15503
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Thursday 20 September 2012
______
The President (The Hon. Donald Thomas Harwin) took the chair at 9.30 a.m.
The President read the Prayers.
Pursuant to sessional orders Formal Business Notices of Motions proceeded with.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Formal Business Notices of Motions
Private Members' Business items Nos 921, 924 and 925 outside the Order of Precedence objected to as being taken as formal business.
PAKISTAN AUSTRALIA BUSINESS COUNCIL
Motion by the Hon. AMANDA FAZIO agreed to:
1. That this House notes that:
(a) the Pakistan Australia Business Council was launched on Thursday 6 September 2012 in conjunction with the Pakistan Association of Australia's annual Eid Milan Party, which is traditionally held at Parliament House, and
(b) Mr David Landers, the General Manager of International Operations for Growth and Emerging Markets from Austrade, was the guest speaker and highlighted the opportunities for expanded trade and investment with Pakistan.
2. That this House notes that:
(a) the mission of the Pakistan Australia Business Council [PABC] is to encourage networking within Australia, be a think tank of Pakistanis living in Australia on trade and commerce, and to improve bilateral trade between Pakistan and Australia, to help overall ties via its trade facilitation between the two countries,
(b) the Pakistan Australia Business Council has recognition from the Pakistan Government Board of Investment Chairman as the only active business council in Australia for Australia-Pakistan trade related matters,
(c) the office bearers of the Pakistan Australia Business Council are:
(i) President, Mr Iftikhar Rana,
(ii) Senior Vice President, Mr Kashif Amjad,
(iii) General Secretary. Mr Sadaqat Siddiq,
(iv) Honorary Legal Counsel, Mr Awais Ahmad, and
(d) the patrons of the Pakistan Australia Business Council are:
(i) Federal: Mr Ed Husic, MP, member for Chifley,
(ii) Federal: Mr Alex Hawke, MP, member for Mitchell,
(iii) State: the Hon. Amanda Fazio, MLC,
(iv) State: the Hon. Shaoquette Moselmane, MLC,
(v) State: Mr David Elliott, MP, member for Baulkham Hills.
3. That this House congratulates the members of the Pakistan Australian Business Council for their initiative in establishing this body.
15504 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Formal Business Notices of Motions
Private Members' Business item No. 928 outside the Order of Precedence objected to as being taken as formal business.
MULTICULTURAL MEDIA AWARDS
Motion by the Hon. AMANDA FAZIO agreed to:
1. That this House notes that:
(a) the first Multicultural Media Awards were held at a Gala Dinner on Friday 14 September 2012 at the Parliament of New South Wales,
(b) the Australian Foreign Minister, Senator the Honourable Bob Carr, was the official guest and presented some of the awards,
(c) Sky TV's Kieran Gilbert was the master of ceremonies, and
(d) the event was attended by 200 people including representatives from the diplomatic corps, the multicultural media, the Community Relations Commission, peak multicultural organisations and a number of members of Parliament.
2. That this House notes that:
(a) the Multicultural Media Awards are the first of its kind for multicultural and Indigenous journalists,
(b) the awards are designed to celebrate the achievements of remarkable people in Multicultural and Indigenous Media,
(c) the awards focus on all multicultural journalists, the people who bring communities together and break down social and cultural barriers,
(d) the Awards were judged by the following panel:
(i) Adjunct Professor Philip Bell, Media Studies, UTS,
(ii) Dr Fawzy Soliman Senior Lecturer Management, UTS,
(iii) Mr John Choeifate, Executive Producer, Channel 7,
(iv) Ms Liz Foschia, State Political Reporter, ABC News,
(v) Dr Zoran Becvarovski, Specialist, St George Private Hospital,
(vi) Ms Sheba Nandkeolyar, CEO, Multicall Connexions,
(vii) Councillor Earnest Wong, Burwood City Council,
(viii) Mr Afif Malkoum, Media Director, Etcom,
(ix) Mr Yang Joo, Executive Producer Korean Language, SBS,
(x) Mr David Giang, Vietnamese Media,
(xi) Mr Kashif Amjad, Pakistan Australia Business Council,
(e) 10 winners for nine categories were selected from 132 entries coming from four States and Territories across Australia, and the winners were:
(i) Multicultural Journalist of the Year: Pawan Luthra, Indian Link,
(ii) Multicultural Journalist of the Year: Majida Abboud, SBS Radio,
(iii) Coverage of Community Affairs in Australia: Romeo Cayabyab, The Filipino Australian,
(iv) Coverage of Community Affairs Abroad: Wing Yam Lee, Sing Tao Daily,
(v) Contribution to Social Inclusion and Multiculturalism: Lina Lee, Top News,
(vi) Coverage of Indigenous Affairs: Gerry Georgatos, National Indigenous Times,
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(vii) Editorial / News Reporting: Pawan Luthra, Indian Link,
(viii) Investigative Reporting and Feature Writing: Gerry Georgatos, National Indigenous Times,
(ix) Multicultural Photographer of the Year: Oi Ling Lee, Sing Tao Daily,
(x) Online Innovation in News Blog or News Website Design: Pawan Luthra and Indian Link, Indian Link,
(f) the Awards were sponsored by Joe Rizk, CEO, Arab Bank Australia, Australian Arab Business Network, Ella Rouge Beauty, Doltone House and Nimco Foods,
(g) organisational assistance was provided by John Townsend and helpers Louay Mustapha, Jeanette Wang, Abdullah Allouei, and Fadwa Kebbe, and
(h) video coverage was provided by Mohamed Zakaria from Australian Arab Media.
3. That this House congratulates the winners and the instigator and organiser of the awards, the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane, MLC, who is also the Chairman of the Multicultural Media Awards Inc.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Formal Business Notices of Motions
Private Members' Business items Nos 930, 932, 933, 935 and 936 outside the Order of Precedence objected to as being taken as formal business.
IRREGULAR PETITION
Leave granted for the suspension of standing orders to allow the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane to present an irregular petition.
Community Building Partnership Program
Petition objecting to cuts to the Community Building Partnership Program and requesting the reinstatement of the program with $300,000 per State electorate for local community groups, received from the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane.
SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT
Motion by the Hon. Duncan Gay agreed to:
That this House at its rising today do adjourn until Tuesday 16 October 2012 at 2.30 p.m.
[The President left the chair at 9.42 a.m. The House resumed at 10.27 a.m.]
APOLOGY FOR FORCED ADOPTION PRACTICES
The PRESIDENT: Before I invite the Minister to move the motion, I would like to briefly address some administrative matters in connection with this morning's proceedings and also to acknowledge some guests in my gallery. I wish to advise the House that, in accordance with the broadcasting resolution of this House most recently adopted on 28 June 2007, I have approved footage of proceedings of the House being made available on the Parliament's new YouTube website. Proceedings in the Legislative Assembly will be available in the same manner. This is in addition to the normal live webcast of these events. The footage of proceedings from the House on the YouTube site will be divided into segments according to speaker. I can also advise members that a page will also be established on the Parliament's website that will include links to the relevant transcripts from Hansard and the Minutes of Proceedings. This page will be accessible through the "What's New" section of the Parliament's homepage.
At the conclusion of the debate and after the question is put I will be leaving the chair until the ringing of a long bell at 12 noon. Members and visitors are invited to attend a morning tea in the Strangers Dining Room between 11.00 a.m. and 12 noon. Members of the public are also invited to sign the Apology Book, which will be located near the entrance to the Strangers Dining Room. The book will be here in Parliament House for signing until Friday 19 October 2012. After this time, the book will be kept at the New South Wales State Library. 15506 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
The Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues has undertaken two pivotal inquiries concerning adoption. In October 1989, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Max Willis, the Standing Committee on Social Issues tabled its report on accessing adoption information. The committee examined the procedures and restrictions relating to accessing adoption information in New South Wales. The inquiry stemmed from concerns within the adoption community that the Adoption of Children Act 1965 imposed unnecessary restrictions on access to identifying adoption information. The committee unanimously recommended that adoptees over the age of 18 years be allowed to access their original birth certificate and that birth parents should be able to access their child's amended birth certificate upon the adoptee reaching adulthood. Two years later these recommendations were given force in the Adoption Information Act 1990, which was passed by the New South Wales Parliament in 1991 with the support of all political parties.
Nine years later, in June 1998, the Standing Committee on Social Issues, chaired by the Hon. Ann Symonds, received a reference to examine past adoption practices from 1950 to 1998, and in particular, the professional practices in the delivery of adoption services, whether any of these practices were unethical or unlawful and if so what measures would assist people experiencing distress as a consequence of these practices. The committee, under the chairmanship of the Hon. Jan Burnswoods, MLC, tabled its final report entitled, "Releasing the Past", in November 2000. The report makes a significant contribution to our understanding of adoption practices during this period and, most importantly, the experience of individuals affected by these practices. Two of the 20 recommendations in the report are of particular relevance today. Recommendations 16 and 17 called for an acknowledgement that past adoption practices were misguided and for the issuing of an apology to the mothers, fathers, adoptees and their families who have suffered as a result of past adoption practices.
I welcome into my gallery a former chair of the Standing Committee on Social Issues, Ms Ann Symonds. I also extend the best wishes of the Hon. Max Willis and Ms Jan Burnswoods, who could not be with us here today. I am particularly pleased that two of the secretariat staff who worked on the inquiry and prepared the reports are in my gallery this morning—Dr Jenny Knight and Ms Julie Langsworth. Finally, I welcome everyone in the public gallery who joins us today for this significant occasion. I now invite the Minister to move the motion and give his speech, which I understand is in identical terms to that being delivered by the Premier in the Legislative Assembly.
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER (Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Hunter, and Vice-President of the Executive Council) [10.37 a.m.]: I move:
That
(a) this House acknowledges the traumatic effects of the forced adoption practices of the past that have echoed through the lives of tens of thousands of mothers, fathers, people adopted as children and their families and,
(b) all members of this House, with profound sadness and remorse, say to those living with the ongoing grief and pain of forced adoption practices, that we are sorry.
The trauma induced by forced adoption practices in the past has reverberated through the lives of tens of thousands of mothers and their children who were removed. It has affected fathers who were never given a say, as well as the families who never knew the truth of what went on with the brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and grandchildren that they lost. It caused years of pain and grief for many instead of the joy and delight that parenthood might reasonably have been expected to bring.
Today in this Australia's first Parliament we acknowledge the terrible wrongs that were done and with profound sadness and remorse say to those living with ongoing grief and pain, "We are sorry." We have come to know about this shameful episode of our history because of the courage, commitment and strength of many individuals—mothers, fathers and people adopted as children, who refused to stay silent about the injustice they suffered. Their mistreatment was first publicly acknowledged by this Parliament in the December 2000 report "Releasing the Past" of an inquiry into past adoption practices.
During its inquiry the Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues received more than 300 written submissions and heard testimony from mothers, fathers and those who were taken for adoption. Committee members heard distressing accounts of actions taken to secure, or not secure, a mother's consent to the adoption of her child. They heard of women routinely denied access to their babies in the hours and days after the birth. This year's Senate committee report on former forced adoption policies and practices also recorded evidence of events last century that led to the babies of many young, single women being taken for adoption. The Senate committee concluded that it was incontrovertible that forced adoption was commonplace. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15507
It is hard to fathom how these practices were allowed to occur when today in the twenty-first century we celebrate motherhood and family in all its forms. In communities everywhere the image of the expectant mother is one of great joy and hope for the future. But mid last century society did not look kindly on the young, single, pregnant woman. Rather, these young women usually faced the disappointment of their parents and the disapproval of the community. They were made to feel ashamed. In those times and with those prevailing attitudes adoption was believed to offer the perfect solution: a clean break and a chance for a fresh start. It was considered to be in the best interests of everyone. But the problem was that this policy ignored the fundamental bond between mother and child and the lifelong trauma caused when that bond is prematurely and brutally severed.
In the lead-up to today's apology the Minister for Family and Community Services, the Hon. Pru Goward, MP, met with many mothers, fathers and people adopted as children to hear their personal accounts of how the experience of adoption had affected their lives. They were heartbreaking stories of loss and grief. These deeply personal and moving recollections reinforced the Senate committee's conclusion that forced adoption practices were wide ranging and common. One mother told of being lied to about the death of her baby and of the torment of living with the lie until she finally learnt years later that her son in fact was alive. Other mothers spoke of being drugged and sedated to impair both their judgement and their memories of giving birth, and they recounted other dehumanising treatment.
An adopted man told of uncovering a desperate and anguished letter from his mother sent to authorities pleading for her son to be returned to her. A father spoke movingly of the disenfranchisement of his fatherhood as authorities steadfastly ignored his wishes to parent his child. All felt that their basic humanity had been violated, trampled and ignored. Some women felt that they had been coerced into giving consent and that their right to refuse or revoke consent was deliberately concealed from them. Although no two experiences were the same, they all shared a single claim: all were extremely vulnerable and in great need when they were denied the care and support that they deserved.
As a parent I find it almost impossible to comprehend the pain caused by such treatment, and equally incomprehensible is the resilience of those who lived, and continue to live, with the wounds inflicted. For some it remains a constant struggle. We know that others have succumbed and will never know of this apology. One woman described to Pru Goward the "ice in her chest" and her battle with feelings of pathological grief. This heartfelt and honest testimony helps explain the trauma that was experienced as a result of these past practices and why this apology is owed to those who suffered. Publicly acknowledging these terrible wrongs and their tragic consequences is important, but acknowledgement is not enough.
Today, on behalf of the people of this State, the Parliament of New South Wales expresses its sorrow and remorse for the lasting damage that these past practices caused to the lives of so many. We are sorry that you have had to wait so long for this apology. We know that you live with the consequences of those practices every day and we are sorry for the forced adoption practices that severed the fundamental, life-giving bonds between a mother and her child. We apologise to the mothers who were not asked or listened to and who were never given a choice about the future of their children. We apologise for making you feel ashamed and unfit to care for your babies. We say sorry for treating you cruelly and insensitively when what you needed most and deserved was care and support.
To the women who have carried the pain of loss, grief and separation through their lives we say sorry. We apologise to the people forcibly adopted as children for taking them from their mothers at the moment of their birth. You grew up never knowing the truth of your birth or how much you were wanted and loved by your mothers, and for that we also say sorry. We apologise to the fathers whose wishes were ignored and who were excluded from any arrangements for their children's future. Many fathers were carelessly written out of the lives of their children, and for that we are also very sorry.
We apologise to the families who suffered as a result of forced adoption practices. We are sorry you were denied the opportunity to build the loving and lasting relationships with the brother, the sister, the niece, the nephew or the grandchild you were never allowed to know. We recognise the partners and children who have watched loved ones struggle with the traumatic effects of these adoption practices, often without knowing or understanding the gravity of past wrongs. To those whose relationship suffered as a result of these practices of the past we say sorry.
