ABORTION 4364 ADJOURNMENT 4369 AGRICULTURAL LAND USE 4359 ANTI-POVERTY WEEK 4369 AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT 4368 BLUESCOPE STEEL, PORT KEMBLA 4362 BRIDGES FOR THE BUSH 4358 BROKEN HEEL FESTIVAL 4332 BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE 4328 CAPITALISM AND POVERTY 4374 CARERS WEEK 2015 4327 CLASSIC VEHICLES REGISTRATION SCHEME 4353 COMMUNITY AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE NURSING WEEK 4325 CONDUCT OF MEMBERS AND VISITORS 4328 DETENTION ORDERS 4353, 4354, 4356 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 4371 ELECTRONIC DEVICE USE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 4328 GASTROENTERITIS OUTBREAK 4361 GENERAL PURPOSE STANDING COMMITTEE NO. 6 4324 HUNTER REGION JOBS AND RAIL 4362 INTERNATIONAL PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS REMEMBRANCE DAY 4324 LIVEABLE COMMUNITIES GRANTS PROGRAM 4355 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATIONS 4356, 4363 LOUD SHIRT DAY 2015 4326 LYNWOOD PARK RURAL FIRE SERVICE 4372 MELANOMA 4370 MR PATRICK FRANCIS (SCOOP) SULLIVAN, OAM 4326 NATIONAL CARERS WEEK 2015 4325 NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME 4359 NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE AMENDMENT (RESERVATION OF LOT 490) BILL 2015 4329 NORTH COAST SURF LIFE SAVING CLUBS 4370 PETITIONS 4328 QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE 4353 REAL MEN MOVE 4360 RECREATIONAL FISHING 4356 SENIORS GAS AND ELECTRICITY CHARGES 4364 SOCIAL COHESION 4373 SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT 4328 STOCKTON AND NEWCASTLE FERRY SERVICE 4361, 4363 THE ELLA CENTRE 4326 TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT (CLOSURE OF RAILWAY LINE AT NEWCASTLE) BILL 2015 4324 TRAVELLING STOCK RESERVES 4361 WALLY'S PIGGERY 4354 WELLBEING INDICATORS 4357 WENDY WHITELEY'S SECRET GARDEN 4327 WILLIAMTOWN LAND CONTAMINATION 4364, 4364 WILLIAMTOWN WATER CONTAMINATION 4358 WORKERS COMPENSATION PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR OPERATIONS 4364 WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY 4348, 4364 WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY 4325 WORLD HOMELESS DAY 4327 ZONTA INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 24 CONFERENCE 2015 43 26
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
Thursday 15 October 2015
______
The President (The Hon. Donald Thomas Harwin) took the chair at 10.00 a.m.
The President read the Prayers.
TRANSPORT ADMINISTRATION AMENDMENT (CLOSURE OF RAILWAY LINE AT NEWCASTLE) BILL 2015
Protest
The PRESIDENT: I report the following communication from Dr Mehreen Faruqi, Mr David Shoebridge, Dr John Kaye, Mr Jeremy Buckingham, and Ms Jan Barham to the Clerk of the Parliaments:
Protest against the passing of the bill titled "Transport Administration Amendment (Closure of Railway Line at Newcastle) Bill 2015".
Dissentient:
1. Because the bill allows the truncation of the heavy rail line which connects the heart of Newcastle with Sydney CBD and the Upper Hunter. It thus severs the backbone of the public transport system in Newcastle and the Hunter region.
2. Because the case made for closing the rail line is not founded on merit, evidence or the will of the people and has no public business case or cost benefit analysis.
3. Because the bill will have a negative impact on the communities of the Hunter, Central Coast and Newcastle and will deny them of a world-class public transport system and opportunities for future growth and sustainability.
4. Because the bill will allow the sale of the public rail corridor for private development and deny the people of the region a say on the type of development that occurs on the corridor.
Mehreen Faruqi David Shoebridge John Kaye Jeremy Buckingham Jan Barham
Legislative Council Chamber 15 October 2015
According to standing order, a copy of the protest will be forwarded to His Excellency the Governor.
Pursuant to sessional orders Formal Business Notices of Motions proceeded with.
GENERAL PURPOSE STANDING COMMITTEE NO. 6
Extension of Reporting Date
Motion by the Hon. PAUL GREEN agreed to:
That the reporting date for the reference to General Purpose Standing Committee No. 6 relating to an inquiry into vocational education and training be extended to Tuesday 15 December 2015.
INTERNATIONAL PREGNANCY AND INFANT LOSS REMEMBRANCE DAY
Motion by the Hon. SARAH MITCHELL agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) 15 October 2015 is International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day;
(b) International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day allows parents and families from across Australia to honour their babies who passed away from miscarriage, stillbirth or postnatal causes; and
(c) events are held around the country to remember these children including balloon releases, Walks to Remember, fundraisers, and memorial services.
(2) That this House acknowledges the importance of International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day as a chance to raise awareness of the emotional impact of pregnancy and infant loss.
COMMUNITY AND PRIMARY HEALTH CARE NURSING WEEK
Motion by the Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) this year, the Australian College of Nursing launched Community and Primary Health Care Nursing Week;
(b) Community and Primary Health Care Nurses were celebrated during the week of 21 to 27 September 2015; and
(c) the aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of the contribution these nurses make to the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
(2) That this House acknowledges:
(a) the professional work of community and primary health care nurses in a range of settings including community health centres, outreach clinics, homes, Aboriginal medical services, schools and prisons; and
(b) the importance of nurses in allowing many patients to receive health services within their rural and remote communities.
NATIONAL CARERS WEEK 2015
Motion by the Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) National Carers Week 2015 will run from Sunday October 11 to Saturday 17 October 2015;
(b) National Carers Week is about recognising and celebrating the outstanding contribution unpaid carers make to Australia;
(c) carers make an enormous contribution to communities as well as the national economy, and National Carers Week is a fantastic opportunity for Australians to learn more about carers and caring; and
(d) it has been estimated that it would cost taxpayers around $60 billion to replace the unpaid work that carers selflessly provide.
(2) That this House acknowledges and congratulates the tireless efforts of Carers Australia in organising and promoting National Carers Week, in addition to all the other invaluable work of the organisation.
(3) That this House congratulates Sheila Openshaw of Port Macquarie who has been named the 2015 Carer of the Year.
WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY
Motion by the Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) 7 October marks World Cerebral Palsy Day;
(b) cerebral palsy [CP] is a physical disability that affects movement and posture and is a permanent life-long condition, but generally does not worsen over time;
(c) cerebral palsy is due to damage to the developing brain either during pregnancy or shortly after birth; and
(d) cerebral palsy is the most common physical disability in childhood and there are around 34,000 Australians living with cerebral palsy.
(2) That this House acknowledges the work of the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in organising events in conjunction with World Cerebral Palsy Day, and acknowledges people living with cerebral palsy and their carers.
THE ELLA CENTRE
Motion by the Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that on 7 October 2016, the Ella Centre hosted Federal parliamentarians the Hon. Jenny Macklin, MP, and the Hon. Anthony Albanese, and the New South Wales shadow Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. Sophie Cotsis, MLC.
(2) That this House notes the work of the Ella Centre, which provides a range of services to people with a disability, older people, people with dementia, carers, and those who have needs not acknowledged or met by others.
(3) That this House notes the Ella Centre will be instrumental to the successful roll out of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in the inner west of Sydney in 2017.
(4) That this House thanks the Ella Centre Chief Executive Officer, Philip Coller, staff and volunteers for their tireless work and dedication.
LOUD SHIRT DAY 2015
Motion by the Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) Loud Shirt Day will be held on Friday 16 October 2015;
(b) Loud Shirt Day is a fundraising event for First Voice centres across Australia, encouraging participants to wear their brightest clothing and raise money to help support deaf children;
(c) First Voice is a national body representing a number of member organisations focused on supporting hearing impaired children in Australia and New Zealand; and
(d) First Voice centres receive only a portion of their funding from State and Federal governments, and rely heavily on corporate and community support and fundraising to raise the funds necessary to deliver intensive therapy services to those families that need them.
(2) That this House acknowledges the work of First Voice and congratulates it on its organisation of Loud Shirt Day 2015.
MR PATRICK FRANCIS (SCOOP) SULLIVAN, OAM
Motion by the Hon. MICK VEITCH agreed to:
(1) That this House notes the passing of Patrick Francis (Scoop) Sullivan, OAM, on 28 September 2015, aged 75 years.
(2) That this House notes that Patrick Sullivan:
(a) made a major contribution to regional journalism as the longest serving editor of the Gundagai Independent;
(b) was named Gundagai Citizen of the Year in 2008; and
(c) in 2013 was awarded an Medal of the Order of Australia for services to journalism and to the community of Gundagai.
(3) That this House extends its condolences to the family of the late Patrick Sullivan, OAM.
