George. Circus Animals Petition praying that the House end the unnecessary suffering of wild animals and their use in circuses, received from Ms Moore. QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE _________ MENANGLE BRIDGE CLOSURE INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION Mr BROGDEN: My question is directed to the Minister for Roads, and Minister for Housing. As Commissioner of Police Moroney has referred the Minister's cover-up regarding the Menangle Bridge to the Independent Commission Against Corruption why will the Minister not stand down, given that his cover-up has now been referred to the Independent Commission Against Corruption by the Opposition, the Government and Commissioner of Police? Mr SCULLY: This matter was canvassed fully last week. I do not think the Leader of the Opposition was listening. Everyone on this side of the House was listening, and I stand by what I said in that debate. The Leader of the Opposition wants us to believe that there was a cover-up. I am sorry, ladies and gentlemen, but no cover-up exists. I stand by what I said in the House last Thursday. IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION PROGRAM Mr TRIPODI: My question is directed to the Premier. What is the State Government's response to community concerns about international efforts to rebuild Iraq following the war and related matters? Mr CARR: The honourable member for Fairfield has more former Iraqi citizens in his electorate than any other member of this House. Whatever one's politics or view of the war, our first responsibility is to rebuild Iraq for its 24 million people. This morning the State Government supported an Iraq reconstruction program hosted by Austrade at the Hotel Intercontinental. A number of New South Wales companies are working with the State Government and the Department of State and Regional Development, in particular—whose head, Loftus Harris, has extensive Middle Eastern experience—on preliminary investigations of opportunities in Iraq. These companies include the Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation in Cooma, which is seeking work in the construction sector; AusHealth International, a New South Wales Government agency that currently offers health project management services in a total of 14 countries, involving anything from setting up health clinics to the complete reconstruction of national health systems already well known and respected in the Middle East; TAFE Global, which co-ordinates international bids and projects for the New South Wales 264 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 6 May 2003 education sector and which is looking at opportunities to help rebuild Iraq's education system; Serck Controls, which provides services in the Middle East through its Hunter water tech office in Dubai and which plans to use its expertise in control systems and automation to rebuild Iraq's energy sector; and the Illawarra Technology Corporation International, established by the University of Wollongong to develop and manage a range of international services in education, health and governance. There is enormous expertise in this list of New South Wales-based companies, many of which have a record of effective work in regional New South Wales. There is enormous potential for involvement in the reconstruction of Iraq. We are lucky to have in Loftus Harris, head of the Department of State and Regional Development, a public servant who represented Australia for three years in Teheran and who has worked extensively throughout the Arab world. It is also worth noting that, while the three-power Office for Reconstruction and Humanitarian Affairs is headed by an American, retired general Jay Garner, his secretariat is headed by an Australian diplomat, Mr Andrew Goledzinowski, together with six other Australians. The former Chair of the Australian Wheat Board, Mr Trevor Flugge, will also help to reconstruct Iraq's agriculture ministry. This is about two things: a humanitarian contribution to the people of Iraq and opportunities for jobs and contracts for people based in this State. That is why last week my colleague the Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries called on the Federal Government to protect Australia's wheat sales to Iraq from subsidised United States grain. It is this side of the House, not the other side, that speaks up for the interests of the farmers of New South Wales. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will come to order. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr CARR: Wheat growers of Australia deserve to have their interests protected. They will have their interests protected by Country Labor. It is interesting that representation by Country Labor in this House and by the Independents from country New South Wales beats that of the National Party hands down. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Chair has been patient so far in question time, but I warn those on the Opposition benches that I will not tolerate the behaviour the Chamber has just witnessed. Although this is a robust Chamber, nothing is to be gained from that behaviour. If members of the Opposition persist with that behaviour one or two of them may leave the Chamber early. Mr CARR: All of this hard work on behalf of jobs and opportunities for New South Wales based companies— Mr Hartcher: Point of order: I draw your attention, and the attention of the House, to Standing Order 135, which allows honourable members to ask questions about public affairs, that is, public affairs relating to the State of New South Wales. We are not concerned with Iraq. George Bush worries about that. Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The Premier clearly stated that he is talking about the impact of the war in Iraq on the citizens of New South Wales. Mr CARR: If one ever wondered why the once-safe Liberal seat of Gosford was almost lost, it has just been explained. One would think he would be shamefaced for a bit longer. By the way, the Leader of the Opposition recently complimented all of this frontbench team. There was one name dropped from the list: the name of the honourable member for Gosford. Everyone else was on the list but the poor old swamp fox was not included. The Central Coast Express Advocate noticed this snub and said: The snub was pointed at a time when Mr Hartcher was fighting for his political life. Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr CARR: The article continued: The man who played a hand in the political assassinations of former Leaders Collins and Chikarovski fell on his sword when he realised he did not have the numbers to run for Deputy Opposition Leader for a third year. Enough of these distractions! Mr Hazzard: Point of order: I am not sure whether it was your enthusiasm to cut question time short, but the time on the clock has just jumped from 40 minutes to 10 minutes. 6 May 2003 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 265 Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Clerks have that matter well in hand. There is no point of order. Mr CARR: Time goes fast when you are having fun.