We know that saying sorry can never change what has happened, but it is our great hope that this sincere and heartfelt public apology will offer healing and comfort to those who have suffered because of the 15508 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
practices of the past. For many this apology will rekindle sad and unsettling memories and stir deep longings for resolution and peace. But hopefully and helpfully this apology may also bring a liberating sense of release from the shame and secrecy of the past. We hope that all those who receive this apology, whether present or not, can feel assured that finally we understand the silent struggle that you have endured. Today and into the future we honour your strength and your resilience and your determination for the truth to be revealed in the hope that such injustices never happen again.
A striking feature of many of the mothers who have spoken out about past adoption practices is that, above anything they seek for themselves from this formal apology, they wanted solace for the children taken from them: they wanted their adult children to know that they were loved and not abandoned. We hope that this apology helps adopted people make that journey. Nothing today is critical of adoptive parents who are committed to the wellbeing of their children. This apology is focused on what this Parliament's year 2000 inquiry called the unethical and unlawful practice of forced adoptions and its impact upon those involved.
Today, more than in mere words, we want mothers, fathers and those who were adopted and their families to know through concrete measures that we are sincere about redressing the wrongs of the past. Many people affected by adoption have spoken about the excessive cost they incur as part of their search for their family. To help lessen financial barriers to family reunion the Department of Family and Community Services will waive the fees it charges for the authority a parent or adopted person needs to obtain their adoption information from other State government departments.
We also know that today's apology may raise buried or unresolved feelings of grief, loss and trauma in many people affected by forced adoption practices. The Post Adoption Resource Centre has been offering information, counselling and other support services to people affected by adoption since 1991. We will increase funding to this valuable service, with a particular focus on the delivery of services to those in rural and regional areas who are affected by past forced adoption practices.
I express my gratitude to the men and women who have shared their deeply personal experiences, whether in writing or in person, with the Premier, Minister Goward and other members of Parliament. Your insights have been moving and invaluable. I also thank the many people who have travelled from across our State to be here today to receive this apology. I thank all of you for your generosity of spirit in listening to our words of regret, sorrow and remorse—words that are long overdue. I hope your journey of recovery and healing is made easier by what you have heard here today.
The Hon. LUKE FOLEY (Leader of the Opposition) [10.49 a.m.]: The Labor Opposition supports the motion moved by the Leader of the Government. In doing so we acknowledge that mothers, fathers, children and families have suffered from the cruel, destructive and heartbreaking practice of forced adoption. This practice strikes us today as not only morally and ethically reprehensible but also as clearly contrary to law. In fact, it was always so. The adoptions we speak of today involved practices that either diminished a mother's rights under the law or in many cases simply broke them outright. We will probably never know exactly how many mothers and children this was inflicted on. This is due not only to a lack of records but also to the often surreptitious nature of this practice and the various ways in which appalling pressure was applied to women to separate from their beloved children.
Thanks to the dedication of the former member for East Hills, Pat Rogan, in 1998 New South Wales launched an inquiry into adoption practices. We were the first State to do so. Much of what we now know about forced adoptions was brought to light through the inquiry of the Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues and the committee's final report, "Releasing the past: Adoption practices 1950–1998". The testimony of mothers revealed a disturbing variety of ways in which their children were forcibly removed. Many mothers were forced in the most literal sense, by which I mean they were physically and criminally wrenched from their babies. But there were other methods just as destructive if not as violent. Some mothers were manipulated. Some mothers were coerced. Some were psychologically bullied. Some were deliberately presented with such an abject lack of support and compassion that having their child taken from them was presented as the only available path. I do not think there is profit in trying to distinguish between these methods. They were all forced. They reflect shamefully on the society and State that made them permissible, even tacitly.
This is a matter of shame for the State of New South Wales because at the very point when these women deserved our greatest support we abandoned them. At the very moment when a mother most needs voices to say, "It's okay, you can do this", they heard instead derision, scorn and threat. They heard, "You can't do this and you won't". They were denied the protection of the law and then, in the wake of that violation, the 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15509
compassion of their community. Indeed, this practice relied entirely on convincing mothers that it was they who were at fault, it was they who were to blame, it was their failings that necessitated these egregious acts. They were victims treated like criminals. There were mothers who in their grief and despair were told to forget that their child had even existed. There were children who in their search for identity and family were told that their mother had never loved them. This is to say nothing of the fathers, grandparents and whole families whose lives were also profoundly affected. All this cruelty was inflicted in the name of satisfying somebody else's idea of what was in the best interest.
There has been too much despair, and suffering, for us to equivocate about this human tragedy, so let us be blunt today: Forced adoption was wrong. It was wrong morally, it was wrong legally. It was wrong for mothers, it was wrong for children, and it was indefensibly so. There is no rationalisation for these barbaric tears of the mother and child bond. There is no cloak of higher good or best intentions large enough to shield the hurt, horror and injury of this practice. This can never be said enough. Mothers were told—even convinced—that they were at fault. That is not and was not ever true.
To the mothers present today we cannot say clearly enough it is we who failed you. It was not you. For these mothers and children this day has been far too long coming. I know that these are only words but by ending the silence and publicly acknowledging this appalling wrong and the pain it continues to cause we at least open the possibility of a new chapter. To those mothers who were denied the opportunity to love and care for their children, we are sorry. To those people adopted as children who were denied the opportunity to be loved and cared for by their birth families, we are sorry. To those fathers who were denied choices, we are sorry. We in this Parliament are sorry. We apologise unreservedly and without qualification. I commend the motion to the House.
The Hon. JAN BARHAM [10.56 a.m.]: The Greens are deeply sorry to all those people who were affected by the wrongful practice of the removal of babies from mothers. We are sorry to the mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, adoptees and adoptive parents and families who have suffered from the past practice known as forced adoption. They have endured pain, grief and harm for decades. I acknowledge that many of these people are in Parliament today. To those who are in the Chamber, welcome.
The apology must be the first step in addressing the wrongdoings that have been identified and the initiation of actions and undertakings that offer appropriate redress for past mistakes. The extent of unlawful and in some cases brutal treatment of women who sought support while pregnant involved the removal of the baby at birth, often unseen by the mother as she was drugged and physically restrained during the birth. There was coercion to sign papers for adoption, aided by the denial of information about their rights and the support that was available to these mothers. In some cases women were told their babies had died, or that it was in the best interests of the child, that the baby would have a better future with an adoptive family that could provide for it and it was selfish of the mother to deny the child this opportunity.
Sadly, it also has been revealed that some children did not find their way into healthy and supportive families; some found themselves as wards of the State and fostered. Evidence from hearings has identified that some of these experiences have been painful and harmful and not in the best interests of the child. These actions led to ongoing pain and suffering for the women and for those associated—the fathers, grandparents, siblings, friends and the babies who have grown up believing they were unloved and abandoned.
These are the issues that must now be addressed. For some, these experiences resulted in rejection by family and friends, mental health issues, suicide and substance abuse. Many of the mothers never had another child. Reunion between mother and child is not always positive or possible. There are the children who have searched for their mothers and have been too late to find them alive as early deaths appear to result from the pain and suffering in this cohort. Some mothers found that the life of their child was not the positive experience that was promised. A woman who made a submission to the Senate inquiry stated:
We need to be respected in this country's history as mothers who had their babies taken forcibly from them, for no other reason than to satisfy the ideals of others. We need to be respected in this country's history as mothers who were unjustly abused, betrayed and punished by all governments, hospital staff, welfare workers, religious hierarchies and society because of their inhumane, obscene prejudice towards us.
I acknowledge the significant work undertaken by the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs, which was chaired by The Greens Senator Rachel Siewert. It delivered a unanimous report and findings as the result of an extensive inquiry and recommended that apologies be issued by the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments and non-government institutions that administered adoptions. I also acknowledge the work undertaken by the Legislative Council Standing Committee on Social Issues in its 2000 report, "Releasing 15510 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
the Past: Adoption Practices 1950-1998", and the Government's response in June 2001. The inquiries provided the opportunity for many of the people who were affected to bravely share their experiences. I honour their strength in doing so and their long struggle of living with the horror of what was done to them.
We will in the future provide all those whose lives have been shaped by this experience with respect, support and the opportunity to be heard and to receive assistance. The apology will provide the public awareness, and government and institutions must now provide the means to redress the wrongs. The Greens believe that to do so, in accordance with the recommendations of the inquiries, it is necessary to deliver concrete actions by providing specialised support services that are appropriate and accessible to allow all of those who are affected by the practices to receive the professional support and counselling they deserve. There is also a need to establish a specialised complains unit to allow people to come forward to have their experiences recorded and assessed. There should also be a public memorial to commemorate the apology and to assure ongoing awareness.
It also has been recognised that there is a need for ongoing research to assist in understanding the extent of the impact of the practices and to inform the actions required to redress the grievances. Those who made submissions to the New South Wales inquiry expect that their submissions will be made publicly available to allow others to read of the personal experiences, to better understand the pain and suffering. This disturbing history now has been revealed. We all have a responsibility to ensure that actions are taken to address the consequences of the practice of forced removal of babies. I encourage all members to read the Senate and Standing Committee on Social Issues reports and to acknowledge that the apology is the beginning of a process of providing support and understanding to those who have been affected by the horror of the practices. Again I say sorry to all, and offer a commitment to maintain a focus on the delivery of actions required to ensure that the apology is meaningful.
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE [11.01 a.m.]: On behalf of the Christian Democratic Party and the Shooters and Fishers Party I express support for this significant motion, which states:
That:
(a) this House acknowledges the traumatic effects of the forced adoption practices of the past that have echoed through the lives of tens of thousands of mothers, fathers, people adopted as children and their families, and
(b) all members of this House, with profound sadness and remorse, say to those living with the ongoing grief and pain of forced adoption practices, that we are sorry.
I commend the Government for bringing this motion to the attention of the House. The State has a rightful leadership role to help in healing the wounds of past wrongs caused by forced adoption, as we are doing today. We need to publicly acknowledge the distress, trauma and violation of mother-child relationships as a result of forced, coerced or unethical adoptions. First and foremost, I state for the record that I am profoundly saddened and genuinely sorry for the unfathomable pain and suffering of tens of thousands of mothers, fathers and countless children as a result of forced adoptions.
Like other members of this House, I served on the Standing Committee on Social Issues and heard the heartbreaking stories from witnesses appearing before the 1989 and 1998 inquiries. I am pleased that we were able to have the laws modified to allow children to find their parents and parents to find their children. Those mothers, fathers and children must have faced an intense amount of fear, trauma, grief and loss which no others could even begin to comprehend. Sometimes what we think is best in the short term can turn out to be horrifically and horribly wrong in the long term. Susan Gair, a senior lecturer in the Department of Social Work and Community Welfare at the James Cook University, stated:
From the 1950s, babies of unmarried women were labelled illegitimate and, as such, the women were deemed "unfit" to mother. [It was believed] These young women could best serve society and themselves ... if they relinquished their child for adoption. Then they could "get on" with their lives ...
Adoption was upheld as the only option for these women because of the lack of financial and other support, and the stigma associated with illegitimacy and motherhood out of wedlock ...
Many of the women were young, vulnerable and experiencing personal crises. They were not informed of any legal rights to keep the child and were made to feel inadequate, immoral and undeserving ...
Birth mothers were silenced when it came to speaking out about their hidden pregnancies, their treatment during the birth— which was frightening and traumatic—and their grief after losing their child.
I cannot begin to articulate how those mothers, fathers and children must have felt. However, I do have an appreciation of displacement from the forced adoption of my own sister's babies. My sister spent many years 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15511
trying to locate her twins, who were taken away from her when she was deserted by her husband and when all those involved believed she could not bring up her children. Thankfully, she was able to find them and express to them both her love for them and an explanation of how the situation arose. Through my own experience, saying sorry gives power to those who have been wronged and allows them to be released from the burden of wrongdoing against them. Stephen Covey states in his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families:
Perhaps there is nothing that tests our proactive capacity as much as saying, "I'm sorry", to another person. If your security is based on your image or your position or on being right, to apologise is like draining all the juice from your ego. It wipes you out. It pushes every one of your human gifts to its limit.
In the same way, the maturity of a nation is the ability to say sorry. It is important to mention the apology to the stolen generations of a former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd:
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
We have an obligation to apologise, which in turn gives opportunity for forgiveness. As it states in the Bible:
Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; ... and forgiving one another ...
I conclude with this prayer for all those who have suffered, for the immense emotional, psychological and physical impact of forced adoptions:
May God heal your body and your soul. May your pain cease, May your strength increase, May your fears be released, May blessings, love, and joy surround you, now and forever. Amen.
The PRESIDENT: Both Houses of the Parliament of New South Wales, on behalf of the people of New South Wales, have now concluded the Apology for Forced Adoptions. It is the sincere wish of honourable members that the Apology be accepted in the spirit in which it has been offered; in a spirit of genuine concern for the suffering of the innocent, acknowledgement of the pain and suffering experienced by mothers, fathers and children who were affected by practices that were wrong and, as we are reminded in the findings of the Social Issues Committee, often unlawful and unethical.
It is the determination of this Parliament that we will have learned from our past mistakes and will remain vigilant to ensure that they are not repeated. I ask honourable members and officers to stand for a minute's silence in affirmation of this historic event and acknowledgement of this Apology.
Members and officers of the House stood in their places as a mark of affirmation and acknowledgement.
Question—That the motion be agreed to—put and resolved in the affirmative.
Motion agreed to.
[The President left the chair at 11.11 a.m. The House resumed at 12 noon]
VISITORS
The PRESIDENT: Order! I welcome into my gallery family members of the late Hon. Delcia Ivy Kite, a member of this House from 1976 to 1995, including her husband, Fred Kite, her son, Darryl Kite, and her daughter, Maureen Davis, together with close friends.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders: Order of Business
Motion by the Hon. Luke Foley agreed to:
That standing and sessional orders be suspended to allow a motion to be moved forthwith that Private Members' Business item No. 911 outside the Order of Precedence relating to the passing of the Hon. Delcia Ivy Kite be called on forthwith.
Order of Business
Motion by the Hon. Luke Foley agreed to:
That Private Members' Business item No. 911 outside the Order of Precedence be called on forthwith.
15512 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
DEATH OF THE HON. DELCIA IVY KITE, A FORMER MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The Hon. LUKE FOLEY (Leader of the Opposition) [12.03 p.m.]: I move:
1. That this House express and place on record its deep regret in the loss sustained to the State by the death on 21 August 2012 of the Honourable Delcia Ivy Kite, a former member of this House.
2. That this resolution be communicated by the President to the family of the deceased.
On behalf of the members of the State Parliamentary Labor Party here and in the other place I pay tribute to that great Labor stalwart Delcia Kite. Delcia Kite was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council for 19 years, from 1976 to 1995. When her term concluded at the end of the fiftieth Parliament, Delcia was the longest-serving female member of the Legislative Council. Her term of office was co-equal with that of the Hon. John Johnson, who was elected at the same joint sitting. Only one member serving at the time of Delcia's retirement had a longer term of service as a member of this place, that being the Hon. Max Willis.