ZONTA INTERNATIONAL DISTRICT 24 CONFERENCE 2015
Motion by the Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) the 2015 Zonta International District 24 Conference was held in Orange from 2 to 4 October 2015;
(b) the Zonta International movement is a leading service organisation of professionals empowering women worldwide through service and advocacy; and
(c) the Zonta Conference had a program of speakers and workshops to foster and support leadership, to inspire and motivate the membership, and to empower women, particularly those in rural communities.
(2) That this House congratulates all those involved in the organisation of the conference, in particular District 24 Governor, Margaret Bateman.
WENDY WHITELEY'S SECRET GARDEN
Motion by the Hon. SHAYNE MALLARD agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) "Wendy's secret garden" is a patch of land behind the residence of Australian artist Wendy Whiteley that she has tended to since the death of her artist husband, Brett Whiteley, in 1992;
(b) the land is owned by Transport for NSW;
(c) it was recently announced by the Government that the land has been leased to North Sydney Council on a 30-year renewable term; and
(d) prior to Wendy Whiteley's intervention the land was full of rubbish such as old mattresses, tyres and other paraphernalia.
(2) That this House congratulates:
(a) Wendy Whiteley for her years of labour and her visionary transformation of the land into an urban oasis for public good;
(b) the producers of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's series Australian Story, who, on 7 September 2015, told the story of the garden in an episode entitled "Wendy's Way"; and
(c) all parties involved in securing the garden's future for significant public benefit.
WORLD HOMELESS DAY
Motion by Ms JAN BARHAM agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) 10 October 2015 was World Homeless Day; and
(b) the aim of World Homeless Day is to draw attention to homeless persons' needs locally and to provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness.
(2) That this House acknowledges that:
(a) homelessness causes personal harm to those who experience it, costs governments by placing increased demand on health, justice and welfare services, and significantly impacts society by causing intergenerational inequality and entrenching disadvantage;
(b) the lack of affordable housing in social housing and the private rental market contributes to the risk of homelessness, with Anglicare Sydney's 2015 Rental Affordability Snapshot indicating that, of more than 14,000 properties in greater Sydney, only 24 per cent were affordable and appropriate for households on income support payments, leaving virtually no accommodation for young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness;
(c) an increasing number of older women in the community are experiencing housing problems and homelessness due to a lack of affordable housing; and
(d) numbers of homeless people have continued to rise, with the 2011 Census indicating that 28,190 people in New South Wales, or 41 people per 10,000, were homeless, a 20 per cent increase in the rate of homelessness since 2006.
(3) That this House:
(a) congratulates all people and organisations who have supported World Homeless Day;
(b) expresses its concern at the impacts of homelessness on individuals, society and governments; and
(c) supports ongoing investment not only to provide appropriate crisis services to those who have become homeless but to address the causes of homelessness, prevent people from becoming homeless and overcome the problems of disadvantage, inequality and housing affordability pressures that are contributing to ongoing homelessness in New South Wales.
CARERS WEEK 2015
Motion by Ms JAN BARHAM agreed to:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) Carers Week, a national week to recognise and celebrate the contributions of unpaid carers, runs from 11 to 17 October 2015;
(b) the slogan for Carers Week 2015 is "I Care"; and
(c) a range of events to celebrate Carers Week are being held across New South Wales, including the Carers Day Out at Parramatta Park on Tuesday 13 October 2015.
(2) That this House notes that:
(a) the collective unpaid contribution of carers in Australia, as at August 2015, has been estimated by Deloitte Access Economics as being worth around $60.3 billion per year; and
(b) the demand and supply gap is widening, and by 2025 Deloitte estimates that only 42 per cent of people with a severe disability aged over 65 and not in a residential care facility will have access to an unpaid carer.
(3) That this House acknowledges the dedication and effort of people who provide unpaid care to their family members and friends, and commits to promoting the wellbeing of carers across New South Wales.
PETITIONS
The Hon. Niall Blair lodged a response to the following petition signed by more than 500 persons:
Koala Child Care Centre—lodged 10 September 2015 (The Hon. Walt Secord)
Ordered to be printed on motion by the Hon. Niall Blair.
SPECIAL ADJOURNMENT
Motion by the Hon. Duncan Gay agreed to:
That this House at its rising today do adjourn until Tuesday 20 October 2015 at 2.30 p.m.
BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE
Suspension of Standing and Sessional Orders: Order of Business
Motion by the Hon. Dr Peter Phelps agreed to:
That standing and sessional orders be suspended to allow the moving of a motion forthwith relating to the conduct of the business of the House this day.
Order of Business
Motion by the Hon. Dr Peter Phelps agreed to:
That the order of Private Members' Business this day be as follows:
(1) Private Members' Business item No. 266 outside the Order of Precedence standing in the name of Mr Secord relating to the National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Reservation of Lot 490) Bill;
(2) Private Members' Business item No. 8 in the Order of Precedence standing in the name of Mrs Mitchell relating to the inaugural Broken Heel Festival;
(3) Private Members' Business item No. 6 in the Order of Precedence standing in the name of Mrs Houssos relating to flexible working arrangements; and
(4) Private Members' Business item No. 253 outside the Order of Precedence standing in the name of Mr Green relating to violence against women.
CONDUCT OF MEMBERS AND VISITORS
ELECTRONIC DEVICE USE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
The PRESIDENT: I draw two matters that arose recently to the attention of members relating to the conduct of business. Firstly, I remind members of past Presidents' rulings that relate to people in the public gallery. Last night there was an instance of a member of the public gallery passing a note to a member, and the member taking the note, which is out of order and should not continue. I also remind members that they are not to converse with people in the public gallery and that, when members are in the public gallery, it is impossible to make a contribution to House proceedings. They are the traditional standing orders relating to members of the public gallery.
Secondly, yesterday I reminded members to endeavour to keep all their electronic devices in silent mode to avoid disturbing the House. I also remind members of the rules relating to photography in the Chamber, which are quite strictly enforced. Selfies in the Chamber are completely inappropriate. If the practice is repeated, the member will be dealt with. The member involved knows to whom I refer.
NATIONAL PARKS AND WILDLIFE AMENDMENT (RESERVATION OF LOT 490) BILL 2015
Bill introduced, and read a first time and ordered to be printed on motion by the Hon. Walt Secord.
Second Reading
The Hon. WALT SECORD (Deputy Leader of the Opposition) [10.23 a.m.]: I move:
That this bill be now read a second time.
As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and shadow Minister for the North Coast, I am pleased to bring before the House the National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Reservation of Lot 490) Bill 2015. The long title of the bill is "an Act to amend the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 to reserve certain Crown Land known as lot 490 as a regional park." The object of the bill is to reserve certain Crown Land as a regional park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. The land concerned is Crown land located in Kingscliff, Tweed shire, and known locally as lot 490.
On 15 December 2014, I stood on the North Coast with Federal member for Richmond, Justine Elliot, Tweed Labor candidate, Ron Goodman, and Save Lot 490 members, Mr Ron Cooper and Jeremy Cornford, to pledge that Labor would turn lot 490 into a regional park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act. Putting lot 490 into the national parks system would protect it forever. After all, environmental protection is an area in which Labor has left a significant legacy. In New South Wales, there are 850 national parks and reserves, 350 of which were created by former Premier Bob Carr. They range in size from several hectares to Mutawintji National Park, formerly the Mootwingee National Park—a protected national park located in the far west—that covers almost 69,000 hectares. In total, there are more than seven million hectares of land in New South Wales that have been deemed national park or reserve.
Currently, the Tweed shire is home to the World Heritage listed national parks of Wollumbin-Mount Warning, the Nightcap ranges, the Border Ranges and a portion of the Lamington National Park. Those parks are both a source of local economy and local pride to the Tweed shire communities. They also are needed, due to increasing population pressures in the region. Adding lot 490 to the national parks system will be a welcome move on recreational and cultural use levels. Currently, there is a population explosion in the region. The Tweed Shire Council predicts the shire population, which is now approximately 90,000, will increase to 125,953 by 2036. That is an increase of almost 30 per cent, so it is important to protect the remaining coast reserves. I am pleased to introduce this important bill, which will protect the last remaining piece of coastal open space land and wildlife corridor in the Kingscliff area on the North Coast, to the New South Wales Parliament.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: And, just like every other national park, it will end up full of feral animals and feral vegetation.
The Hon. WALT SECORD: I acknowledge that interjection. Sadly, we are talking about only 26 hectares of land, which is hardly a huge area; but it is an important coastal and wildlife corridor in an area that is under enormous pressure from urban growth. To give a comparison, the Barangaroo site in Sydney's central business district is 22 hectares, but lot 490 is key and important land between Kingscliff and the Salt resorts. It is a vital green and wildlife corridor between development and more development. As a result, lot 490 has been at risk of unnecessary development for decades. It is time to protect it for the entire community, once and for all. Let me put it clearly: This bill puts a stake through the hearts of those who want to flog lot 490 to property developers. This bill will protect lot 490 forever. This bill will protect this unique piece of land from the white shoe brigade and their property developer mates. This bill will ensure lot 490 will be enjoyed by the entire State of NSW.
Unfortunately, the need for this legislation is urgent because the Baird Government—particularly, The Nationals—clearly has lot 490 in its sights. The Nationals do not want the land to be protected as a national park because that means they will not be able to develop the site. As recently as October 2015, the Baird Government admitted that its Crown Lands office had declared lot 490 as "Government property" on the register of potential properties to sell. Sadly, the North Coast is becoming a developer battleground, with The Nationals and their developer mates on one side and pretty much the whole community on the other. That was evident recently in the battle for the mayoralty of Tweed shire. But The Nationals are beholden to developer interests. The Nationals are doing everything in their power to wrest control of the council away from those who want to protect the unique quality of life on the North Coast.
The Nationals want to build Byrrill Creek dam. They want to rezone the site for the Pottsville high school for development rather than for educational purposes. The Nationals want to see coal seam gas and unconventional gas exploration on the North Coast, and The Nationals want to see development on lot 490. That is why they are not removing the exploration licences, despite repeatedly promising to do so. That is why this bill is so important. The National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Reservation of Lot 490) Bill 2015 will reserve Crown Land known locally as lot 490 as a regional park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. The New South Wales Parks and Wildlife Service defines regional parks as:
… areas of open space for recreation as well as for conserving fragile ecosystems …
And
… as offering recreational opportunities in or adjoining areas with high current or future recreation demands, whilst also providing conservation benefits.
Clause 1 of this bill sets out the name—also called the short title—of the proposed Act and clause 2 provides for the commencement of the proposed Act on the date of assent to the proposed Act. Schedule 1 inserts proposed clauses 3 and 4 into schedule 1A to the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974. Proposed clause 3 gives effect to the object referred to in the overview. Proposed clause 4 enables the description of the land to be adjusted to provide a more detailed description of the boundaries of the land by a notice published on the New South Wales Government legislation website that amends proposed clause 3.
I will now go into the detail of clauses 3 and 4 and their impact in the bill before the House. The land, as referenced in schedule 1, part 3, clause 1 (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e), identifies the land that is to be protected. The area to be protected as a regional park covers both sides of Casuarina Way, beginning north of when the properties abutting Snapper Avenue and Cathedral Crescent conclude, reaching out on either side to the Pacific Ocean on the east and Cudgen Creek on the west. The boundaries continue along the mean high water mark on each respective side, heading generally north. The reservation boundaries conclude at a generally horizontal line between the two points identified in clause 1 (c) and (d). That is, the mean high water mark points bordering the Pacific Ocean and Cudgen Creek nearest 28° 15' 54" S, 153° 35' 4" E and 28° 15' 51" S, and 153° 34' 56" E respectively.
Clause 3 from this section provides a name for the park which, if this bill passes, will become known as Kingscliff Regional Park, and also provides the aforementioned coordinates. However, I think there should be community discussion on the final name of the park. This bill will enable an adjustment of the description identified in clause 3 (1) (a) through to (e) in clause 4 (1). This is to enable the State Government authorities to appropriately amend the specific boundaries to provide a more detailed boundary description.
Clause 4 (2) will ensure that when greater details are provided it will be appropriately gazetted to the community. Clause 4 (3) gives the discretion of this gazetting to the relevant Minister. Clause 4 (4) declares that the Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage is required to certify in any notice under this clause that the adjustment effected by the notice will not result in any significant reduction in the size or value of national park estate land. Clause 4 (5) restricts adjustments under this clause to within 12 months from when this bill commences. Finally, clause 4 (6) enables the capacity of section 188C to amend boundaries to ensure appropriate management of the land and to ensure road access is not hindered and that existing roads through the identified boundaries are not impacted.
As I said before, the protection provided by this bill is now urgently necessary. Not only is there developer pressure on the site—for example, a number of years ago, Leighton Properties had plans to place 180 units, retail premises, tennis courts, basketball courts, a conference centre and even a bar on this public land—but also, and even greater, is the threat of the circling Nationals desperately trying any tactic they can to avoid protection for this site. At one point, the member for Tweed, Geoff Provest, even proposed a caravan park and a casino. The latest claim by Tweed Nationals member Geoff Provest is that there is an Aboriginal land claim over lot 490. Again, this is a convenient and completely mischievous excuse, and even conflicting. The Nationals suddenly discover a deep love for native title. If The Nationals are serious about this and any other Aboriginal land claim, as a Government they should press forward to get determinations over such land rather than placing these claims in a state of limbo.
I believe lot 490 could be like the more than 25 other national parks and reserves in New South Wales that are managed by or jointly managed with local Aboriginal communities. But that is not the real point of The Nationals. Their real agenda is that they want to kill off Kingscliff's last coastal reserve and wildlife corridor. In this, they have lost touch with the Tweed community and they have lost their sense of balance. Tweed shire residents are not anti-development; they recognise that there needs to be responsible development and they welcome the jobs they generate. But they will not stand idly by while they lose everything that makes the Tweed great.
Kingscliff, and indeed the entire Tweed, is a wonderful part of the world. It is wonderful because of its amazing beaches, exotic wildlife, stunning hills and, most of all, its great people. But The Nationals are, almost literally, like the farmer who kills the goose that lays the golden eggs. We cannot take this wonder for granted. We need to be ever vigilant and protect what it is that makes the Tweed great. Kingscliff has one of the last coastal reserves left and it is our duty to protect it. It is part of the intergenerational estate of New South Wales. Lot 490 is a beautiful part of the world in which we can enjoy nature, local flora and fauna, as it was intended to be enjoyed. The vulnerable glossy black cockatoo, two species of wallaby, blossom bats, native plants and other birds and animals call lot 490 and its surrounds home. They cannot protect themselves from the greed of developers so it is incumbent on us as legislators and the wider community to protect them through this legislation.
On that note, I wish to thank members of the Tweed community for fighting to save lot 490. This legislation is their work. I thank them for bringing this important issue to the attention of me and the Parliament. The community campaign undertaken by the Save Lot 490 team is a true story of people power and what can happen when the community does not lie down, roll over and give in to big business and The Nationals. I give credit particularly to Ron Cooper and his team, whose work on this issue has been remarkable. This team of concerned locals has gathered more than 16,000 signatures and has demonstrated the passion the Tweed shire community has for its environment and for protecting lot 490. It is unsurprising that The Nationals are ignoring the wishes of the community. They have a track record of ignoring locals—no greater example is The Nationals pro coal seam gas and unconventional gas fracking agenda.
New South Wales Labor stands by the Tweed community on this important issue. I implore The Nationals to follow suit. Certainly, The Nationals' track record on listening to the Tweed community has not been good, and record swings away from The Nationals at the last election reflect growing rejection of The Nationals' "anything for a developer" attitude. The member for Tweed has done nothing to protect lot 490 from unnecessary development, just as he did nothing to protect the land dedicated for Pottsville High School. The member for Tweed, Geoff Provest, is rolling out the red carpet so that developers can have their way. Indeed, I think the member for Tweed is a lost cause on most issues. He is now so steeped in pro-development tradition.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The member is clearly out of order and he knows that. The member should not make reflections on other members.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: There go three pages of his speech.
The Hon. WALT SECORD: It was actually about six pages.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The member would be well advised not to do what he did on a previous occasion.
The Hon. WALT SECORD: Mr President, I listened clearly to your advice and made the necessary adjustments.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Bring Walt back. What have you done with him?
The Hon. WALT SECORD: The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps should not provoke me. Protecting lot 490 will by no means undo the damage that The Nationals have caused to the region. Again I implore The Nationals and the other side to save lot 490 for the vulnerable glossy black cockatoo; to save lot 490 for the wallabies and the blossom bats; to save lot 490 for the native flora and fauna; to save lot 490 for the community that has worked so hard for this. I commend the National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Reservation of Lot 490) Bill 2015 to the House. I urge Nationals members, in particular, Sarah Mitchell, Ben Franklin and Niall Blair, to support this bill.
The Hon. Niall Blair: Point of order: The member was doing so well with his editing but he knows that he must address members by their correct title.
The PRESIDENT: Order! That point of order has been taken frequently and it is always upheld.
The Hon. WALT SECORD: On that note, I urge the Hon. Niall Blair, the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, the Hon. Trevor Khan, the Hon. Ben Franklin, the Hon. Duncan Gay, the Hon. Bronnie Taylor and their Liberal Party colleagues to support the National Parks and Wildlife Amendment (Reservation of Lot 490) Bill 2015. I commend the bill to the House.
Debate adjourned on motion by the Hon. Dr Peter Phelps and set down as an order of the day for a future day.