Delcia Kite came from a true Labor family. Her father, Alexander Henry Smith, was a shearer. He was born in Barcaldine, where the Labor Party was also born. For all of us today the stuff of the founding of the Labor Party is learnt through university lectures and through textbooks. For Delcia and her family it was truly their life story. She came from a family of shearers. Alexander Smith was born in Barcaldine and his father was present at the birth of the Australian Workers Union and the Labor Party. In 1921 Alex Smith married Ivy Margaret Clark from Longreach. They were blessed with a son and then a daughter, Delcia Ivy, in 1923, followed by another daughter. Delcia grew up in Rosebery, a suburb of Sydney that was unremittingly Labor. The honouring of the Labor Party's traditions would be central to the living of Delcia's life for all her life.
Alex Smith took on an employee—a helper, I understand—a young man called Fred Kite. Fred was lucky enough to meet Alex Smith's daughter Delcia. They were married. They lived in the suburb of Granville, a suburb that has so much Labor history. The Kites were significant players in the Labor Party at such a contested time in our party's history—through the split. These were tough times; these were serious times. People of modest means fought for the soul of the Labor movement. Both sides were full of people who fought for what they believed in, who fought for their principles, for their beliefs, for their version of a better Labor Party.
Delcia's family operated a wine bar in Granville—not a bad place to recruit Labor supporters to help in the branches. Delcia operated within the Granville Central branch of the Labor Party, which was a big branch. It was then, and is now, important if you and your allies are to control the numbers in the local State and Federal seats. Delcia and Fred and their allies fought against the Movement and the industrial groups in the local Labor Party. Tom Uren's 32-year career in the House of Representatives and Jack Ferguson's long career in the Legislative Assembly would not have been possible without Delcia Kite, Fred and their allies. Jack Ferguson never had a greater political supporter and ally than Delce.
The Labor Party and the Left of the Labor Party involved Delcia for 50 years. In all those years Fred's support for Delce's political activity was central to Delcia being able to do her work. Delce paid tribute to Fred in her maiden speech in this place in 1976. As I said, the Kites were at the forefront of switching Granville Central branch away from the industrial groups. It is almost impossible today—60 years later—to conceive of the level of passion and intensity within the local branches of the Labor Party in the early 1950s.
Good people on both sides were involved in a contest that was full of meaning to all of them about what the Labor Party should stand for and about the direction it ought to take. The differences between them were uncontainable in Granville—indeed, around Australia. As my friend Rodney Cavalier has written:
In Granville and surrounds is the story of politics below; the story of Fred and Delce, the Urens, the Fergusons, the Flahertys, the Collins and literally hundreds of couples, families and individuals in Granville alone who committed themselves to realising a better Australia. Localised democracy made their achievements possible.
Having succeeded in capturing the majority of the local Labor Party and seeing Tom Uren enter the House of Representatives as the member for Reid, Fred and Delcia left for Vaucluse in 1960. Their passion for politics and for the Labor cause never diminished. Delcia was utterly immersed in the activities of the Left faction of the Labor Party. The formation of the Combined Unions and Branches Steering Committee in 1954 formalised and gave coherence to a Left within the New South Wales Labor Party. Delcia was a major player in the formation and operation of the Left faction of the New South Wales Labor Party for the next 35 years. We are talking about a time when power and influence within the Labor Party, within all our political parties, was not exercised 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15513
by women. Delcia was a genuine pioneer in being a factional leader—a woman of influence and authority within the highly contested forums of the New South Wales Labor Party. She was a genuine trailblazer for women not only on the Left of the Labor Party but throughout the Labor Party—and, indeed, for all our major political parties.
By the late 1960s a new generation of Labor activists was emerging, inspired by Jim Cairns and the anti-Vietnam War mobilisations. Delcia's consistent contribution was to make sure that every ounce of support the Left enjoyed within the Labor Party was made to count. She would be utterly unforgiving of errors. She would be the harshest critic of sloppy bookwork, sloppy practice and mistakes that caused one's supporters to lose what they should otherwise win. Delcia taught generations of activists on the Left of the Labor Party about the importance of attention to detail, about doing your homework, about being forensic. Delcia taught us to pay attention. Indeed, that was one of her favourite phrases.
Many Labor parliamentarians beyond Tom and Jack enjoyed parliamentary careers because of Delcia's work. When Peter Baldwin was bashed in 1980 and the New South Wales branch set up a task force to deal with the ramifications, it was obvious who the Left would put forward to serve—Delcia. Delcia and John Faulkner were lethal in what they did to the books of some inner-city branches. That changed the nature of the Labor Party in the inner city. All those who have come since—Baldwin, Plibersek, Albanese, Nori, Firth and many others—owe their careers to the efforts and work of Delcia Kite.
Last night I went through my files and found my first ticket as a member of the Left of the Labor Party. It is dated 14 July 1989—Bastille Day—in Delcia's immaculate copperplate handwriting. More than anyone else I knew, Delcia knew about the intricacies of handwriting. Some know the importance of that in the conduct of Labor Party affairs. There never was a greater expert than Delcia on the intricacies of handwriting. One could not join the Left of the Labor Party—in fact, one was not a member—unless Delce signed off on it and issued the ticket. If you did not have one, you were not in.
I last saw Delcia three years ago at the Sydney Cricket Ground at a lunch the trust put on for its friends in the political arena. I had a delightful chat on that day with Delcia, Rodney Cavalier and John Faulkner. Delcia battled ill health over many years, but certainly in the last couple of years. I extend my sympathy to Fred, who is here today, to Darryl and Maureen, who also are here, and to Raelene, who cannot be here, to Delcia's grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Delcia's devotion to the Labor Party was only ever exceeded by her devotion to and love for her family. Delcia Kite was a pioneer, a great Labor woman, an important Labor woman. We mourn her loss.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY (Minister for Roads and Ports) [12.18 p.m.]: I join the Leader of the Opposition in recognising Delcia Ivy Kite. Three people in this House today served with Delcia Kite: Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile, my great mate Annie, who is sitting in the President's gallery, and I. To her husband, Fred, Darryl and Maureen, who are here today, we offer our condolences on their loss. Mr President, you may not remember, but where Macarthur's bust sits in this House is where Delcia spent a lot of her time. Beside her was her loyal and devoted friend Dorothy Isaksen. They were a team. When I first came into this place in 1988 I asked some of my colleagues, "Who is that woman?" They said, "Why do you ask?" I replied, "Well, I've seen them; I've seen the urges, I've seen the flash Harry's and the revered people of the Labor Party all go over there and pay due homage." They explained the background. It was similar to what the Leader of the Opposition indicated today. She was a great a lady who engendered respect, which was enhanced by her good friend whom she sat with for many years.
One turns to maiden speeches on moments such as these. It is unfortunate we do not do that more often. Delcia's maiden speech revealed, as the Leader of the Opposition indicated, that she was a woman ahead of her time. She was elected to the House without the benefit of affirmative action but was very much in favour of the women's movement, despite her background. Some politicians who did it by themselves in the tough early days felt that everyone should do it that way. Delcia's speeches and actions showed that she was not of that opinion. What amazed me about her maiden speech was the level of concern she displayed for the environment. She said:
I am most concerned about our environment, the increase in the pollution of our air and water and the complete disregard of our wildlife and fauna. If we are to have a sustainable society, and we owe this to future generations, we will have to make fewer demands on our environmental resources and a much greater demand on our moral resources.
Delcia gave her maiden speech on 1 September 1976, well before the advent of the green parties and the jargon they espouse. She understood and cared about the environment. The Leader of the Opposition gave part of 15514 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
Delcia's history, and when I was researching her life I found this great story in the Sun-Herald of 3 December 1989. It is entitled "Delcia: the shy grand dame of the ALP" and was written by Lynnette Cassells. It is a favourable and positive story. It states:
A publicity shy politician seems almost a contradiction in terms.
Delcia was publicity shy; she just wanted to get on with the job. The article indicates that she was born Delcia Smith and her father, Alexander Smith, had been a shearer in Barcaldine—the home of the Tree of Knowledge. There is only one shearer from the Labor Party left in Parliament—the Hon. Mick Veitch—and two Government members have worked in shearing sheds. I was interested to hear of the family's link with Granville. In the 1950s and early 1960s I spent time with an auntie who owned Smith's pharmacy in the main street of Granville near the railway station. Fred will probably recall that pharmacy. The Leader of the Opposition said that the Kite family left Granville in 1960, but the pharmacy was there throughout the 1950s. In the article Delcia stated:
My father made us politically aware by telling us the importance of unions to the working-class people ... He impressed on us the importance of having an education to lift yourself.
Her father gave up shearing to manage a number of hotels in the inner city of Sydney. The young Delcia spent her school years in Rosebery. She never went to university. After finishing the leaving certificate at Sydney Girls High School, Delcia took an engineering drawing course at Sydney Technical College and went on to become a Commonwealth Government draftsperson. Delcia married Frederick Kite in 1946 and gave up working to raise her children—two girls and a boy. She said:
I think it's terribly important for a mother to be with her children in the early years and I know it's not always possible, but I do think it is important for a mother to be at home during their teen years. After all, we have our children for such a short time before they go out on their own.
It was not until her children left the nest that she ran for and was elected to the Legislative Council in 1976. Delcia Kite became the duty member of the Legislative Council for the electorates of Vaucluse, Gosford and Swansea—quite disparate areas. There is an interesting quote in the Sun-Herald article from another of our colleagues at the time, the Hon. Max Willis. In a less than effervescent and generous comment, the Liberal member of the Legislative Council was quoted as saying:
Liberal MLC Max Willis, who has known Delcia Kite since her first day in the House 13 years ago, said: "She is a very nice woman and personally I like her. I would not say she is one of the front-line public troops of the Labor Party but she's a woman who speaks a lot of good common sense."
I am sure everyone who knew her, including her colleagues in the House at the time, would agree that statement is spot on. The article further stated:
She enjoys the company of political allies—
that is true, she was friends with everybody—
... and foes ...
She would sometimes give me a steely glare across the Chamber. Some members opposite try to replicate that look but they are not in Delcia's class. The article went on to say that Delcia:
... doesn't mind the bucketing a politician is prone to copping from time to time from colleagues.
It continues:
"It is all an act. Some of them deserve academy awards," she said with a laugh. "Yes, I have good friends on all sides."
That is true. It is a pleasure and an honour to join the Leader of the Opposition and other members of the Labor Party in paying tribute to a great member of this place. I am sure Delcia is a much missed member of your family.
The Hon. LYNDA VOLTZ [12.26 p.m.]: When I asked Paul O'Grady, a former member of this Chamber, how he would describe Delcia, he replied, "She's a world beater." Being a Granville girl and growing up with Granville politics, I can inform the Chamber that Delcia is a legend in Granville. There is no doubt that Delcia Kite was one of the most outstanding members of the Labor Party. As has been recounted by previous 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15515
speakers, Delcia was the daughter of a shearer and publican. Delcia had an extraordinary education, attending Sydney Girls High School and then Sydney Technical College to study engineering drawing. Following employment with the Commonwealth as a draftsman, she and her husband, Fred, opened a wine bar in Granville. They were stalwarts of the Labor Party in Granville. Granville Central branch held meetings in the wine bar, which held the State record for longevity of a wine bar licence. It is still in Granville today—although we do not hold Granville Central branch meetings there anymore.
Delcia played a significant role in the battle to have Tom Uren, Pat Flaherty and Jack Ferguson elected. It was perhaps the assault of Fred by the then member for Reid, Charlie Morgan, which was the final straw and caused Charlie Morgan to lose the seat. Tom Uren went on to hold that seat for the next 36 years. Delcia and Fred were crucial to the outcome of that election. Delcia's work, alongside that of Jack Ferguson, proved decisive in seeing Neville Wran elected to the State seat of Bass Hill. Neville Wran, as leader of the Labor Party, headed one of the finest Labor governments during the 1970s and 1980s. Unlike many others of the day, Delcia was distinguished by the fact that she was not a stalwart of a trade union or labour organisation but had been employed as a draftsperson and then owned a wine bar in Granville.
Delcia and Jack were mainstays and Left warriors in the credentialing committee of the Labor Party. As those knowledgeable about the Labor Party will understand, it is the credentialing committee where business is done. It was from that position that Delcia played a role in the battle for the Federal seat of Sydney. When the New South Wales branch of the Australian Labor Party tried to seize the books of the Sydney electorate it was Delcia who squirreled them away at her house and ensured they were ridgey-didge before Sussex Street inspected them. Peter Baldwin was a colleague of Delcia's in the upper House before he convincingly won preselection for Sydney and became one of the more cerebral Ministers of the Hawke-Keating Government. Mr Baldwin recounts the lengths that Delcia Kite would go to in order to win the battle for preselection for Sydney.
On one occasion they were trying to catch out Tony Gagen, who was then secretary of the Balmain branch of the Labor Party. Unfortunately, Tony did not actually live in Balmain; it was believed he lived in Hunters Hill. Anyone who knows Delcia will recall that she never had a hair out of place; I heard someone say she looked like she had come straight out of Breakfast at Tiffany's. According to Peter Baldwin, Delcia decided that the best way to get Tony was to dress up as a cowled, old woman and shuffle up and down the street until she caught Tony out at the Hunters Hill address. They got the evidence on Tony as a result of Delcia using this disguise and following him home one day.
Delcia was the secretary of the Combined Unions and Branches Steering Committee. In those days we were not known as the Left; we were known as the steering committee. We would define ourselves just by not being the Right; everybody else was just in this large group. As the secretary of the committee, Delcia was a force to be reckoned with. Some members of the Left swear that they still wake up in a sweat in memory of Delcia's cries, "Bloody Arthur", "Bloody Tom" and "You young ones, behave yourselves." Certainly Sandra Nori says she wakes up in fright.
In those days the steering committee included the likes of subdued personalities such as Rod Cavalier, Peter Crawford, Sheree Waks, the Fergusons, Sandra Nori, John Faulkner, Jan Burnswoods, Anna Catzman, Meredith Burgmann, Frank Walker, Tom Uren, Robert Tickner, Daryl Melham, the formidable Christine Kibble and also people such as Michael Knight, Ian Macdonald and Gary Punch. As members can imagine, trying to keep that lot in order would have been a large call for anybody. I imagine that Delcia was probably glad she has the calming influence of Jeff Shaw around at the time.
It was as a result of the work of Delcia, both on the combined steering committee and the credential committee, that allowed people like me to live through one of those rare periods of democracy in the Labor Party where the supremacy of the rank and file was paramount. It is still an ideal that many of us in the Labor Party hold onto strongly, as did Delcia. People have mentioned how forward thinking Delcia was, so I refer to her maiden speech on 1 September 1976 in which she stated:
There is a denial of opportunity by prejudging people on stereotyped assumptions. Individuals should be judged as individuals. Males consider any woman who is ambitious as "aggressive", but it is normal for a male to be ambitious. Women are the most rapidly growing section in the work force. It is a myth that women work for pin money. They work out of economic necessity. Other myths are that women do not like technical work, or dirty work, and that maths is educationally difficult for women. Women are able to do any jobs given the opportunity, and they generally excel in them. World War II gave women the opportunity to move into all fields of employment. They proved themselves equal to men.
15516 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
The Deputy Leader of the Government has also mentioned the way she spoke about the environment. On 1 September 1976 she raised this point about the environment. In her fifth point on the environment she stated:
The emission of pollutants must be kept below the capacity of the environment to absorb them, and the use of new technology must be delayed until after the unavoidable side effects are unearthed and publicized.
Bob Hawke made his famous speech about climate change, but even as far back as 1976 Delcia had recognised the dangers of emissions and pollutants on the environment, the ability of the environment to absorb those and their effects on the ozone layer. Some people still do not recognise those dangers. In those days the steering committee of the Labor Party was at the heart of the environmental movement and the true visionaries were often people such as Delcia Kite, who raised those issues in this Chamber as long ago as 1976. She was a great person and will be missed by everybody. They just do not make them like her anymore.
The Hon. PENNY SHARPE [12.34 p.m.]: I make a short contribution to the motion. I thank the Leader of the Opposition for bringing it to the attention of the House and thank the members who have spoken. Often we are only in this place for a short period of time and we follow in their footsteps; indeed, I think we stand on the shoulders of many giants because many people in this place have been giants. I particularly pay tribute to women in the Labor Party, including people such as Carmel Tebbutt, Ann Symonds and Meredith Burgmann. Of course, I include as one of those giants Delcia Kite. Although I never met her—and I am very sad I never did—my political experience in the Labor Party has been fundamentally shaped by Delcia. Her shadow looms large in the practice and way in which we try to do our politics within the Left of the Labor Party.
Recently I was able to speak to 20 young women in the Labor Party about what being part of the Labor Party means. I have to admit that my advice to them was probably a bit too much for what they wanted to hear on a Thursday night at a pub, but one of the key messages I tried to give them was that there are three things they need to know about the Labor Party: first, they need to be able to count; second, they need to know the rules; and, third, they need to pay attention. At Delcia's funeral Rodney Cavalier talked about Delcia lecturing John Faulkner and him about the need to pay attention in all things, and I realised without even knowing it that Delcia's practice and commitment echoes through the generations of women in the Labor Party. For everything that Delcia has ever done for the Labor Party and for women like me, I say thank you.
The Hon. AMANDA FAZIO [12.37 p.m.]: I pay my respects to the Hon. Delcia Kite and to the role that she played in the Labor Party in general. I found Delcia to be a very formidable foe. I say that as a mark of respect because I believe we should pay respect where respect is due. When I first joined the Labor Party for about two months I was not aligned to any one grouping and I actually attended my first Labor women's conference as one of those rarities in the Australian Labor Party—as an unaligned delegate. I was just watching to see what went on. I was impressed by three women who were in attendance at that conference because I thought they were strong and powerful women from the Right. They were the Hon. Kath Anderson, who was a former member of this place, the Hon. Dorothy Isaksen, also a former member of this place, and the Hon. Delcia Kite.
Not long after that I decided to join the Right of the Labor Party, but they were the three women, when I first joined and was in the Labor Women's Committee and in Young Labor, who I perceived as being strong female role models for women in the Australian Labor Party. As I got to know Delcia further, I was always struck by two things: first, her immaculate hairdo; and, second, her very wicked sense of humour. Even though we were on different sides in the Labor Party we both agreed there were a few people we were not particularly taken with. Therefore, I did enjoy a few comments with Delcia about them. After becoming a member of the Legislative Council I would often run into Delcia when she was having lunch with her good friend the Hon. Dorothy Isaksen. The last time I saw Delcia would have been after she had had lunch with Dorothy, where we had a bit of a gossip, a catch-up and swapped a few jokes.
Delcia was strongly committed to the Left of the Labor Party. She was inspirational to women on the Left. She was a very sharp, shrewd operator and, as I said, a very formidable foe. I think the Labor Party has lost a great worker and I am sure that loss is felt by her family, her friends and her former colleagues. I conclude by saying that we do not often see women like Delcia Kite coming through in politics anymore, women who on their own garner positions of such strength, who have such influence and who mentor so many people who have become icons in the party in their own right.
As I said, I was always in the Right, never in the Left; Delcia was always in the Left, never in the Right. One has to pay due respect where it is due. Delcia was a strong warrior for the Left in the Labor Party, but she was an even stronger warrior for the Labor Party and for the causes of social justice that the Labor Party has pursued. We all owe her a debt for her work. I am sure she will not be forgotten. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15517
The Hon. HELEN WESTWOOD [12.40 p.m.]: I express my condolences on the passing of the Hon. Delcia Kite. I met Delcia only very briefly but I heard much about her, particularly when I was growing up in south-western Sydney. When I was a young child I lived in the seat of Reid when Tom Uren and Jack Ferguson were the great leaders of the Labor Party in the area. Although I did not belong to the Labor Party when I lived in that area, I joined the party when I lived on the outskirts of Sydney. In those days I thought that factions were just a fabrication of the media, but I believe my real politicisation came about when I attended my first Labor women's conference.
Hearing women, particularly Delcia, speak at those conferences firmed my views around politics and around feminism, helped me understand the differences between the major parties, and helped me understand the differences between the Left and the Right. I acknowledge Delcia's great work in advocating for women within our party and within this place. Other members have noted the contribution that Delcia made to their political careers. It has been noted that Tom Uren was the first of many to win a seat in Parliament with the help and sheer hard work of Delcia. Senator John Faulkner said of her contribution to his career:
For whatever I have managed to achieve in politics, I know much of it would not have been possible without Delce.
She mentored and supported many, many women into politics. Among those who speak very fondly of her are the Hon. Ann Symonds, who is with us today, the Hon. Jan Burnswoods and Jeanette McHugh—the first New South Wales woman to be elected to the Commonwealth House of Representatives. A fierce advocate for women's issues, Delcia was a member of the Labor Executive and Women's Committee. She was instrumental in developing children's services programs that were adopted by the Labor Women's Federal Conference, which I note was the largest Labor Party gathering of its time.
A series of women's policy committees was developed around housing, women and the law, and women in prisons. In fact, yesterday the Hon. Ann Symonds and I attended an event to launch programs to support women in prisons. Delcia was a very strong advocate for support for women in prisons—an area which, quite frankly, had been neglected and ignored for many, many years. It was a testament to Delcia's tenacity that women's programs subsequently became embedded into every portfolio.
As members are aware, Delcia was a very distinguished member of this place for 19 years, from 23 April 1976 until 3 March 1995. The description most people use to describe Delcia is "a fiercely loyal Labor stalwart". Once elected to this place, she continued to advocate for many of the issues that she felt passionate about. Those issues included the environment, Aboriginal affairs and discrimination against women. I acknowledge the comments made by the Hon. Duncan Gay about Delcia's concern for her environment. She was clearly well ahead of her time. In fact, in her inaugural speech she spoke about the need for a clean air Act, the need to place emphasis on recycling and the need to properly consider caring for our environment.
In paying my respects to Delcia I would like to concentrate on her hard work in advocating for women. I believe it is her trailblazing, selfless work inside the Labor Party that has cleared the way for many women Labor members of Parliament. I quote from Delcia's inaugural speech in which she spoke fervently about gender discrimination. She said:
There is a denial of opportunity by prejudging people on stereotyped assumptions. Individuals should be judged as individuals.
She went on to say:
There is discrimination in job opportunity, in which qualification for the job should be the requirement. There is discrimination in finance and housing, in both of which women find it difficult to get what they need. There is discrimination in admission to clubs, in most of which women can only be associate members. There is discrimination in the access of women to public places. It really bugs me that at racecourses the "men only" sections are always in front of the winning post.
Delcia went on to give lively examples of how women members of Parliament were being financially discriminated against in the Parliament's contributory superannuation fund and she pointed out the discriminatory wording contained in the fund. No doubt it would have made some of her male colleagues squirm, and I certainly hope it did. She notably called for "the establishment of an anti-discrimination board which will make it unlawful to discriminate on the grounds of sex, marital status or race". That would have been considered quite radical in those days. In regard to what she was able to achieve in the area of discrimination Delcia made these observations in a speech in 1994 during her last year in this place:
I am proud to have been a member of the party which introduced legislation, at both Federal and State government levels, to address discrimination on the grounds of sex, marital status and race. I was encouraged when the former Premier, the Hon. Neville Wran, took up the issue I had raised in my maiden speech about the inequality that existed in the area of superannuation contributions of women workers, including female colleagues, and legislated accordingly.
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We will never see another Delcia Kite. However, I would like to acknowledge and pay my respects to the great legacy that she has left us. I salute her for the many years of hard work and dedication she gave to our great party, the Australian Labor Party, and to service for the people of New South Wales. My thoughts are with her husband, Fred, and her children, Raelene, Maureen, Darryl, and her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Vale Delcia Kite.
The Hon. ADAM SEARLE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [12.47 p.m.]: I express my condolences to the family and friends of Delcia Kite and I acknowledge her contribution to the Australian Labor Party, to the Parliament and to the people of New South Wales. I joined the Labor Party in the mid 1980s through researching the turmoil in the inner-city branches, which my colleague the Hon. Luke Foley spoke about. One of the names that kept cropping up in connection with those tumultuous events was Delcia Kite and people spoke of her role in rehabilitating the branches. It was quite clear in the hushed and reverential tones in which people mentioned her name that she was a person held in some awe.
As part of my research I was eventually introduced to Delcia by Mr Peter Crawford, who at that time was the member for Balmain. He had been mentored by Delcia over the years. He introduced Delcia to me here in the Parliament—it was probably the only conversation I had with her—but she fixed me with a penetrating look when we were discussing the Labor Party and my membership of it. She demanded to know whether I was a socialist. As subsequent events within the Australian Labor Party would make clear, I did not have a satisfactory answer to that query, but I will never forget the moment of terror that the question instilled in me.
I also acknowledge Delcia's contribution as a member of the New South Wales Administrative Committee of the State Executive of the Labor Party from 1970 to 1980. During the 1970s and 1980s she worked tirelessly in the head office of the Labor Party during election campaigns, State and Federal. Her forensic attention to detail—made legendary in other Labor Party forums—was applied to the corporate interests of the Labor Party generally in election arrangements and the approval of how-to-vote cards. Her work for the Labor Party in this and other fields will never be forgotten. I extend my condolences to Delcia's family and friends.
The Hon. PETER PRIMROSE [12.49 p.m.]: I also support this condolence motion. I will not repeat reflections that other members have already made during this debate. However, like other members I have taken the opportunity to read some of the speeches of the Hon. Delcia Kite, including her first speech in this place. It is worthwhile reflecting on some of the issues she raised during her speeches and how cogent they remain to us today. As the Hon. Duncan Gay mentioned, a number of people in this House served with the Hon. Delcia Kite. I was not one of them. I was in fact a member of the other House. As a young socialist I was in awe of Delcia and others in the 1970s and 1980s. I knew them well, because I was aware then and continue to know where I sit. I got to know Delcia during the period that I served here after the fall of the Unsworth Government. Then, as now, there were lessons to learn. I think Delcia can still teach us lessons today in politics. Not only did we face momentous issues at that time, we also reflected on what we were about and what had occurred. What was our purpose? Why had we lost? Delcia was at the forefront of looking at those issues. She made us all reflect on not only what had been but also on what was coming.
One lesson I learned from Delcia may seem mundane but it is worth bearing in mind. One day there was quite a monumental discussion in relation to a subject the substance of which is now a matter for history. I remember Delcia coming up to me afterwards as a member of the Left caucus. I asked Delcia what I could do for her. She said, "You haven't given me your monthly stamps." I stress to all honourable members, and particularly the Clerks, that the stamps came out of our private funding. The point of that encounter is still relevant today. While we are focussed on policies and issues, and what things have gone wrong and what things we will seek to achieve in the future, it is also important to maintain the organisation. We must look at the things that keep our structures together. The Labor Party is a series of ideals and aspirations, but it is also important to put time and effort into ensuring that the organisational structure continues. That is an important lesson that many of us need to be bear in mind and continue to hold dear.
On behalf of myself and my colleagues I say to the family and friends of Delcia simply this: Delcia made a difference. She made a difference to all of us. We mourn her passing but we are better for the time she spent with us and we are grateful for it.
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE [12.54 p.m.]: I am pleased to support the condolence motion moved by the Hon. Luke Foley, which states:
1. That this House express and place on record its deep regret in the loss sustained to the State by the death on 21 August 2012 of the Honourable Delcia Ivy Kite, a former member of this House.
2. That this resolution be communicated by the President to the family of the deceased.
20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15519
As members know, Delcia was a member of the Legislative Council from 1976 to 1995. I had the pleasure of working with her in this House from 1981 to 1995. My wife, Elaine, was also a member from 1988 to 2003. In this House during quiet moments members move around and sit to chat to each other. Elaine would often remark to me that it was strange how well she got on with Delcia Kite. She knew she was left wing. Elaine said that she found it difficult talking to the Liberal ladies, but she used to enjoy talking to the left wing ladies of the Labor Party. It may have been because of her own working class background growing up in Waterloo, but Elaine was very much at home with Delcia and could relate to her. On Wednesday 12 September Senator John Faulkner paid tribute to Delcia Kite in the Federal Senate. He said:
When I first met Delcia in the early 1970s, she was the formidable Secretary of the Combined Unions and Branches Steering Committee—the then Left faction of the NSW branch of the ALP. She was an intimidating presence; always at the front table; first to arrive; last to leave. Delcia looked as if she had walked off the set of Breakfast at Tiffany's. Any disputed meeting outcome, or ballot result, was easily resolved by Delce. She had the records; she kept the minutes; her word was final. No-one would dare question her authority. No-one would risk the tongue lashing. We all knew Delcia Kite had a long memory.
Other members have outlined Delcia's long record in both the Labor Party and in this House. I express my condolences to her husband, Fred, and their children. I am pleased to support this condolence motion.
Question—That the motion be agreed to—put and resolved in the affirmative.
Motion agreed to.
[The President left the chair at 12.57 p.m. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m.]
Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted at 2.30 p.m. for questions.
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE ______
SYDNEY WATER
The Hon. LUKE FOLEY: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services. Given that some Sydney residents have been forced to clean up leaking sewage from around their homes as a result of cost cutting at Sydney Water, will the Minister listen to Sydney Water employees and drop his cuts to the corporation's services?
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Unfortunately, the premise of the question asked by the Leader of the Opposition cannot be relied upon. I certainly have not received any reports of any residents having to clean up sewage in the circumstances he mentioned. But that is not unusual for the Leader of the Opposition: the Leader of the Opposition has one tame media proponent and he goes out there with all sorts of lies and stories. Every now and then he gets a run, but he is not going to get a run here. What we are doing with Sydney Water is ensuring service delivery.
The Hon. Amanda Fazio: Point of order: The Minister has accused the Leader of the Opposition, who asked the question, of running around "out there with all sorts of lies". I believe that is unparliamentary. Mr President, I ask you to direct the Minister to withdraw that comment.