BROKEN HEEL FESTIVAL
The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL (Parliamentary Secretary) [10.39 a.m.]: I move:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) the inaugural Broken Heel Festival was held in Broken Hill from 11 to 13 September 2015;
(b) the festival was a tribute to the Australian film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert which was filmed around the city 21 years ago;
(c) the festival included cabaret, comedy, opera, and live music performances, a street party, community markets, and a screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert followed by a question and answer session with movie writer and director Stephan Elliott and members of the cast; and
(d) Broken Hill City Council hopes the Broken Heel Festival will become an annual event.
(2) That this House recognises:
(a) the importance of the Australian film industry in showcasing regional towns and cities; and
(b) the importance of tourism for communities in western New South Wales and the economic boost it provides.
(3) That this House congratulates all involved in running the Broken Heel Festival 2015.
As the Parliamentary Secretary for Western New South Wales, I am honoured to move this motion and to discuss the Broken Heel Festival in Broken Hill as well as the importance of the film industry to regional communities across Australia and New South Wales in particular, and tourism for Western New South Wales communities. This is not a motion of self-congratulation, which is becoming more common in this place, as I was unable to attend the festival. Unfortunately I had a conference in Canberra on the same weekend. I was disappointed that I was not able to attend the festival as I had heard a lot about it in the lead-up to and following the event, particularly through local media and social media.
Feedback from the festival was fantastic. Those who attended appeared to have a fabulous time, and it was a boost for the local community. It is important to mention at the outset that the event was organised by the city's Palace Hotel, which had a starring role in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. I acknowledge the hotel's Selina La Rovere-Nagas, who was instrumental in getting the festival up and running. For those wondering what the Broken Heel Festival entailed, it was essentially a drag festival celebrating The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and that Broken Hill is known not only for mining and other great tourism attractions but also as something of a gay and lesbian icon due to the fact that almost 60 per cent of Priscilla was filmed in and around Broken Hill.
I will briefly run through some of the events that made up the three days of the festival, which had the tag line, "Life outback is never a drag". On Friday there was the Frock On or Frock Off party, which was held at the Palace Hotel. There was a range of different performers, including BAAB—it is Newcastle's kookiest ABBA cover band, or so it says—which played all the favourite ABBA tracks. There was also a fireworks display and the Priscilla the Musical Stage Show bus was on display for those at the Palace Hotel. There was also the Sir Madam salon at the Maari Ma shop, where people could be styled to help find their inner fabulousness. Importantly, there was an exhibition celebrating 25 years of gay and lesbian liaison officers in the NSW Police Force at the GeoCentre, which ran for the three days of the festival. Also on a Friday night, what country festival would be complete without a meat draw at the local club?
On Saturday there was a street party, which included the Sydney Glitter Girls, a Priscilla tribute direct from Sydney, and the Happy Birthday Priscilla event featuring a confetti shower and the dancing cupcakes. The Sir Madam salon was also available. There was a Drag on Drag Parade, which had a $500 cash prize for the best Priscilla-inspired outfit. It was open to all and donations raised at that event were passed on to the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which is a worthwhile cause and a big part of the Broken Hill community. There were also community markets on the Saturday. On Sunday, the final day of the festival, the Palace Hotel hosted Sultry Sunday Splendor.
From all accounts the highlight was the screening of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, which was followed, I am told, by a quite personal question and answer session with the movie writer and director, Stephan Elliott, and June Bennett, who played Shirl in the movie. Some might remember that in the film she battled Bernadette in the drinking competition; she was an iconic character in the movie. There was also a screening of the documentary Queen of the Desert from Alex Kelly, about remote community hairdresser Starlady, who is a transgender youth worker from the central desert. Once again the musical stage show bus was on display. On the Sunday guests and festival participants were able to attend the Silverton Day Out at Silverton Hotel. Again, many iconic Australian films have been filmed at Silverton. A visit to the Mad Max Museum at Silverton was also part of the day; and there were opportunities for picnics and to visit some lookouts.
That brief overview of some of the events shows that it was an action-packed weekend. As I said, the festival was well received and, from all reports, everyone was well behaved. Many visitors told local media that they felt welcomed by the locals and that the festival was a great success. It is important for us to acknowledge such events in this House, although it might seem to be a little left of centre, because it is an innovative idea. I take this opportunity to congratulate those involved in putting the festival together. Making the most of an iconic movie featuring the city of Broken Hill and its surrounds so heavily and tapping into a tourist market that might not necessarily think of Broken Hill as its first destination of choice should be acknowledged.
I note the comments made by the mayor, Wincen Cuy, to the media following the festival. He said that he hopes the festival will become an annual event and that they will be able to tap into the Sydney Mardi Gras international market. He hopes the Broken Heel Festival could leverage off Sydney's Mardi Gras parade in the future and become an international attraction. Several American travel agents had visited Broken Hill earlier in the year and they thought they could get groups out there. So the idea in future years—hopefully the festival will become an annual event—is that visitors who come to Australia for the Sydney Mardi Gras will then venture to Broken Hill to be part of the Broken Heel Festival. I am sure members who have visited Broken Hill will agree that there is plenty to do in Broken Hill; one visit is not enough because there is so much to see. If Broken Hill is able to capitalise on that tourism market and atttracts those visitors, they will certainly enjoy their time there. No doubt Broken Hill is the Hollywood of the outback. As I said, not only was Priscilla filmed in that region; other iconic Australian films such as Razorback and Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior were also filmed there.
That leads me to paragraph 2 (a) of the motion. Hearing about this festival made me realise how many iconic films have been made in and around regional Australia and New South Wales in particular; they showcase our region to the world. Films such as Priscilla, which go on to international success—Priscilla was also a stage show seen around the world—are a great example of the way to further showcase the wonderful communities, tourist attractions and environment we have in New South Wales. Priscilla is one example, but there are many others. I will mention a couple of movies that were made around my home town of Gunnedah and some of the positive impacts of that. The first was Superman Returns, which was filmed a few years ago. It starred Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey and Frank Langella. The director, Bryan Singer, based Superman Returns in Sydney; a lot of the filming was done at Fox Studios and many outdoor scenes were filmed around central Sydney for the metropolis locations. Some Sydney locations included Wynyard Station, the Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Australian Museum. But part of the filming that is relevant to Gunnedah was the growing of a special cornfield in north-western New South Wales to represent the Kent family farm in Smallville as part of the storyline.
The farm where that cornfield was grown is near Breeza and is owned by the Craig family. I can remember when the movie was being filmed and the actors and crew were on location. It was interesting to drive down that road and see the cornfields—normally it would not have cornfields—and the barn. They built a very American-style barn there and it still exists to this day. It seemed like the American mid-west had moved to north-west New South Wales. It was a bit strange, but it was also a great thing for our community because people started talking about what the industry was doing in the Gunnedah area. The filming brought crews and actors to our town, and there was a boost to the local economy. Although the property in the scenes filmed at the Craig's place featured only briefly in the film, it gives us an opportunity now to promote ourselves as part of a Hollywood blockbuster, which was at the time, and still is, a great thing for local tourism.
More recently, the movie Unbroken, directed by Angelina Jolie, was filmed extensively around Werris Creek. The film received much critical acclaim and had its world premiere in Sydney in November 2014. Filming was based in New South Wales and Queensland, with some scenes shot at Fox Studios. A few of my friends were involved as extras. Locals had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in an Angelina Jolie movie and to meet Angelina and her family. The film was a great boost for tourism in the area and an example of the benefits of supporting film projects across New South Wales.
Local as well as international movies are filmed in Australia. Backyard Ashes was filmed in the Wagga Wagga area. It was the brainchild of Mark Grentell, a young filmmaker from Wagga. A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet Mark, a local boy, when he spoke about his experiences at a Young Nationals conference in Wagga. Mark graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art [NIDA] with a postgraduate degree in Directing Studies. He went on to become the artistic director of Crow Crow Productions, a company focused on developing and presenting new works from regionally based artists. The film Backyard Ashes was his debut as director of a feature film. It was interesting to hear from Mark about being a young filmmaker in regional New South Wales. He kindly invited my colleague the Minister for Primary Industries and I to watch a day of filming, which we did when we were in Wagga for a few other events. It was the first time I had been on a film set and it was interesting to watch the process and to see the number of people involved. The scene I saw was filmed in one of the local pubs. If members have not seen Backyard Ashes, I highly recommend it as an enjoyable movie.
The Hon. Mick Veitch: A great movie.
The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL: I acknowledge the interjection by the Hon. Mick Veitch. The scene I saw filmed was in the pub where the two local cricket teams came head to head. I was there for half a day and enjoyed watching the process and seeing the locals who were involved in filming. When the movie was released I eagerly awaited that scene. Knowing the amount of time and resources that went into filming it, I was surprised to find that it took up only one or two minutes of the film. Mark is working on other productions at the moment and I wish him and Crow Crow Productions success.