The PRESIDENT: Order! Due to the level of Opposition interjections, I did not hear the comment. However, I ask members not to accuse other members of the House of lying.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Thank you, Mr President. As I was beginning to say, Sydney Water plays an extremely important part in the delivery of infrastructure and services in Sydney and the wider region that it services, right down to the Illawarra. We are working very hard with Sydney Water to ensure that it is able to maximise the efficient delivery of water and sewerage infrastructure so as to be able to spend an appropriate amount to maintain that infrastructure. The Labor Government was renowned for its gold plating of infrastructure. Its policies have led to electricity and water prices imposing enormous increases in cost-of-living expenses on the residents of New South Wales. I trust that the Leader of the Opposition eventually will leave behind his training wheels and make a contribution by asking a question that relates to the administration of government in this State rather than trying to set up his line for the short media appearances that he manages to get every now and then.
The Hon. Steve Whan: Point of order— 15520 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I have finished.
The Hon. Steve Whan: My point of order relates to relevance. The Minister is rambling in an attack on the Leader of the Opposition rather than addressing the question. Mr President, I ask you to direct him to answer the question.
The PRESIDENT: Order! When members take their points of order they should state succinctly how the standing orders have been breached rather than engage in argument. The Minister has indicated that he has concluded his answer.
ROAD SAFETY
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: My question is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Will the Minister update the House on recent efforts by the police to enhance road safety?
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: I thank the Hon. Niall Blair for a very timely question. It is perhaps stating the obvious to point out that road rules are there for a good reason: they exist to help to ensure safety on our roads and to prevent damage, injury and death from occurring—something we would all support. However, sadly, breaches of road rules are all too common. For example, in 2011 the police issued 46,667 infringement notices to motorists caught using handheld mobile phones while driving. As part of the ongoing efforts of police to promote and enhance road safety the NSW Police Force Traffic and Highway Patrol Command recently conducted Operation Compliance 4—a day-long statewide traffic enforcement operation aimed at enhancing road safety.
The targets of the operation were motorists using mobile phones while driving, non-compliant trucks, and seatbelt and helmet offences. The results are quite sobering: 831 motorists were caught using handheld mobile devices while driving; 153 truck drivers were booked for traffic offences and vehicle defects; and 278 motorists were issued with infringement notices for not wearing a seatbelt or helmet. I repeat that this was just a day-long operation. Operation Herculean 4 recently targeted drivers on the Hume Highway. On Sunday 9 September the police partnered with Roads and Maritime Services and others. I thank the Minister for Roads and Ports and the Australian Federal Police for their cooperation.
The operation brought together police from the Goulburn Local Area Command, the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, traffic officers from the Australian Federal Police along with a drug detection dog, and Roads and Maritime Services inspectors. They were targeting a number of road safety issues, including alcohol and drug use, driver fatigue and vehicle defects. The notable results of conducting more than 2,000 random breath tests, 25 vehicle searches and 25 person searches are that 42 traffic infringement notices were issued, there were 15 drug detections, five cannabis cautions were issued, five unregistered vehicles were detected and stopped, and five unlicensed drivers were stopped. I am pleased to inform the House that not one driver returned a positive alcohol test. However, it concerns me that a number of motorists are still not doing the right thing in other respects.
The Hume Highway is an extremely busy thoroughfare, with approximately eight million vehicle movements on it each year. The police will continue to target unsafe driving and other criminal activities, including the transportation of drugs that occurs on this busy highway. Clearly, promoting and enhancing road safety is in everyone's interest, irrespective of whether one is a driver of a vehicle, a passenger or a pedestrian. I applaud the efforts of the police, including the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, for reinforcing the road rules and reminding us all of the need to be vigilant about road safety.
SYDNEY WATER
The Hon. ADAM SEARLE: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services. Why has the Minister taken more than $54 million from Sydney Water's capital budget, thereby putting services in jeopardy, at a time when households are facing more disruption to services, increased bills and longer waiting times for repairs?
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Point of order: The question contains argument. It asserts that services are put in jeopardy. Mr President, I ask you to rule that portion of the question out of order.
The PRESIDENT: Order! While the member's question sails close to the wind, I will allow the Minister to answer the part of the question that is in order. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15521
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I thank the member for that question, even though it contains argument and errors of fact. Sydney Water will spend more than $650 million on infrastructure over the next financial year for key projects: new urban growth and renewing critical infrastructure. Yes, this is down on last year's figure by $57 million. The decrease in overall spending relates to many projects coming to completion, the necessity to comply with the direction from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal to find savings, and the need to drive down consumer prices. Sydney Water will spend around $380 million maintaining, renewing and upgrading water, wastewater and stormwater systems across its areas of operation. This is a $20 million increase on last year.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: More money.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: More money. Our priority for 2012-13 is to improve the current and existing infrastructure while catering for expanding areas. More than $32 million will be spent fast-tracking key projects under the priority storage program, which will give almost 3,000 families in north-west and south-west Sydney the basic services they have been waiting years—at least 16 years—to receive: $380 million to maintain over 45,000 kilometres of water and wastewater pipes; more than 800 pumping stations; 265 reservoirs and 38 treatment and recycling plants. This investment comprises around $105 million for water distribution systems, over $140 million for sewerage network upgrades to reduce the frequency of overflows; $70 million to upgrade wastewater treatment plants; $54 million to repair critical water mains; and $5 million for stormwater asset renewals.
Sydney Water will spend over $100 million for essential water and wastewater services to help unlock the development potential in the north-west and south-west growth centres. Sydney Water will also spend $48 million for sewerage services as part of the Government's priority sewerage program, including $32 million to fast track the sewer services in eight villages for the following schemes: Bargo, Buxton, Cowan, Douglas Park, Galston, Glenorie, West Hoxton and Wilton. There are major program differences. In the Critical Water Main program in 2011-12 the allocation was $33 million and in 2012-13 the forecast spend is $54 million. So critical water main spending is up from $33 million to $54 million. The Critical Water Main program is set in four-year programs of work.
This program of work is prioritised based on risk. In 2011-12, 8½ kilometres of critical water mains were on track to be renewed and in 2012-13 it is proposed to renew 12 kilometres of mains based on the most recent conditions assessment and risk modelling. Sydney Water is also making strides in relation to its recycled water projects, but I do not think that is the key part of this question. Growth works are included to service urban development areas. In 2011-12 there was an allocation of $145 million; in 2012-13 the forecast spend is $100 million. Growth schemes are proceeding in 2012-13; however, some major schemes—for example, the Warriewood wastewater treatment plant application— [Time expired.]
MOUNT RAE FOREST LOGGING
The Hon. CATE FAEHRMANN: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services, representing the Minister for the Environment. Is the Minister aware that a koala, or a man in a koala suit, has been camped outside this Parliament with a swag to protest at the destruction of threatened species habitat in Mount Rae Forest due to logging for firewood under private native forestry regulations, and that he is camping there because he feels his concerns have not been heard by this Government? Will the environment Minister meet with the protester, Mark Selmes, a Mount Rae Forest resident and committed voice for the environment and for one of our national treasures, the koala?
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: No, I was not aware of that. I am aware there is a man in a big suit out the front of Parliament House.
The Hon. Michael Gallacher: That's Walt.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: It could have been Walt. I walked past this morning on my way into the office and I looked again at the big suit. I was trying to work out whether it was a rabbit or a koala or a possum.
The Hon. Amanda Fazio: It's a possum.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I acknowledge the interjection from the Hon. Amanda Fazio. It was a decent interjection for a change. The thing that worried me when I looked at the suit was that it has a tail. So, 15522 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
I concluded it was a possum—what else can you conclude? If it is a koala, I am absolutely grateful to the honourable member for providing advice to the Chamber. I am not the environment Minister, so I cannot commit to meet with the gentleman, but he is exercising his democratic right to protest, and I wish him well in doing so.
TAXI DRIVER SAFETY
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: My question is directed to the Minister for Roads and Ports. Will the Minister please update the House on what the New South Wales Government is doing to improve taxi drivers' safety?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: As usual, that is a great question from a member who understands our Government's commitment to delivering road safety improvements. From January next year the Government will make the use of seat belts mandatory for taxi drivers in New South Wales.
The Hon. Lynda Voltz: What about school buses?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Bus drivers already have to wear them. Taxi drivers have been exempt from wearing seat belts since 1971. Frankly, it is time that exemption ends. This change will protect taxi drivers from injury in a crash. Statewide, less than 2 per cent of all motorists injured in a crash are not wearing a seatbelt. Among taxi drivers that figure is a massive 40 per cent. The change could mean one less taxi driver a week is injured while working. In March a Sydney taxi driver was killed in a crash while not wearing a seatbelt. The change will improve the safety of taxi drivers and their passengers. If they are wearing a seatbelt and there is a side impact accident it is less likely the taxi driver will be thrown into a passenger. The simple fact is that seatbelts save lives and prevent injuries.
Taxi drivers in all other Australian States and Territories are bound by seatbelt laws. In New South Wales taxi passengers are required to wear seatbelts at all times. Additional measures to protect taxi drivers from passenger assaults and fare evasion will be rolled out alongside the change to the seatbelt law: some drivers said they did not wear a seatbelt because they feared one could be used to assault them. We are also trialling fare pre-payment on the Central Coast and are rolling out use of in-car cameras, improved training and support for beginner taxi drivers, as well as a communication strategy to improve taxi driver and customer awareness of security and safety in taxis.
The Hon. Amanda Fazio: Has there been industry consultation?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Yes, there has, unlike under Labor. It is important that taxi drivers, like any other workers, are safe in their workplace. As a Government we have an obligation to ensure taxi drivers are as safe as possible in the work environment. It sets an example to the passengers and protects the drivers in their workplace. Unlike those opposite, we are a Government that prides itself on taking sensible and practical measures to protect workers. Our discussions with other jurisdictions where taxi drivers already have to wear seatbelts have not produced any concerns about seatbelt use increasing assault risk.
The New South Wales Taxi Council, the New South Wales Taxi Drivers Association, the Australian Taxi Drivers Association, the Transport Workers Union, the NSW Police Force, WorkCover and Roads and Maritime Services were consulted regarding the change. The majority of New South Wales taxi drivers surveyed on the issue were either supportive of or neutral to the change. Our Government is getting on with the job of delivering simple reforms that will improve road safety, help achieve our goal to reduce road fatalities and injuries, and make sure that more taxi drivers who work daily in our community return to their families.
CAR HOONS
The Hon. PAUL GREEN: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. The Australian Bureau of Statistics recently reported that the greatest perceived neighbourhood problem was dangerous, noisy driving. Given this significant community concern, can the Minister inform the House how many New South Wales hoons have been charged with dangerous or nuisance driving in the past year? How many of these drivers were repeat offenders? What strategies are in place to address this annoying problem?
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: I thank the member for his question, which will require a detailed answer. I draw his attention to what is happening within his local community on the South Coast— which I am sure he is aware of—and in communities throughout New South Wales with a centralised highway patrol command structure. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15523
[Interruption]
With new cars. This command is most certainly about high-profile policing, but it is also about deploying police where they are needed. As a Parliament and Government we should do what we can to ensure that 400 to 500 deaths and tens of thousands of people injured on our roads is not an accepted part of a modern policing community. I am reminded that from February to May 2012 Operation Freeflow caught 10,707 motorists speeding, using mobile phones while driving and committing other driving offences. The member's question asks primarily about car hooning.
The Hon. Duncan Gay: Look at this picture.
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: There is an example of it in the United States. In New South Wales we have to change the perception of young drivers when they are behind the wheel. The most important thing we can do is reinforce to young motorists—or sow the seeds of doubt in their minds—that they will get caught. They will see highway patrol police moving around streets in our communities and suburbs. When someone gets behind the wheel of a car I want them to expect to see a highway patrol vehicle, not believe things will remain the same as the past few years despite our numerous attempts.
The Hon. Greg Donnelly: That's just not true, Michael, and you know it.
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: The member says it is not true; another uninformed interjection from those opposite. It is true—or, should I say, it was. Former Deputy Commissioner Owens put in place edicts stating that highway patrol police were to be used only for highway patrol purposes. The Government put in place the highway patrol command structure and gave Assistant Commissioner John Hartley the authority and control to determine the roles and responsibilities of highway patrol officers throughout the State, as well as the issues and priorities to target. Opposition members would do best to keep their ill-informed comments to themselves rather than give me another opportunity to reinforce that the new highway patrol structure was not put in place until we came to government. Not only are we saying to highway patrol personnel that we value what they do because driving the road toll down is important, but also we have given them something they never had—a career path. Police can specialise in appropriate areas.
People say many things about highway patrol officers. No-one wants to see them in their rear-vision mirror, but everyone wants to know that when their loved ones are on the road they will return safely. We have to lift the visibility of our cops on the road. We tell them that we value what they do. We want them targeting young offenders and others to change driver behaviour. To do that we have to admit and accept that the previous model was not working and that what we have put in place is working. As I move around the State I see evidence of our model working but, more importantly, other members of Parliament of all political persuasions have told me that they see an increased highway patrol presence on our streets and our roads. I thank the member for his question.
WORKERS COMPENSATION SCHEME
The Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services. On 18 September, in response to a question without notice from the Hon. Matthew Mason-Cox on the implementation of changes to the workers compensation scheme, the Minister cited in this Chamber several examples of injured workers. Did the Minister or his department secure the appropriate release forms and formal consent to reveal those cases in this Chamber, as required by the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002?
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Obviously, the Hon. Sophie Cotsis was not listening at the time because I did not disclose any particular circumstances and I did not name any worker. I take this opportunity to refer to a few questions asked yesterday. The Leader of the Opposition asked about—
The Hon. Amanda Fazio: Point of order: The Minister was asked a question today by the Hon. Sophie Cotsis. He was not asked to elucidate answers he gave in question time yesterday. I ask that the Minister be reminded to be directly relevant to the question asked of him today.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The member is correct. The Minister should not add material to his answer that is not generally relevant to the question he was asked. Otherwise, he is free to give further information to the House. 15524 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Further to my response yesterday and today I can advise that Operational Instruction 1.6 of the Scheme Agent Deed 2010-2014 provides information as to the manner in which the worker's confidential information is to be secured. The operational instruction is publicly available via the WorkCover website. I suggest the member go to that website.
STATE RECORDS NSW
The Hon. MATTHEW MASON-COX: My question without notice is addressed to the Minister for Finance and Services. Will the Minister advise the House on recent changes at State Records NSW?
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I thank the member for this important question. I am sure members would like to hear about some recent State Records projects, including the revitalisation of the State Records exhibition program and, in particular, the establishment of the travelling exhibition "In Living Memory". This exhibition drew on photographs from the Aborigines Welfare Board to make contact with Indigenous communities throughout New South Wales. This wonderful exhibition is currently on display in the Fountain Court area of Parliament House. I urge all members to make time to view this moving tribute to the strength of identity over time of Indigenous communities and families, past and present.
A small exhibition also showcases the many aspects of the work of State Records using the recently promulgated preamble to the International Congress on Archives constitution to emphasise the essential contribution that archives make to democratic society. Again, I urge members to take the time to view this display. Members should be aware also of efforts to establish third party agreements with organisations such as Ancestry.com.au and Find My Past that provide online access to the State's archives. State Records NSW was the first archival body in Australia, and one of the first in the world, to enter into such arrangements as a means of using the internet to reach a potential audience for archival information across the world. A recent survey shows that State Records archives have been accessed more than 35 million times on the Ancestry.com.au website.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I am finding it difficult to hear the answer to this important question.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: State Records NSW has again been one of the first archival institutions in the world to embrace social media as a vital plank of its communications strategy and is regarded as a model in this field. Another of State Record's initiatives was the establishment of a pilot program called the Digital State Archives to develop a means to preserve digital archives and make them accessible. This is a major challenge for modern archival institutions and State Records again leads the way in developing solutions in this area.
I join the President in paying tribute to Mr Alan Ventress, who retired as Director of State Records NSW on 14 September, for his contribution to this field. Mr Ventress was involved in the preservation and provision of access to the State's cultural resources first as Mitchell Wing librarian with the State Library of New South Wales from 1993 to 2001 and subsequently as Deputy Director of State Records and Director since 2008. On behalf of the New South Wales Government I express appreciation for the contribution Mr Ventress has made to State Records and to our society as a volunteer for many organisations, most notably as a member of the executive of the Royal Australian Historical Society and the History Council of New South Wales, of which he is a founding member.
I am advised by people who work closely with him that Alan Ventress worked hard to provide opportunities for State Records staff to engage with the community, professional and amateur historians, and genealogists. It a credit to him that there is currently a successful State Records volunteer program with a waiting list of 90 people keen to work as volunteers with State Records at Kingswood in western New South Wales. On behalf of the Government and I am sure all members of this Chamber—
The Hon. Luke Foley: Not even I said it was in western New South Wales.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Western Sydney. I wish Mr Ventress all the best in his post-retirement endeavours.
SNOWY RIVER BENCHMARKING AND ENVIRONMENTAL FLOW RESPONSE MONITORING PROJECT
Dr JOHN KAYE: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Roads and Ports, representing the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Small Business. Will the Minister inform the House what monitoring is currently being done on the positive and negative impacts of the current release of water into the Snowy River? Will the Minister also inform the House who is conducting that monitoring? 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15525
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I appreciate the honourable member's ongoing interest in the welfare of the Snowy River and I was happy to provide a detailed response to the member—
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: If you were interested you would have been at Dalgety with me and Steve Whan.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: And Peter Cochran. That would be good. I was happy to provide a detailed response to Dr John Kaye just a couple of weeks ago during question time in relation to the status of the Snowy River flow response monitoring program. In that answer I advised that an environmental release commenced from Jindabyne Dam into the Snowy River on 13 September. The releases have just peaked at 10,000 megalitres a day and will gradually decrease back to 350 megalitres a day by 30 September. In my previous response I mentioned that New South Wales had committed some funding to essential monitoring, and this will apply for the flushing flow currently underway.
There will be ongoing logging of water-quality information at several sites along the river below the dam and a continuing study jointly funded by the Office of Water, Snowy Hydro Limited and the University of Technology, Sydney, is examining the response of the Snowy River's basic food chain to the release events. There will be follow-up surveys to measure the improvement in habitat condition as a result of the flushing flows and there will be ongoing monitoring of flows by the Office of Water and Snowy Hydro Limited. These flushing flows are a planned annual spring event undertaken by the Government. Like Dr John Kaye, our Government is committed to the ongoing health of the iconic Snowy River, and I look forward to seeing Peter Cochrane, Steve Whan and John Kaye camping on the river together.
DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRIES
The Hon. STEVE WHAN: My question is directed to the Minister for Roads and Ports, representing the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Small Business. In this morning's edition of the Land the Minister for Primary Industries foreshadowed major changes to the Department of Primary Industries. Will the Minister inform the House whether the Government will guarantee the promise given in debate prior to the election that Department of Primary Industries staffing levels will be maintained and ensure that important agricultural services are not privatised, outsourced or cut?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I have not seen the article in the Land.
The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham: Don't you read the Land?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I do read the Land; it is the most popular paper in my office. The problem is that people say to me, "Duncan, why would Gina Rinehart want to buy Fairfax?" I reply, "Have you read the Land?" Page after page of the Land is anti-mining, anti-coal seam gas and anti-development.
The Hon. Steve Whan: Point of order: My point of order goes to relevance. The Minister is debating the question. For his benefit, I seek leave to table the article from the Land that relates to cuts in the Department of Primary Industries. He is a Redfern resident so I am not sure he reads it.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Minister has the call.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I suspect that as the only actual farmer in this place, I do read it. The member's question is about cuts to services in regional New South Wales and whether the Government's election promise that there would be no cuts to services will be breached. My understanding is that there will be no cuts to services, only an enhancement of services in regional New South Wales.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Hon. Steve Whan to order for the first time.
RURAL FIRE SERVICE OPEN DAY AND BUSH FIRE AWARENESS WEEK
The Hon. DAVID CLARKE: My question is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Given the importance of reinforcing messages about bushfire risk and the work of our Rural Fire Service volunteers, will the Minister update the House on this year's Rural Fire Service Open Day and Bush Fire Awareness Week? 15526 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: I thank the member for his question. This Saturday, 22 September, marks the start of Bush Fire Awareness Week. As luck would have it, there is now an opening in my diary and I am in a position to attend a Rural Fire Service brigade and congratulate them on the open day. I am sure it will be wonderful, and I am sure that all members look forward to it. The open day not only promotes the work of local brigades but provides an opportunity for Rural Fire Service members to interact with their community.
[Interruption]
He has come back to life; it is great to have the old Eric back. He was smiling a few minutes ago. We thought he was happy but it was just wind. We have an opportunity to celebrate this open day with the Rural Fire Service and the diversity of volunteers. Rural Fire Service stations across the State will open their doors, demonstrating brigade activities and the wide range of skills and services performed by our well-trained and committed volunteers. I love working with them. Community members will be able to meet their local volunteers, have a look through brigade stations and inspect fire tankers and equipment. Open day also encourages residents of bushfire-prone areas to seek advice from Rural Fire Service members on completing their bushfire survival plan and how to prepare for the coming bushfire season. Brigades will have an opportunity to emphasise to local residents the importance of taking all necessary precautions—and, by golly, one must take precautions these days—to prepare for what could be a more severe summer in terms of bushfire risk.
I understand that on 22 September, a day the member knows is open day, there will be a photo competition. Participating volunteers are being invited to enter photographs that best capture their brigade engaging with the community. By participating in open day and other local events Rural Fire Service brigades are helping to raise community awareness about the risk of fire and how to prepare for it, assisting local residents to make informed decisions in the event of a bushfire. Bush Fire Awareness Week will run from 22 September to 29 September, to be followed shortly after by the commencement of the statutory bushfire danger period on 1 October. Bush Fire Awareness Week aims to raise people's awareness of the bushfire risk and provide information on the best ways for individuals to protect themselves, their homes and their families from fire. Rural Fire Service initiatives such as the open day and other activities during Bush Fire Awareness Week are helping to build the resilience of New South Wales communities by making more effective preparations for the bushfire season ahead. I wish all our Rural Fire Service volunteers all the very best for the coming fire season.
ALCOHOL ADVERTISING
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE: I address my question to the Hon. Michael Gallacher, representing the Minister for Health. Is the Minister aware that the alcohol industry is now grooming children to drink by marketing booze-flavoured chips, chocolates, lip gloss and biscuits? Is he aware that the Australian Medical Association has produced a 60-page report released yesterday stating, "The alcohol industry is using online games and featuring secret parties with online invitations on Facebook to market alcohol to young people." Australian Medical Association President Dr Steve Hambleton said that alcohol-flavoured food was an attempt by the industry to normalise alcohol and sends a subliminal message that everyone drinks. Will the Government have the courage to take on the powerful liquor industry and ban this alcohol advertising?
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: I thought that beer nuts were a threat to us years ago but it seems the threat is much broader now. I will seek an answer from the Minister for Health to that very important question and report back to the member as soon as possible.
PARSONS REVIEW
The Hon. GREG DONNELLY: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. Will the Minister confirm that the Government still intends to implement all the recommendations of the Parsons audit of police resources?
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: As I have indicated to the House in the past, I have reported back to the police on a series of questions I have put to them with regard to the ministerial audit of police resources and I await their response.
The Hon. GREG DONNELLY: I ask a supplementary question. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15527
The Hon. Duncan Gay: You are doing well to get one out of that answer.
The Hon. GREG DONNELLY: I get them out of every one. Will the Minister elucidate his answer with respect to the staged timing of implementing the recommendations of the Parsons audit of police resources?
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: As I have stated previously, I propose that I will take the audit of the final proposals to Cabinet. I have indicated that, nonetheless, I expect to be in a position to bring these matters to Cabinet in the coming weeks. I have asked for police to respond to me as quickly as possible and I will be having further discussions with them before we finalise the proposals.
GRAIN RAIL LINES
The Hon. RICK COLLESS: My question is addressed to the Minister for Roads and Ports. Will the Minister update the House on the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal review of grain line access pricing?
The Hon. Steve Whan: I am surprised with that.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Well, you shouldn't be; you put it in place. In December 2010 the former New South Wales Government asked the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal of New South Wales [IPART] to investigate and recommend future access pricing arrangements to improve the economic sustainability of the State's grain rail line network. While the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal review has been underway the O'Farrell Government has been working around the clock to improve the reliability and efficiency of the State's branch lines. Since coming to office in March 2011, the Government has invested $61 million in grain line maintenance and upgrade works, with an additional $46.5 million budgeted for this financial year. Just last week we announced a commitment of more than $250 million over five years to upgrade and maintain the grain lines.
The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal is now on the eve of releasing its final report, which contains 13 recommendations to improve the economic sustainability of the grain lines. The tribunal consulted extensively with stakeholders and community groups in undertaking the review, not to mention engaging specialist advice and expertise. The Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal identified that cost recovery across the grain rail line network is currently extremely low—indeed, one should say miniscule. In fact, the owner and operator of the network, the Country Rail Infrastructure Authority—an agency within Transport for NSW—recovers a mere 2.3 per cent of the current costs it incurs in operating and maintaining the network through access revenue. In other words, the authority relies on government subsidies to fund the remaining 97.7 per cent of these costs. This situation is clearly unsustainable and does nothing to advance much-needed private sector investment in grain lines.
As an immediate action to address this imbalance, the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal recommends an increase in the grain line access price—specifically, that the access price be increased over a two-year period, from $2.61 to $3.92 this financial year and to $5.22 in 2013-14. This means that in 2013-14 for each load weighing 1,000 tonnes operators will pay $5.22 for every kilometre of track travelled. The analysis of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal indicates that the proposed price increase will not drive a mode shift onto roads nor will it have a negative effect on regional businesses and communities. Even once the full increase is implemented in 2013-14, rail will still retain a substantial cost advantage over road transport, at an average of $16.56 per tonne.
The Hon. Lynda Voltz: Point of order: Mr President, could you please ask members in the Chamber not to converse with people in the public gallery?
The PRESIDENT: Order! I remind members that it is disorderly for them to speak to people in the public gallery. I call the Hon. Charlie Lynn to order for the first time.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Furthermore, the full access price increase will represent only about 3 per cent of the cost of transporting grain to port by rail and less than 1 per cent of the whole supply chain cost for grain, including, for example, port intake fees and farm-to-silo transport costs. At the end of the day, the Government will still be subsiding more than 95 per cent of the costs of maintaining grain branch lines. As such, the Government has accepted the advice of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal and will implement 15528 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
the price increase. Operators will be given 60 days notice before the increase comes into effect. Importantly, the increased revenue of about $800,000 each year will be used to bring forward works on the branch line network, including laying additional ballast on the Bogan Gate to Tottenham line in 2012-13 and improving the condition of rail joints and increasing ballast depth on the Lake Cargelligo to Ungarie— [Time expired.]
The Hon. RICK COLLESS: I ask a supplementary question. Will the Minister elucidate his answer?
The Hon. Lynda Voltz: Point of order: Mr President, I refer you to the standing orders that allow Ministers to seek the leave of the House to ask for one minute extra to finish a question, particularly when they have not been interrupted by Opposition members.
The Hon. Duncan Gay: To the point of order: The member has a very short memory; she interrupted.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The question is in order.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: As I was saying, we will be improving the condition of rail joints and increasing ballast depth on the Lake Cargelligo to Ungarie and the Weemelah to Camurra lines in 2013-14. The Government will consider the remaining recommendations of the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal as part of the development of the New South Wales Freight and Ports Strategy, which will be released later this year. As I have stated publicly, the Government will be looking for strong and binding industry commitments regarding the future use of some marginal branch lines. In the past some lines were re-opened at great expense, only for freight volumes not to materialise. We do not want that to happen again, nor do we want to continue with the ridiculous past policy of closed but not open.
WORKCOVER
Mr DAVID SHOEBRIDGE: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services. This week an injured worker contacted my office and advised me that he had suffered a work-related spinal injury as a nurse some nine years ago and was assessed as having 11 per cent whole person impairment. He kept on at work until late last year when he required surgery to his back. However, due to WorkCover guidelines, he was required to wait a further nine months for a further whole person impairment assessment from a WorkCover approved specialist. That was recently given and he was assessed as having 22 per cent whole person impairment. However, WorkCover has refused to accept the second whole person impairment assessment due to the limitation on the number of assessments in the recent WorkCover amendments. This means this man is not accepted as having a serious injury—
The PRESIDENT: Order! The member will resume his seat. His question is out of order. Questions must not contain statements of fact. Presidents have previously ruled that questions must be interrogatory by nature. The member has been given more than enough opportunity to state the facts. If he wishes to give that much detail he should make an adjournment speech.
CHILD PROTECTION CASEWORKERS
The Hon. HELEN WESTWOOD: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services, representing the Minister for Family and Community Services. In light of the Minister's statements yesterday in this Chamber about child protection caseworkers when he claimed "we have no trouble recruiting", will the Minister advise the House of the budgeted and actual child caseworker office numbers for western Sydney and western New South Wales?
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Questions such as that require detail and should be addressed to the relevant Minister during budget estimates.
NSW PROCUREMENT INDUSTRY ADVISORY GROUP
The Hon. JENNIFER GARDINER: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Finance and Services. Will the Minister advise the House on the establishment of the NSW Procurement Industry Advisory Group?
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: That is the sort of question we expect in this House during question time. It is a tough but important question. The New South Wales Government is calling for industry experts to be 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15529
considered for a high-level advisory group to support implementation of the Government's procurement reforms. The Government is engaging in a significant reform process to modernise and streamline its procurement processes to drive efficiency, value for money and industry engagement. Our goal is to make it easy, simple and more attractive to do business with the New South Wales Government.
The establishment of the industry advisory group is part of a new governance framework tasked to undertake the New South Wales Government's reform agenda. The NSW Procurement Board and the Procurement Leadership Group have already been formed and are getting on with the job of implementing some key reforms. We have moved to abolish the 2.5 per cent management fee, we have brought common sense to indemnity and insurance requirements, we have developed new simplified contract terms and conditions, we have introduced new prequalification schemes and we have implemented a new online registration system.