It is important that government supports these sorts of initiatives and encourages young filmmakers and local and international filmmakers who want to work in New South Wales. Screen NSW receives recurrent funding from the Government to budget for such programs through the Regional Filming Fund. It affords an opportunity for feature films as well as television drama, adult and children's films and documentary television to be filmed in regional New South Wales. Applicants may apply for up to 35 per cent of their budgeted spend for expenses such as location fees, accommodation, local suppliers and services, catering, and salaries for regionally based cast and crew. To be eligible, at least one of the key creatives must be based and registered in New South Wales and the film must spend a minimum of five shooting days on location in regional New South Wales. I am sure all members will agree that continued support for regional and international films being made in New South Wales through Screen NSW is important for this State.
The Broken Heel Festival was an innovative idea to capture the film market and to develop another tourism opportunity for the Broken Hill community. Paragraph 2 (b) of the motion stresses the importance of tourism for communities in western New South Wales. A key part of the future for western New South Wales is building on tourism opportunities and the innovative ideas of local communities in capturing the tourism market. The film industry is part of that, but regional communities have their own attractions. If one spends time in Broken Hill—which I would encourage members who have not been there to do—there is much to see and do. One can head out to Silverton to see where some iconic movies have been made. The galleries in Broken Hill are extraordinary and the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery may be the best art gallery I have visited. The works displayed there are stunning; the gallery should be at the top of everybody's bucket list.
The Broken Hill Sculptures and Living Desert Sanctuary is well worth a visit. The Sculptures with a View are unforgettable. I enjoyed visiting the sculptures a few years ago with John Williams, the local member at the time. In terms of regional tourism, it was one of the best things I have ever done. Broken Hill is home to some of Australia's iconic charities. The Royal Flying Doctor Service has its base at Broken Hill—a facility that is also worth visiting. Other parts of western New South Wales are worthy of a visit and promotion by members of this House. As the Parliamentary Secretary for Western New South Wales I am pleased to draw the attention of this House to those areas.
Mr Scot MacDonald: Hear, hear!
The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL: I acknowledge the interjection by Mr Scot MacDonald. Yesterday I was in Wentworth where I caught up with the mayor, Bill Wheeldon, councillor Bob Wheeldon and the general manager of Wentworth Shire Council, Peter Kozlowski. They are proud of their town and filled me in on what is happening around Wentworth. There is a lot to see in the Wentworth area, including the Rotary Pioneer Museum and the World Heritage listed Mungo National Park. Anyone on a road trip from Broken Hill should head down to Wentworth.
Another town out west worth visiting is Bourke, where one can see the Back of Bourke Exhibition Centre and the Back of Bourke Gallery—another excellent regional art gallery. The paddle vessels in the Darling River are popular with visitors. People can cruise the Darling on the PV Jandra, which is operated by the Bourke Shire Council. I also recommend heading out to Brewarrina. This week I had the opportunity to catch up with the mayor, Angelo Pippos, and the general manager of Brewarrina Shire Council, Dan Simmons. Brewarinna is an interesting place. I visited there for the first time whilst working for John Anderson. One of the places I visited was the Brewarrina Aboriginal Fish Traps in the Barwon River. The fish traps are about half a kilometre in length and are the largest known fish traps in Australia. They are an ingenious way to catch fish. The Brewarrina fish traps may be one of the oldest human constructions in the world and are listed on the State Heritage Register and the National Heritage List.
I was fortunate to be at the opening of the Window on the Wetlands Centre in the town of Warren. The centre is an initiative of Bill Phillips of RiverSmart. Bill has driven the project; an old church was moved to the site in which art shows, exhibitions and community events are held. School groups visit to look at the wetlands and to experience all that Warren has to offer. I congratulate Bill Phillips on driving that initiative and I acknowledge the support of the council for the Window on the Wetlands Centre, particularly the mayor, Rex Wilson, who has been very supportive. It is important that this House supports such initiatives.
Regional New South Wales, particularly western New South Wales, has wonderful areas where tourism should be promoted at every opportunity. I congratulate communities such as the Broken Hill community that think outside the box and come up with ideas such as the Broken Heel Festival. I am pleased to move this motion in recognition of the festival and to put on record my congratulations to all those involved in organising the event. I hope it becomes an annual event because I would like to attend the Broken Heel Festival 2016.
The Hon. MICK VEITCH [10.58 a.m.]: I associate myself with the motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell and note her comments about the wording of the motion. It is not the usual self-congratulatory motion that we have seen moved in recent times in this Chamber. It is a worthy motion. The motion asks the House to note the importance of festivals to regional economies and to recognise that festivals stimulate regional economies by injecting cash into regional communities. Festivals are often an important plank in a regional development strategy. Festivals are held across regional New South Wales. I have been to a heap of them, such as the Festival of the Falling Leaf in Tumut, the Irish Woolfest in Boorowa and the Young Cherry Festival. I have visions of the Hon. Trevor Khan bootscooting at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. These festivals are a wonderful way of drawing communities together to celebrate country life while at the same time attracting our city cousins, who boost local economies through their patronage of motels, restaurants and hotels.
I congratulate the Broken Hill community on this initiative and I hope the Broken Heel Festival becomes an annual event. Broken Hill is a great place to visit and the Hon. Sarah Mitchell is right in saying if you go to Broken Hill once you have to return because you cannot see all the sights in one visit. We should encourage visitors to regional centres such as Broken Hill. The film industry is also an important part of regional New South Wales. Recently I was at Parkes and reflected upon the movie The Dish, which I believe was filmed in Forbes although the movie was about Parkes. Perhaps there is some rivalry between the towns, as the people of Parkes would have liked the movie to have been filmed there. The movie showcased the wonderful historic architecture of Forbes and regional New South Wales.
Molly and Mobarak, which was set in Young, is about Hazara refugees who are relocated to regional New South Wales, a topical issue. That movie showcased Young and one of the good aspects of regional society in that this community accepted the resettlement of refugees, generally with open arms. The movies made in regional New South Wales are not necessarily Hollywood blockbusters; many are boutique movies shown at short film festivals but they are just as valuable as the blockbusters to the economies of regional communities. I include agricultural shows in the festival circuit as they play a huge role in regional New South Wales. Ag shows and festivals in regional New South Wales boost tourism but they would not happen without the efforts of volunteers.
I take my hat off to the volunteers of Broken Hill who spent endless hours developing ideas, creating visions, preparing for the festival and seeing it to fruition. The local council would have been involved but without the volunteers these events would fall over. Everyone who attended the festival would have enjoyed the benefit of their hard work. Some country shows have not gone ahead because the community was unable to form a committee to run them—the hardworking people who have run the shows year in, year out eventually become worn out. We should take a moment to acknowledge the valuable contribution of volunteers in regional New South Wales who make these festivals happen and grow. The Parkes Elvis Festival, which is held annually, started off very small. It now attracts significant crowds, and even has a train service from Sydney to take people to the festival. I have a vision of the Hon. Trevor Khan bootscooting in Tamworth and the Minister for Primary Industries, the Hon. Niall Blair, jiving to Elvis songs.
The Hon. Niall Blair: Two years ago.
The Hon. Ben Franklin: There are photos.
The Hon. MICK VEITCH: I would like to see those tabled—or maybe not. The Elvis Festival generates income for not just the Parkes economy but also the regional economy with every motel in the area and neighbouring communities booked out for the festival. Festivals, ag shows, the film industry and tourism are part of regional development. Some events need government support, not just monetary but other support as many festivals can raise the funds but need guidance. Regional development is a significant part of public policy. I support any initiative designed to stimulate regional economies. I want more people to live in regional New South Wales and enjoy the benefits of its lifestyle. This motion highlights a number of elements of a sound regional development policy for a community like Broken Hill. It refers to the film industry, tourism and festivals, which offer people a great time and generate benefits for regional communities.
Festivals have to find their own niche, and this can be difficult. I congratulate Broken Hill on coming up with its Broken Heel Festival because it is different. Earlier the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane told me about the Festa delle Salsicce or Festival of the Sausage in Griffith. I am certain the Hon. Niall Blair has eaten homemade salami from Griffith. These different festivals attract people to the regions and they are all great fun. I congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on this motion. I am glad that it is not one of those self-congratulatory motions which, as the member said, have been brought to this Chamber. It is a motion that reflects upon the good things in regional New South Wales and the volunteers who make them happen. I am proud to associate myself with this motion, which Labor will support.