The industry advisory group will comprise an independent chairperson and up to six members from the private and non-government sectors. It will also include the chairperson of the NSW Procurement Board's Procurement Leadership Group. The role of the industry advisory group will be to advise the Procurement Board on matters including trends and opportunities in procurement of goods and services; options to respond to these trends and issues; and sector-wide procurement matters, including industry standards, future directions, procurement strategy and the impact of the Government's procurement management decisions on industry and the non-government sector.
The industry advisory group will not only give the NSW Procurement Board insights into key issues affecting the development of the procurement sector in New South Wales but will also provide government the opportunity to look at procurement processes from the supplier's perspective; in particular, how industry is affected by government procurement decisions and how these decisions can better serve the business community and the people of New South Wales.
Appointments to the advisory group will be based on applicants' demonstrated knowledge and experience, and a broad and diverse range of perspectives will be required. Specifically, we are looking for candidates with a strong interest in and knowledge of current trends and future directions in goods and services procurement; a clear understanding of the key issues affecting the development of the procurement sector in large, complex organisations; a blend of research and business acumen; an expert understanding of procurement practices; and who are well positioned to advise government while avoiding conflict of interest.
The information package and application forms are available at the NSW Procurement website: www.nswprocurement.com.au. Submissions can also be made on the website application form by writing to the Chairperson, NSW Procurement Board, or by email. Submissions close on 19 October. I look forward to working with industry as together we implement reforms that drive efficiencies across government, improve opportunities for business and lead to better outcomes for New South Wales taxpayers.
Are we not all grateful that that poor greyhound was rescued? Mandy with the drooling mouth; the vacant eyes. We are so happy that Mandy was rescued.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Minister will withdraw his last remark.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I was talking about Mandy the dog, but I am happy to withdraw it.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Hon. Greg Donnelly to order for the first time.
COMBAT SPORTS
The Hon. LYNDA VOLTZ: My question is directed to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services, and Minister for the Hunter. In mid August 2011 professional Muay Thai fighter Mr Mark Fowler died tragically during a bout in Liverpool in Sydney's west. Will the Minister confirm whether the official police presence or notification of the bout met the legal requirements under the Combat Sports Act 2008?
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: That is obviously a very important question for those who are involved in combat sports as well as for the member. I will seek an answer from police and report back to her as soon as I can. 15530 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
BRUNSWICK HEADS HOLIDAY PARKS
The Hon. JAN BARHAM: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Roads and Ports, representing the Minister for Primary Industries. Will the Minister advise whether approval has been given to the plans of management for the Crown's Brunswick Heads holiday parks—The Terrace, Massey Green and Ferry Reserve—and/or the closure of Riverside Crescent, which had been the access to the boat ramp and its closure is now blocking the street and creating conflicts for the residents?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I thank the honourable member for her question, which asks for great detail. It involves Brunswick Heads and the boat ramp—a well-known holiday destination. I suspect the 1972 Ford Country Squire station wagon that Corncob Joe uses around the place has been there. Yesterday I suspect he misled the House when he said he had answered my question on carbon sequestration. I had a look at Hansard and read what the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham said in an adjournment speech. He said:
I draw the attention of the House to my recent "frack-finding" tour of the United States of America and wish to respond to the questions that have been asked about my emissions.
At no time have I ever asked about the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham's emissions. I am reliably informed they are not without substance, but my question was about his carbon offsets for his frack-finding tour to the United States in the 1972 Ford Country Squire station wagon—an aspirational vehicle if ever there was one. That car is powered by a 351 Windsor Motor. That is the same motor which powered the XY Falcon GT-HO.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: No, it's not.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: It is.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: That was the 351 Cleveland.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: It was too. It was a Cleveland and it was driven by Allan Moffat. The 1972 Ford Country Squire uses 22.5 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres. The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham has been hooning around the United States in this gas guzzler. Yesterday he told the House that he had answered the question on what he had done about his carbon offsets. Of course, he had not and the Hon. Trevor Khan—ever alert—picked it up. He said, "Your emissions?" and the Hon. Jeremy Buckingham said, "Yes, my emissions." On top of the Country Squire and the 747 he has got to pay a little bit more. I undertake to obtain an answer to the question asked by the Hon. Jan Barham.
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: The time for questions has expired. If members have any further questions I suggest they place them on notice. Sadly there was not one question about South Sydney winning the final on Saturday, which was another great event.
WORKCOVER PRIVACY PROTOCOLS
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: Yesterday the Hon. Adam Searle asked me a question about protocols for injured workers to protect their personal sensitive health information when dealing with WorkCover. I can advise the House that all records held by WorkCover are managed in accordance with WorkCover statutory obligations under the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998, the Health Records and Information Protection Act 2002 and its privacy management plan. I can also advise that Operational Instruction 1.6 of the Scheme Agent Deed 2010-2014 provides information as to the manner in which the worker's confidential information is to be secured. The operational instruction is publicly available on the WorkCover website.
FIREARMS REGISTRY
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER: On 16 August 2012 the Hon. Robert Brown asked me as Minister for Police and Emergency Services, representing the Attorney General, a question regarding the personal data of firearm owners. I now provide the following response:
Following the member's question a detailed response from the NSW Police Force was requested concerning the security of names and addresses of firearms owners with specific regard to the distribution of those details within police stations for the purposes of conducting firearms safety audits.
I am advised local area commands have different procedures for the handling and distribution of those details for audit purposes.
20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15531
I am advised some commands do place these documents in officer pigeonholes for collection by those officers when they commence duty.
I am further advised that all such information is disposed of securely via shredding or security bins.
In light of the advice provided by police, and notwithstanding the inherent security of police stations, through my office the NSW Police Force Commissioner Andrew Scipione has been requested to curtail the use of unsecured pigeonholes for the distribution of firearm owner details as soon as possible.
Questions without notice concluded.
Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted to permit a motion to adjourn the House if desired.
The House continued to sit.
Pursuant to sessional orders Government business given precedence.
NIMMIE-CAIRA SYSTEM ENHANCED ENVIRONMENTAL WATER DELIVERY PROJECT
Production of Documents: Return to Order
The Clerk tabled, pursuant to resolution of 23 August 2012, documents relating to Nimmie-Caira System Enhanced Environmental Water Delivery Project received on 20 September 2012 from the Director General of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, together with an indexed list of the documents.
Production of Documents: Claim of Privilege
The Clerk tabled a return identifying those of the documents that are claimed to be privileged and should not be tabled or made public. The Clerk advised that pursuant to standing orders the documents are available for inspection by members of the Legislative Council only.
ADJOURNMENT
The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER (Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Minister for the Hunter, and Vice-President of the Executive Council) [3.34 p.m.]: I move:
That this House do now adjourn.
LIFE EDUCATION
The Hon. NATASHA MACLAREN-JONES [3.34 p.m.]: Life Education is a community organisation that works to educate, motivate and empower children and young people to make informed choices for a safe and healthy lifestyle. Every year over 22,000 Australians die as a result of alcohol or drug abuse. That is one person every 24 minutes of every day. That does not include the huge social cost that alcohol or drugs place on our economy and the health services. Life Education was founded in Sydney in 1979 because of growing concerns about the misuse of drugs and alcohol amongst young people. Life Education is the largest non-government provider of drug and health-related education in Australia. To date over four million students have participated in their programs.
Last year they worked with 3,200 schools nationally, with 610,000 students in their care. A total of 350,000 of these students were from New South Wales. It is estimated that on average children and young people involved in the program have a minimum of 15 hours of face-to-face education and interaction each year. One of Life Education's key mascots is Healthy Harold. For the past 30 years the loveable giraffe has taught children how to enjoy a healthy lifestyle by resisting participation in drug and alcohol abuse and creating an environment for the children to learn through fun. Healthy Harold is part of a broader interactive program which includes Life Education's highly trained educators.
Working closely with State and Territory governments, Life Education assists students to acquire age-appropriate knowledge to support informed health choices, develop practical skills and strategies to act upon decisions, and recognise the values and attitudes that may influence lifestyle choices and behaviours. For almost six years Life Education has implemented an early childhood program focusing on the health and 15532 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
wellbeing of preschool age children. The program comprises a 45-minute to 60-minute interactive session in a preschool environment using the methodologies of storytelling, puppetry, interactive play or group activities, music and song, and movement. They focus on seven main areas: the body, personal hygiene, safety, exercise, nutrition, sleep, and relationships.
Life Education has been successfully supporting primary school drug and health education for a number of years. Primary schools play a vital role in preparing children for life and in shaping their journey through school. Research shows that the earlier we encourage children to develop positive self-image and self-esteem the better equipped they are to take on positive healthy life choices later in life. Life Education has skilled educators who work with schools to develop programs and sessions to support drug and health education. The sessions are designed to be age specific and unique in their approach by engaging the community to help with developing connections between the home and school and between families, children and their teachers.
In secondary schools the Face the Facts drug education program is run to promote students' wellbeing. The program offers alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug modules, each with their own set of specific educational outcomes. The program is guided by the principles of School Drug Education 2004, whereby it promotes a supportive climate and relationship. It is targeted to schools' context and priorities and ensures all curriculum content is evidence based. The design of the classroom sessions in Face the Facts reflects the engaging curriculum model which meets individual students' needs, relies on interactive student-centred activities and aims to build student engagement and healthy life outcomes.
Schools represent diverse populations due to differences in geographical locations, socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds, and values held by their community and families. In response to this, rather than having a one-size-fits-all resource, the program has been developed to ensure that it meets the individual needs of students and the schools. Furthermore, Life Education's family forum engages parents in their children's learning and helps to provide supportive structures within the family unit through open communication. Parents are also able to share views with other parents and children, as well as increase their knowledge on drug-related issues. Families play an important role in the development of a child's attitude about drug use and parents directly influence the behaviour of their children through their own behaviours and attitudes. Open communication with parents is essential to build resilience in young people to deal with difficult issues in life and also to reduce the likelihood of drug use.
EDUCATION FUNDING
The Hon. ADAM SEARLE (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [3.38 p.m.]: I will discuss the recent changes to education funding announced last week. I do so as a parent with children in both the Catholic and public school systems. Education has always been understood as a key driver of personal and social improvement for individuals and families. It is also clear beyond argument that there is a correlation between a society's investment in education and its material wellbeing. Education was the key factor in my personal and professional attainments. I believe it is the right of every child to have a decent education to permit them to make a real choice over who they are and what they will be in adult life. For generations education has been the passport out of disadvantage.
As a society, each year for decades New South Wales has increased investment in education, in our shared future, in our children—until last week, when the Government announced it will cut nearly $2 billion in education spending and nearly 2,000 staff from the education sector. This is a devastating attack on every school and every family in every town and suburb across New South Wales. In my view it constitutes an unprecedented attack on the future of our children and on developing our economic as well as our social capacity.
The Government has tried to gloss over that announcement by saying that no teachers will be affected; that 600 positions in schools and other positions in TAFE will be affected and that no classroom activities will be affected. But the Government cannot simply remove $1.7 billion from our education system without impacting on the classroom and seeing resources and programs cut. The students who are most vulnerable, who have most need, who have learning difficulties or special needs, and who, for example, may require reading recovery programs, will be the hardest hit by these cuts.
As a nation we have been discussing the Gonski review of school funding, which suggests that we need urgently to invest more in education as well as in our public and other schools. Previously the New South Wales Government made noises that it backed the Gonski reform proposals—a position reaffirmed by the Premier as 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15533
recently as 4 September. The Minister for Education even indicated that the Government would be prepared to invest additional resources in schools, if asked to do so by the Commonwealth Government, but instead we got last week's announcement. What will the impact of this assault on education be?
I note that the Government has said that approximately 600 positions will be removed from schools, but that no teachers will be removed. Of course, schools' assistants already have been slated for cuts, which will impact on the capacity of teachers to teach and adversely affect the quality of the educational experience for scores of students. In my own area of the Blue Mountains, in many schools every class will be affected by those changes—for example, where there is one or more child with particular needs and where school assistants are vital in providing respite to teachers so that they can teach other kids who do not have special needs.
There is simply no slack remaining in the system, if ever there was any. If those 600 positions in schools are removed, who will develop the resources and other tools needed for teachers to deliver education in the classroom? This devastating set of changes provides an unpleasant insight into the nature of the Government. On 2 May this year in the Legislative Assembly the Minister for Education said that the Government was moving to a form of asset management, similar to that employed by large corporations. He stated:
The Government is also moving to a standard industry form of asset management such as life cycle management. That is the sort of thing that large organisations with multiple sites across the State do, such as McDonald's and Woolworths.
Education is the same.
At least in the mind of the Minister for Education, education is a commodity, like McDonald's. This is of a piece with the Government's attacks on child protection workers, the VisionCare program—which last year provided spectacles to 26,000 low-income persons—cuts to financial support for foster carers, attacks on the rights of nearly 400,000 public sector workers, and recent attacks on the rights of and medical care for those who have been injured at work. The list just goes on and on. The unifying theme is that all the attacks are being made on those who are most vulnerable and those who most need the essential services and funding that only government provides to the wider community.
The victims of this set of changes also are our children, who look to us for support, encouragement and a decent education so that they are equipped to become properly functioning members of society. That is the signature move of this Government—the hallmark for which it is known, to its continuing shame. This is the first Government, the first Premier, and the first Minister for Education to say, "We can't afford to educate our children, as has occurred previously. We will reduce the resources available for school education in this State." I cannot believe that in the early twenty-first century, a government has done this. It is short-sighted, it is short-changing the next generation, and it is undercutting our economic and social capacity.
STRATEGIC REGIONAL LAND USE POLICY
The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM [3.43 p.m.]: This afternoon I wish to highlight the deteriorating influence of The Nationals in New South Wales politics. I link this failure to its continually dismal record of failing to stand up for rural and regional communities, especially the farming community. The announcement last week by the Government of a Strategic Regional Land Use Policy—does the Government Whip remember that?—is the most recent and serious case in point, but by no means the only one.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Madam Deputy-President, I refer you to the standing orders. The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham is wearing a badge that exceeds the size of the Legislative Council badge, which is out of order. I ask you to direct him to remove it immediately.
The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham: Robert, take yours off too.
The Hon. Robert Borsak: No. Mine is the same size.
The DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Jennifer Gardiner): Order! The Hon. Jeremy Buckingham has removed his badge.
The Hon. JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: As usual, the Government Whip is concentrating on the big issues. In opposition, the Hon. Duncan Gay proclaimed with great fanfare that a Strategic Regional Land Use Policy would:
Identify strategic agricultural land and associated water and ensure that it is protected from the impacts of development.
15534 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
The policy went on to state:
[The] New South Wales Liberals and Nationals believe that agricultural land and other sensitive areas exist in New South Wales where mining and coal seam gas extraction should not occur.