Mr JEREMY BUCKINGHAM [11.07 a.m.]: On behalf of The Greens, I join with the Hon. Mick Veitch in supporting this excellent motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell, which relates to the Broken Heel Festival held in Broken Hill from 11 to 13 September 2015. This festival is an example of what regional development is all about. Regional development is about vibrant, resilient communities using their initiative to build economic development in unique ways. People often think of country New South Wales as a homogenous entity; they think it is all the same. But when they get to the country—as the Deputy-President (The Hon Trevor Khan) often does—they realise this is a diverse and beautiful State offering amazing things. Broken Hill is a case in point. It is a great part of the world with beautiful landscape. I know the Minister for Primary Industries was there recently and conversed with the good people at the Musicians Club. He did not go to the Barrier Social Democratic Club—
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: I went to the Trades Hall.
Mr JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: Or the Trades Hall or the Barrier Daily Truth premises. Broken Hill is an historic, unique and beautiful place. I visited recently and noted that places like the Palace Hotel are driving the change. I assume that the pubs are on the National Trust Register, or they should be, because they are vibrant places. It is sad that some of the pubs have closed down. The buildings in this historically listed town have beautiful architecture; they are two-storeys high with massive verandas and about 20 windows on either side of the street. The stonework in the town is amazing.
The Hon. Mick Veitch: It is a stonemason's nirvana.
Mr JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: It is. When I was in Broken Hill with my staffer Max, I stayed in the Priscilla Room at the Palace Hotel. It was a slightly quirky experience at the Palace Hotel, with stuffed wedged-tail eagles, murals and staircases. I received fantastic hospitality from wonderful people. It would be remiss of me and The Greens not to mention how far we have come to remove discrimination and accept the LGBTI community and to acknowledge the importance of queer tourism. It is marvellous that it has happened in a place like Broken Hill, which I am sure would not have had such progressive attitudes prior to the Priscilla film and the activism of the LGBTI community. The Broken Heel Festival held in Broken Hill recognises the role that the vibrant queer tourism plays to attract people to the region. Tourists can experience the natural wonders, the incredible heritage and the cultural diversity.
I agree with the Hon. Mick Veitch that these diverse festivals often occur on the smell of an oily rag with the help of volunteers. It is seen so often across the region. Many of the festivals are sustained with the assistance of council and the community. I served on Orange City Council with councillors John Day, Chris Gryllis, Reg Kidd and Glenn Taylor, whom I mentioned in my inaugural speech. They are great local councillors who work for their community. We got behind Orange Food Week and Taste Orange, rebranding Orange as the food capital. It was and continues to be a marvellous success. That has helped small business and the agricultural sector and tourism, which is a major driver of the economy. On behalf of The Greens I join with the Hon. Mick Veitch and congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on recognising this excellent initiative. I encourage all members to go to Broken Hill and stay in the Priscilla Room at the Palace Hotel; it is an experience they will never forget.
The Hon. Mick Veitch: Kick your heels up and have a good time.
Mr JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: Kick up your heels, break a heel or two. I commend the motion to the House.
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN [11.13 a.m.]: I congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on bringing this matter before this House. I note that part of her motion recognises the importance of the Australian film industry in showcasing regional towns and cities, but the Australian film industry is more important than just that. Our film industry has been fundamentally important in shaping attitudes and bringing overseas visitors to Australia who recognise that we are a far more multi-dimensional cosmopolitan nation than has been thought in previous times.
In the past 60 or 70 years our films have been important in shaping our attitudes in the cities and in regional areas. I go back to the 1950s to Jedda, the first colour film to be produced in Australia. Jedda, which achieved international recognition, recognised the great tragedy of a young Aboriginal woman who was brought up in a white family and the denial of her culture within that white family. It ends in the tragedy of the death of that young woman. That film pricked the conscience of Australians in regional centres as well as in the cities about Australia's very difficult history in relation to the treatment of our Aboriginal community. Jedda should be recognised for its important and indeed seminal role.
In the 1970s David Gulpilil appeared in his first film, Walkabout, a film that shaped attitudes throughout Australia. Sunday Too Far Away, in which Jack Thompson appeared, was a film that reinforced some attitudes about Australia, particularly in outback Australia. It was important not only because it launched Jack Thompson's career but also because it attracted attention to regional Australia. Picnic at Hanging Rock was not set in outback Australia—although some people use that term far too loosely—but it was very important because it attracted attention to Australia outside the city. Even today we can look at the mystery of that film, with the beautiful scenery and the fantastic imagery it evokes. It was an attractive film that set a standard and said to people throughout the world that Australia is a country that has a strong arts community and culture and encouraged visitors to visit regional New South Wales to see the beauty of the country.
Mr Jeremy Buckingham: They might not come back.
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: Yes, they might not come back. The Devil's Playground is a film set in regional Victoria that portrayed beautiful scenery and had a fantastic story. It is a shame that it is not shown much these days. It dealt with difficult issues and helped to foster a broader concept and understanding of so many of the intricacies of Australian life. The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith was an extraordinary film and those of us who come from the north-west know it involved incidents that occurred around Manilla and extended into the Barrington Tops where Jimmy Blacksmith survived for a goodly period of time before eventual capture. It is a tragic story but the film attracts attention to the beauty of the scenery and the Australian bush in regional Australia.
Storm Boy is a movie of the 1970s. I do not think I would have ever visited Goolwa and the Coorong region but for having seen that film. I went there for other reasons but when I walked through the marshlands it gave me an extraordinary feeling of connection with the story and, in a sense, a reliving of part of my youth. The Australian film industry has helped reinforce the need for Australians wherever we live to visit other areas. I will not got through all the films as I have spoken for some time—
Mr Jeremy Buckingham: No, keep going.
The Hon. Mick Veitch: You have rehearsed for a gig on SBS as a movie reviewer.
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: I am doing pretty well on 702 Drive. Let me refer to a few others that should be recognised. Admittedly the film Tim is set in a city but the book was written by an author who has done some extraordinary work in Australia and has gained an international reputation, that is, Collen McCullough. Tim was an extraordinary film starring Mel Gibson. It was an extraordinary film at the time because of the issues it addressed. It gained an international reputation and expanded Ms McCulloch's career. Of course, we cannot forget other movies of that time, including Breaker Morant, Gallipoli and Careful, He Might Hear You. Bliss was a beautiful movie.
Mr Jeremy Buckingham: Honey Barbara!
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: Indeed. It evoked so many themes of that era and featured beautiful imagery and camerawork. It was extremely successful in attracting people to this State, although perhaps to the North Coast more than anywhere else. It was a beautiful film. We also saw For Love Alone and The Year My Voice Broke. Dead Calm, a film based on a boat trip, was horrifying in its own way. It was memorable, if nothing else.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: More for the yachting industry.
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: It was horrifying enough to discourage anyone from getting on a boat again. We also enjoyed Strictly Ballroom, Sirens and Muriel's Wedding. I miss those movies. While they were great international hits, they did not truly encapsulate the Australian spirit. Members have already mentioned The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. As Mr Jeremy Buckingham said, it was an important movie not only because it revealed the beauty of regional Australia, and particularly Broken Hill, but also because it portrayed the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex community. It was an important film for the time in addressing the issue and in encouraging people to rethink their ideas in some areas. The Sum of Us, which starred Jack Thompson and Russell Crowe, was a great Australian movie. We also watched Shine and The Castle. Who can forget The Castle? It resulted in my appearing in a special leave application in the High Court because I thought that if Darryl Kerrigan could do it anyone could.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: How did it go?
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: It did not go very well at all because I had difficulty even articulating my own name. That was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. However, it demonstrated what a movie can do. We also watched Oscar and Lucinda, and members have mentioned The Dish and Looking for Alibrandi. Rabbit Proof Fence was another great movie. These movies carried on the tradition of those earlier movies that were so important in shaping Australians' attitudes. I believe that Rabbit Proof Fence is in the Higher School Certificate English syllabus. That is fitting because it is vital that we understand the issues that confront us and that we are capable of confronting our history. We have also experienced Swimming Upstream and Ten Canoes, which is an extraordinary and deeply mysterious movie. Beneath Hill 60 was a tragic movie.
The Hon. Rick Colless: It was a great story.
The Hon. TREVOR KHAN: Yes, it was a fantastic story. I am coming to the end of this fabulous list. We are about to see Holding the Man, which was first released as an arthouse movie but which is now capturing audiences throughout Australia. I believe that it will be an historically important movie for this country. I understand that The Dressmaker is about to be released. It shows all the signs of capturing the imagination of Australians and, hopefully, audiences around the world. I also congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on moving this motion. We should all recognise the importance of the Australian film industry in shaping us, in helping to change our attitudes on a variety of issues and in exciting us about our country. Hopefully it will encourage us to venture forth across Australia and to experience the great places in this country.
The Hon. BEN FRANKLIN [11.24 a.m.]: I commend this motion and congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on moving it. In her capacity as Parliamentary Secretary for Western New South Wales, she has always been in touch with the Far West and the issues, sentiments and traditions of the area, and this motion highlights that. The Broken Heel Festival was, by all accounts, a wonderful occasion celebrating a remarkable Australian film. The cult classic The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert played a huge role not only in bringing Australian film to worldwide attention but also in exploring lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex issues in a positive light. This festival, which is in its inaugural year, shows just how far we have come.
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert celebrated the Australian outback, its people and their way of life. Since its release in 1994, it has become a cult favourite and has played a role in defining the Australian identity. This motion also speaks to the importance of the Australian film industry in showcasing regional towns and cities. We can never underestimate how Australian films have shaped Australia's identity. When we consider films like The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert we can see how the Australian landscape not only defines us but also presents the Australian identity to the world. Indeed, I respectfully disagree with the Hon. Trevor Khan because when the first Mad Max movie was released in 1979 it presented a wildly different view of Australia than the "lucky country". The dystopia, the hardship, and Australia's unforgiving natural environment were presented to the world.
However, I do agree with him about Rabbit Proof Fence, which explores the difficult chapter in Australia's history of the stolen generations and which received worldwide acclaim. Sometimes historic events do not take on a three-dimensional reality for Australians until they see and experience them in film. The depiction of the landscapes and the struggles of the characters in that film revealed a reality of Australia that we should see. Indeed, the wrongs of the past must drive reconciliation for the future. Australian film, which has always punched above its weight, has been a constant driver of the Australian identity. When we think of films such as Muriel's Wedding, The Castle, Red Dog, and even Crocodile Dundee, we can see how they have influenced not only how we see ourselves as Australians but also where we fit in the world. As the Hon. Mick Veitch said, The Dish, the 2000 Australian film about the CSIRO Parkes Observatory, shows how the 1979 Apollo 11 mission—a significant milestone for mankind—unfolded in a small town in regional New South Wales. These are the stories of the regions that should be told.
Likewise, writers such as Tim Winton, David Malouf and Patrick White have all captured the beauty and the hardship of regional Australia. Their evocative descriptions of the land and its people have reflected aspects of regional identity that are quintessentially Australian. Visual artists such as Sidney Nolan and Pro Hart have depicted the barren and the beautiful and explored Australia's regional landscape and brought it to the fore of our national identity. These are the same themes Nick Cave and the recently departed Peter Sculthorpe explored in their music. Whilst we have a rich and enduring history of culture in the regions, there is still a pervasive myth that we must go to the cities to experience culture. It is a great shame that some of our regional towns experience cultural demonstrations only when a production from the city visits on tour. Many people across regional New South Wales deeply explore their local identity. If one looks hard enough one finds passionate and dedicated people who punch well above their weight. That is certainly true in my home community of the North Coast.
A while ago I was lucky enough to attend a two-act play by the Outback Theatre for Young People called Beneath an Oxbow Lake. It was a phenomenal performance exploring the Italian culture of Griffith and the significance of local rivers in drawing regional youth together. It was evocative of my childhood on the river. The Outback Theatre for Young People, which engages young people between the ages of four and 26 from throughout the Riverina region of New South Wales and northern Victoria, put on an incredible performance. The standard was phenomenal for people of their age and it will be interesting to see where they go from here.
This is exactly why we should value the regional arts. There is a unique story to be told in the regions. It is a story of hardship and prosperity, of beauty and unforgiving nature. There is a certain Australianness that comes from our landscape and those who endure it that touches everyone, even in the cities. The Broken Heel Festival is a celebration of that artistic exploration. The city of Broken Hill, which contrary to popular belief has a very rich artistic and cultural spark, is home to many artists, musicians and preservers of history. The Palace Hotel is one of those historic relics that is seen by some as somewhat of a reason for pilgrimage to the outback.
I wish Broken Hill every success in making this an annual event for the city. As the city transitions from mining to tourism, this event will go a long way to cementing its position as an outback destination. I finish with a quote from ABC broadcaster Peter Goers, who hosted the best-dressed parade in the town square at the festival. He spoke of the unique attraction of Broken Hill in this way:
People come here to discover different things, don't they, always.
Be it ore, silver, or all of that, or maybe themselves.
I commend the motion and congratulate the Parliamentary Secretary for Western New South Wales, Sarah Mitchell.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE [11.30 a.m.]: I too support this motion. I have made a couple of visits to Broken Hill as well. It is a truly remarkable part of Australia and New South Wales. Whilst we are here congratulating the artistic community and the leadership in Broken Hill and our regional friends, it is important to take note of the other reason I went to Broken Hill: the steady decline of many of our regional areas. Broken Hill is a very compelling example of the reason that members of this Government, unlike our predecessors, have been absolutely committed to our regional areas and why we commenced our term in office under Barry O'Farrell and Andrew Stoner with a decade of decentralisation as one of our fundamental key policies.
When you go to Broken Hill, yes, you do see the wonderful buildings. You get to see the Line of Lode Memorial. You get to visit the Living Desert sanctuary. You get to visit some of our fantastic national parks—Kinchega, Sturt and Mungo—and some of the homesteads such as the shearers' quarters at Mungo and Redbank Homestead. You are immediately impressed by the great cultural, physical and historical treasures out there but at the same time alarmed to recognise what happened under 16 years of Labor, when those great assets were neglected. So it is very important that we take every opportunity we can to support the work that this Government is doing to save those assets.
We expect to see an extra 470,000 people in regional New South Wales by 2036. If that is to be the case, we need to keep working incredibly hard, because the trends in many areas are not good. When one wanders around Broken Hill, one is not only impressed by the significant architecture and history but also disappointed to see how many of the buildings have been abandoned and how many houses are for sale and empty. When one visits the Menindee Lakes one is concerned about the water supply difficulties faced by the area and particularly the city. One is concerned about the incredible regional infrastructure needs of that area.
That is why again I am very proud to be part of a Government which has committed 30 per cent of our $20 billion Rebuilding NSW fund to regional New South Wales. That will be the greatest commitment to regional New South Wales and the people of regional New South Wales—the 40 per cent or so of our State population—that has ever occurred. The fact that the Labor Party and The Greens opposed our policies is a disgrace and an insult to all of those people in regional New South Wales. I am very pleased that we were able to get that policy through and we are now delivering on it. That does not stand in isolation. As I mentioned, we started off with a decade of decentralisation policies. We had the Skilled Regional Relocation Incentive, payroll tax rebates under the Jobs Action Plan and many other schemes to support rural and regional New South Wales. Indeed, the latest economic results for New South Wales for September 2015—
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane: Point of order: The member has been given a fair bit of leeway but he has drifted away from the motion before the House. Out of respect to the mover of the motion, I think he should address the motion, not go into political issues outside the motion.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: To the point of order: I believe I am being generally relevant in addressing regional issues and regional New South Wales—the great success of activities in regional New South Wales and the issues that affect regional New South Wales.
The DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Trevor Khan): Order! I have to say that the Hon. Greg Pearce is stretching the friendship. I would encourage him to look at the motion.
The Hon. GREG PEARCE: I would be very happy to conclude. In the year to July, 61,200 new regional New South Wales jobs have been created. That is a fantastic outcome for this Government. It is what we have driven. Whilst the film festival is a fantastic outcome for the film industry but also for regional New South Wales, that has to be seen in context. Some issues were neglected by Labor for 16 years—the national parks, the regional towns, regional infrastructure. That is a disgrace. That is the reason the honourable member took a point of order: to try to stop me talking about these things. In concluding, when I visited Broken Hill on the last occasion, I did visit the Demo Club. Jeremy, they do not call it the Social Democratic Club—it is the Demo Club, mate. I cannot think of anything more appropriate than Jeremy Buckingham in the Priscilla room.
The Hon. RICK COLLESS (Parliamentary Secretary) [11.36 a.m.]: I also offer my support to this fantastic motion that has been put forward by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell. I congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on putting this on the record. It is always an honour to speak about Broken Hill. I spent many years travelling in the west in my role as duty MLC for the electorate of Murray-Darling, which in those days was something like 47 or 48 per cent of the State, so it took me through many different parts of the Far West. I have to say that spending that time in western New South Wales was a part of my career that I really enjoyed.
Many people have raised the point that once you go to Broken Hill for the first time you get the feeling that you have to go back there. For those of us who have our origins in western New South Wales, places like the Hill probably mean so much more. My ancestors arrived in the western town of Bourke in the mid-nineteenth century. My great-great-grandfather Henry Colless settled at Bourke and then moved out to establish Innamincka Station in 1871. This was of course during the era of Sir Sidney Kidman when he was prominent in western New South Wales and western Queensland.
At one stage Kidman had a butcher's shop in Cobar from which he was selling meat to the miners. Somebody at about that time said to him they had heard that some mining development was going to happen in Broken Hill. They asked whether he would like to buy some shares in this new company that was going to be called the Broken Hill Proprietary Company. Kidman, always on the lookout for ways to make money, of course took up the offer, only to sell those shares a year or two later at not much more than he paid for them. He probably had 20 or 30 per cent of the shares in the Broken Hill Proprietary Company at that time. He could not see anything coming of the mining venture in Broken Hill so he decided to sell his shares, and the rest is history. Many people have said that it was one of the few bad decisions that Sir Sidney Kidman made in his life.