The policy delivered last week fails to deliver protection to one square inch of productive agricultural land. The Nationals now want all land, even the best of the best agricultural land—strategic, important or whatever we call it—to be mined or drilled for gas under this policy. Most productive land across the State is still exposed fully to mining development applications and exploration, without even the much-touted Gateway Review System hoop to jump through. In this House in the past week, not one question has been asked by members of The Nationals to confirm how this policy would protect regional communities. I suspect that is because they know the answer reflects poorly on them. There was some coverage in the media of the submission by the New South Wales Nationals Central Council natural resource and energy policy committee to the draft land use plans. The submission made clear The Nationals view. It states:
[There are] aspects of the Government's Draft Policy which have not met expectations generated by the publication of the New South Wales Liberal and Nationals Strategic Land Use Policy before the 2011 general election which set out the two Opposition Parties' intentions to establish a balanced State-wide land use policy.
The submission contained 15 recommendations. Reflecting on the final policy that was announced last week, I take the view it is clear that the New South Wales Nationals parliamentary party has failed to deliver on a single demand from its party's own submission. The submission called for an additional land category to be added—fail. The Nationals wanted the Gateway assessment brought in front of the exploration process—fail. They wanted no-go zones on strategic agricultural land—failed miserably. They wanted buffer zones increased from two kilometres to five kilometres. They did very well on buffer zones indeed. They managed to get buffer zones removed completely—big fail. They wanted the aquifer interference policy toughened. Instead it was weakened and will no longer be made a regulation—fail. They wanted the North Coast to have its own strategic regional land use plan. Instead it will have only its regional strategy updated—fail. The ability of The Nationals parliamentary party to deliver for its members in the Coalition is zero.
This is not the only policy area where The Nationals have failed to deliver for regional New South Wales and farmers. Earlier this year I moved amendments to the Noxious Weeds Act that would require public landholders to meet the same expectations as private landholders when it came to managing noxious weeds. The amendment I moved reflected The Nationals policy position as stated in an election commitment in the lead-up to the March 2011 State election. Clearly, The Nationals influence in Cabinet has fallen to almost zero. It started with the Hon. Duncan Gay being dropped from the Primary Industries portfolio and it has deteriorated from there. The Nationals failure to get changes through Cabinet in the interest of regional communities and farmers raises questions about why The Nationals remain in coalition with the Liberal Party. One has to wonder whether the actions of the Liberal Party are intentional. Perhaps it is about destroying The Nationals in the hope of taking over regional seats.
The recent comments by the member for Barwon, Kevin Humphries, suggest that The Nationals have started to realise their weakness in the Cabinet. But instead of coming out publicly against the policies of their Liberal Coalition partners and in support of their constituents, The Nationals have become apologists for many of those policies while keeping their fingers crossed and hoping their communities continue to lock the gate. It appears that the failures by The Nationals to deliver in Parliament are now starting to impact on their support in the bush.
Polling since the 2011 State election has shown support for The Nationals is less than half of their 12.5 per cent vote at the election. Currently it is sitting at 5 per cent. This contrasts to current support for The Greens of 12 per cent. The Greens are ready to stand up for the interests of rural and regional New South Wales in the Parliament, in the community and at the next election. It is clear from what happened today in the Supreme Court that The Nationals and the moderates in the Liberal Party have been rolled by the Minister for Resources and Energy, Special Minister of State, and Minister for the Central Coast, Chris Hartcher, who is the true Premier of this State.
WIND TURBINES
The Hon. ROBERT BORSAK [3.48 p.m.]: Madam Deputy-President—
The DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Jennifer Gardiner): Order! If the Hon. Robert Borsak is wearing a badge that is larger than the permitted size, he will have to remove it. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15535
The Hon. ROBERT BORSAK: Madam-President, my badge is the same size as the Legislative Council badge. I checked.
The DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Jennifer Gardiner): Order! I will not get out the ruler. The Hon. Robert Borsak has the call. I was wearing a larger badge earlier, but I took it off.
The Hon. ROBERT BORSAK: Tonight I wish to speak about alternative energy, such as solar and wind power. I note the recent pledge by the Government to triple the amount of energy generated by wind turbines and solar panels in New South Wales over the next eight years—at no extra cost to the public. Given that people in the past few weeks have been receiving their latest quarterly electricity bill and that many have seen a 50 per cent increase, I can only wish the Government good luck. Wind farms particularly have been very divisive in local communities, nowhere more so than in the Boorowa district. I have no doubt that many members in this place have had meetings with and information from groups opposed to wind turbines. Their concerns about wind turbines are genuine. Of particular concern is the concept of infrasound, although there are arguments both ways about whether it exists.
Boorowa people are convinced it does—and have taken up the fight—but feel they are not being listened to by the authorities, so I have undertaken to put some of their concerns on the public record. They claim infrasound is produced by industrial wind turbines and has been measured inside the homes of people who are experiencing wind turbine syndrome symptoms such as dizziness, nausea, tinnitus, sleep disturbance, or waking up with panic attacks in the dead of night—just to name a few. The effects that infrasound has on human health are also apparently well documented and written about in many peer reviewed papers, but the wind industry seemingly ignores or rejects them.
I am told there are similar ranges and patterns of symptoms from residents affected by industrial infrasound and low-frequency noise from other sources, including gas-fired power stations and open-cut coalmining. This is an area in which little proper research data has been collected. However, this does not mean that there is not a serious and rapidly growing problem—nor does it mean that relevant existing evidence and research should be ignored. I believe the wind industry and NSW Health can no longer rely on the outdated and inadequate 2010 rapid review statement of the National Health and Medical Research Council to justify their inaction in taking precautions to protect residents from industrial wind turbines, and subsequent contempt of the many rural residents who have had to abandon their homes to escape the noise pollution to which they are constantly subjected just to enjoy a good night's sleep. In effect, they have become wind farm refugees.
I am told NSW Health has not done its own health studies, nor has the Department of Infrastructure and Planning done its own noise studies. I would be disappointed if they are both relying on reports mainly provided by the wind industry. The people of Boorowa feel that technology is being imposed on rural communities without any adequate safety data beforehand. They believe that complying with New South Wales Government guidelines is relatively easy for wind farm developers. However, they also maintain that the turbines in their area have been proven to be creating adverse impacts on human health. There is an apprehension by many country people that the draft guidelines have basically been formulated by the wind industry and New South Wales Department of Infrastructure and Planning bureaucrats in order to have development approvals easily granted. They are also concerned that overseas multinational companies continue to pick up the government subsidies in the form of renewable energy credits when the turbines are built and operating.
One would have thought transparency and openness would be a big part of this emerging industry. Developers have been asked to give written guarantees that residents will not be adversely impacted by the industrial wind turbines, yet to date not one developer has been willing to give such a guarantee. We can see why those having these turbines placed near their homes are worried. They need full and proper consideration— and it is up to the Government to ensure that they get it.
EDUCATION FUNDING
The Hon. ERIC ROOZENDAAL [3.53 p.m.]: When it comes to education Barry O'Farrell and the Liberal Party's only policy is to cut spending and deny opportunity to the children of this State. This Liberal Party policy is not only a blow to the aspirations of hundreds of thousands of Australians; it is economic vandalism. The Australian economy is crying out for more skilled workers. We know that in coming years roughly a third of our workforce will require a bachelor's degree or higher. We need to continue to grow the number of graduates in the workforce to drive high-skilled and productive industry in Australia. To deny sectors such as the resource sector the engineers, human resource professionals and other related professionals they 15536 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 20 September 2012
require will do real long-term damage to the economy. These funding cuts will be felt by New South Wales for more than a decade because they will have a significant impact on the education sector right across New South Wales, and on students' educational outcomes.
Barry O'Farrell and the Liberals are cutting $1.7 billion from public schools, Catholic schools, independent schools and TAFE colleges. They are sacking 1,800 teachers and support staff, increasing TAFE fees by 9.5 per cent, and doubling the cost of concession fees for TAFE courses from $53 to $100. They will charge TAFE fine arts students commercial fees, and they will axe the Joint Group Training Scheme. All of these cuts will have major impacts on the educational outcomes of students in New South Wales. It is done as a way of cutting expenses but ultimately parents will have to bear the burden to make up the shortfall. By freezing the per capita funding for Independent schools the Government is effectively slashing $116 million from this sector—that is, $116 million in cuts to Jewish, Catholic, Muslim and independent schools as part of $1.7 billion in cuts. These are the most savage cuts to the education sector by any State government in 20 years. In a letter to Mr O'Farrell, the chairman of the New South Wales branch of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools, John Collier, said the proposed cuts were worse than the hit list of private schools drafted by Mr Latham during the 2004 Federal election campaign. The letter stated:
This king hit on funding of independent schools represents the greatest assault on our sector in the past five decades.
It is stunning to be compared to Mark Latham and found to be worse, but Barry O'Farrell has managed it with his hit list of schools as he decimates the education sector of the State. The cuts will impact on students and schools across New South Wales. Class sizes, school fees and assistance for disadvantaged students and those with special needs will all be affected. Every student in New South Wales deserves a quality education: it lays the foundation for future success and allows every child to reach their full potential. Cuts of the magnitude planned by the O'Farrell Government will have an impact on the education sector for generations to come.
The Labor Party believes that education matters—it is the most important investment we can make— and we will fight for our schools. Education is the great equaliser. A good education, with strong investment, can have flow-on impacts. It can reduce crime, increase employment and improve our local communities and all of society. We need to be investing in our teachers; we do not need to be sacking them. We need funding for our schools, not cuts in funding to schools. The Gonski review recommended that governments invest more in education, so what does O'Farrell do? He decides to spend less on education funding and cut funds and he risks derailing the implementation of the most important education reforms in decades. These cuts by Liberal-Nationals State governments reflect the same agenda that the Liberal Party took to the last Federal election, which reflected the Howard Government's record failure to invest in higher education and failure to invest in vocational education. When the Gonski report was released the Federal Liberal leader, Mr Abbott, said:
Public schools don't need any more money. We don't support this, because public schools don't need any more money to support a lift in educational standards.
Even Tony Abbott is attempting to distance himself from the State Government's cuts in the education sector. These cuts threaten to undermine the national training effort that the Labor Gillard Government has been significantly investing in over the last two years. That commitment and investment has been at the heart of an attempt to drive a modern economy to make sure that our people have skills and an education so that they can take advantage of the economic opportunities that become available to Australia and to drive innovation. But that investment has been undermined by announcements by Liberal State governments in recent weeks that seek to reduce Australia's overall commitment to education and skills by slashing their funding to education and skills development in the Australian economy. These cuts by the O'Farrell Liberal Government are to the detriment of the future of children in this State. We will feel the impact of these bad decisions for many years to come.
AUSTRALIAN ROTARY HEALTH
The Hon. MARIE FICARRA (Parliamentary Secretary) [3.58 p.m.]: Australian Rotary Health is the largest non-government organisation operating in Australia seeking to provide funding for and raise awareness of mental health and other health conditions affecting people all over Australia. Its objectives are to raise funds to support the ongoing study into cancer research, sudden infant death syndrome and particularly mental health. Australian Rotary Health was founded in 1981 by the late Ian Scott from the Rotary Club of Mornington, Victoria. With the support and dedication of 1,175 nationwide Rotary clubs, Australian Rotary Health has been able to expand its resources and research across the country to provide medical research aimed at helping all Australians. Australian Rotary Health depends solely on the generosity of the community to fund its work into specific areas of medical research, with a particular focus on mental health. 20 September 2012 LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 15537
In the past funding has been allocated to the following projects: sudden infant death syndrome between 1985 and 1988; environmental health problems of the aged between 1989 and 1992; adolescent health during the years 1993 and 1995; and family health in the years between 1996 and 1999. In the years since 2000 Australian Rotary Health has dedicated its funds predominantly to mental health. It is estimated that one in five Australian adults experienced a mental disorder in the previous 12 months and almost half of the total Australian population will experience a mental disorder at some time in their lives. Depression and anxiety are the most prevalent mental disorders experienced by Australians. At least one-third of young people have had an episode of mental illness by the age of 25 years. Mental disorders and suicide account for over 14 per cent of Australia's total health burden. Estimates suggest that up to 75 per cent of people presenting with alcohol and drug problems have additional mental health problems. Reports indicate that up to 85 per cent of homeless people have a mental health disorder.
In the years since 2000 Australian Rotary Health has been responsible for investing over $20 million in research projects Australia-wide—such as, the 2010 Mental Health Pilot Study; the 2011 Mental Health Services Evaluations; and sponsorships for many students researching significant aspects of mental health, including many Indigenous scholarships to encourage and promote the study of medical research in this under-researched sector of our society. Australian Rotary Health is responsible for a $5,000 Rural Medical Scholarship, which was introduced in 2007, and the funding of the Parnell Rural Nursing Scholarship of $12,500, which was introduced in 2008. Australian Rotary Health has held various events aimed at engaging the community in its work, to raise its profile and to raise funds to aid the support of its research projects. Some events include the Sydney Charity Golf Day, which is held annually each March; the Great Australian Bike Ride, which is a nine-stage bike ride around Australia; and the annual Sydney Christmas Dinner, to name a few.
Since 2000 Australian Rotary Health has established over 500 community forums to raise awareness and create discussion about the causes and treatment of mental health problems. Importantly, these forums also act as a support network for those experiencing mental health problems personally, or helping a supportive loved one through these difficult and challenging problems. These forums have been attended by more than 25,000 Australians. Australian Rotary Health also offers mental health first aid workshops that equip attendees with the essential skills, knowledge and information to appropriately assist those who are suffering from mental health problems, and their family and friends support base.
The work instigated by Australian Rotary Health has impacted on the lives and wellbeing of countless Australians since its inception in 1981. Thanks to Australian Rotary Health's work and the donations of its generous sponsors the issue of mental health, along with many others, is receiving considerable attention, funding and research. I commend the chairman, Terry Grant; vice chairman, Don Whatham; the chief executive officer, Joy Gillett; directors Barney Koo, Harold Sharp, John Egan, Dr Dick Wilson, Peter Kaye, Russ O'Malley, Patrick Hartley and Phil Cordery; the treasurer, Ron Beslich; and solicitor Loch Adams. World Mental Health Day will be held on 10 October to raise public awareness of mental health issues worldwide. The theme of the Mental Health Council of Australia for 2012 is "Whoever you are or wherever you live, you are not alone". I commend Australian Rotary Health for its exemplary contribution to the field of medical research and congratulate it on its outstanding efforts towards its cause for the betterment of so many Australian individuals and their families.
THE GREENS
The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS [4.03 p.m.]: In the time remaining I wish to debunk one of the great political myths in Australian politics today: that The Greens are the party of young people. Nothing could be further from the truth. I refer to a report of Chris Harris regarding preselection for the Senate and note the demographic breakdown of The Greens NSW. Of those born in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, 1,227 are members of The Greens, yet of those born in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s only 371 are members. The Greens do not have a youthful party; it has a party made up of disgruntled baby boomers, ex-communists who joined after their own communist visions failed, smelly hippies, crazy cat ladies in their later menopausal years, and moratorium marchers who went out in March 1971 and intellectually never came home. The symbol of The Greens is not a Prius, it is an EJ Holden.
[Time for debate expired.]
Question—That this House do now adjourn—put and resolved in the affirmative.
Motion agreed to.
The House adjourned at 4.04 p.m. until Tuesday 16 October 2012 at 2.30 p.m.