As Broken Hill developed into a mining town, it was a tough, uncompromising place and became one of the most Labor-orientated and union-driven towns in Australia. It was a tough place for people to live in those days. In fact, my wife's grandmother was sent to Broken Hill as a schoolteacher in the early 1900s and some of the stories that have been told in her family describe Broken Hill as a tough place to live. As with all mining operations, when the ore body started to run out, the mining industry began to decline and that is when we saw an artistic element begin to emerge in Broken Hill. The sculpture park, which is located only a few kilometres on the western side of Broken Hill, is a remarkable place to visit, particularly on dusk or early in the morning; it is a spectacular exhibit.
Many members have spoken about the film industry and movies such as Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Mad Max and others, so I will not repeat it. The art industry has developed in Broken Hill and the outback art that we see in its galleries has a distinct style and colour. The colours that are reflected in the art are real. Those colours can be seen while driving around the west early in the morning or in the afternoon. Pro Hart lived in Broken Hill for many years and he was instrumental in putting Broken Hill on the map as an art centre. Unfortunately, I never met Pro Hart, but I had the opportunity to attend his funeral. The town hall was adorned with his art and more than 1,000 people were in attendance. It demonstrates how the arts have developed in Broken Hill and it is an important part of the city today. I again congratulate the Hon. Sarah Mitchell on bringing the motion forward and commend the motion to the House.
The Hon. NATASHA MACLAREN-JONES [11.42 a.m.]: I also support the motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell and congratulate her on bringing forward a motion to raise not only the economic importance of the arts industry in our State, in particular the Broken Heel Festival, but also the importance of the film industry in showcasing regional towns and cities. It is fair to say that New South Wales is at the forefront of arts and cultural activities, leading our country in cultural employment, screen production and cultural tourism. I do not intend to be a film critic so I will not talk about the numerous films. I acknowledge the significant comments of my colleagues in highlighting the valuable contribution the film industry has made not only to New South Wales but all Australia. I will highlight a number of statistics that illustrate how significant this industry is to New South Wales and the contribution that our governments have made to the industry.
We have a lot to be proud of in New South Wales, particularly the performing arts sector. We have 11 of Australia's 28 major performing arts organisations that include dance, theatre, opera, orchestra and chamber music. These organisations have the opportunity to showcase Australian talent internationally. The artists also participate in regular performances across the country in a number of regional venues. In 2013-14 New South Wales companies generated 81 per cent, or $607 million, of all film and television drama production in Australia, which is the largest share. We dominate the Australian film and television drama production industry, accounting for 51 per cent of total expenditure in 2011-12. New South Wales is Australia's pre-eminent State for film and television production, with 57 per cent of all Australian drama production taking place here and production expenditure of $430 million. Furthermore, 81 per cent of all Australian drama productions are generated by companies based in New South Wales.
We currently employ more than 176,000 people in the cultural sector in New South Wales, which represents 5.6 per cent of New South Wales employment and 40 per cent of Australia's cultural employment. The creative industries directly employ more than 147,000 people, representing 4.7 per cent of New South Wales employment. We have a further 65,000 people in occupations within the non-creative industry sector. New South Wales accounts for 39.6 per cent of Australia's creative industries workforce and more people work directly in New South Wales creative industries than those employed in the New South Wales agricultural or mining industries combined. The arts and cultural industries play a significant role in the growth of the New South Wales economy with employment growth in the New South Wales creative industries nearly doubling that of the rest of the States.
The New South Wales Government is continuing to invest strongly in the State's arts, culture and screen sectors. In previous budgets $300 million was provided, of which $185 million was allocated to operating grants and $65 million to infrastructure upgrades of cultural institutions, particularly in regional areas. Furthermore, almost $10 million was allocated to Screen NSW to attract film production, to support the local industry and to invest in events such as the Sydney Film Festival. Also, $51 million has been allocated to Arts NSW for arts funding projects. It is important to note that for the first time the New South Wales Government has developed an arts and cultural policy framework called Create in NSW. It is dedicated to developing the industry over the next 10 years to ensure that the industry remains viable and strong. The entertainment industry is a key driver of economic growth, export, productivity, innovation and competitiveness in New South Wales. It is a production hub for Australia for film and television, and in Sydney we have some of the finest production and post-production houses and crews, as well as directors, based at Fox Studios.
New South Wales continues to lead the way in the screen sector in Australia. Based on the recent Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] report entitled "Cultural Funding by Government, Australia", the governments of Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland accounted for more than two-thirds of all arts expenditure across the country and performing arts venues accounted for the highest amount of State and Territory arts expenditure. I am proud to say that the New South Wales Government provided 35 per cent of the expenditure in this category. Another ABS survey found that 36 per cent of those employed in Australia in screen sector production and post-production came from New South Wales. Furthermore, the majority of Australian productions and post-production businesses are based in New South Wales.
The companies in New South Wales are responsible for 79 per cent of film and television drama expenditure in Australia. Over the years, our experienced team of production professionals have worked on a number of fantastic films such as The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Wolverine, Captain America: The First Avenger, Thor, Iron Man, Happy Feet and Happy Feet Two. Our investment in the arts in New South Wales has created a significant number of opportunities for emerging artists and has enhanced the profile of regional New South Wales. Fourteen regional arts boards employ regional arts development officers to promote local arts development across the State and through the two peak organisations—Regional Arts NSW and Museums and Galleries of NSW.
The New England Regional Arts Museum is an important part of the economic, social and cultural fabric of Armidale. It contributes significantly to the visitor economy in Armidale with more than 37,000 people visiting the museum annually. The museum supports regional artists, providing them with the opportunity to promote and market their work, such as the Featured Artists Exhibition. The museum receives support funding from Arts NSW, including the Arts NSW program ProjectID, which worked with local public schools. The project focused on developing pride, self-confidence, cooperation and core values for Aboriginal and culturally and linguistically diverse students.
Another fantastic project is Inside the Outback: Mapping the West. It is a boxed set of 68 loose-leaf pages, which include over 130 colour photographs with text. The project is said to be a cultural map of the Western Division of New South Wales, which makes up 42 per cent of the State. The project received joint funding from the Australia Council for the Arts, Arts NSW, the NSW Department of State and Regional Development and Regional Development Australia-Orana. It is a unique snapshot of, and insight into, some of the most isolated parts of New South Wales, and has been distributed to schools, libraries, councils, cultural institutions and community groups so that everyone can experience the unique beauty of western New South Wales.
Each year over 1.3 million people in New South Wales attend performances by the major companies, with close to 450,000 students and children being engaged in educational activities. Many of these performances are taken directly to regional communities. One great organisation that has been entertaining Australians for more than 80 years is the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, which has performed over 150 concerts in metropolitan and regional areas. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra has an educational program, which reaches children of all ages and regions throughout New South Wales.
While mentioning education programs I must note the outstanding work of the Bell Shakespeare Company, which began in 1990 with a vision to create a theatre company dedicated to producing the plays of William Shakespeare in a way that is relevant and exciting to Australian audiences. The company has a comprehensive and wide-reaching education program, which I remember participating in when I was at school. The program is designed to ensure students experience, understand and relate to the works of William Shakespeare. Bell's Shakespearian adaptions are often performed at the Playhouse. As members know, the Playhouse is located at the Opera House and Opera Australia is a strong institute supporting the Australian arts.
Other great performing arts organisations include the Sydney Dance Company and the Bangarra Dance Theatre Company, which was established in 1989. I again thank the Hon. Sarah Mitchell for moving this very important motion. I note that the New South Wales Government is determined to continue supporting the arts industry.
The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR [11.51 a.m.]: I thank my colleague the Hon. Sarah Mitchell for moving this fantastic motion. When I was in my office earlier I was listening to her speech. She talked about the "Hollywood of the outback" and I thought that that was a terrific way to encapsulate the character of Broken Hill. I would like to talk about a film that I saw recently, The Last Cab to Darwin. It was an incredible film, which has a lot of history. It was originally a stage show. It ran as a successful stage show for eight years, with members of the production always hoping that one day it would be a film. They loved the story. The film is really a credit to the hard work of Jeremy Sims in bringing it to the screen. It demonstrates Jeremy's terrific creativity. It was a huge job to fashion the play into such a digestible film, which is entertaining for everyone.
The film is about love and death. To live a full life I think one has to learn to share it and this film really encapsulates that notion. The way the film highlights the vastness of the west and New South Wales is fantastic. The film has touched many people across Australia, regardless of whether they have been to the Broken Hill and the west. The story is about a cab driver who has lived his entire life in Broken Hill, as had his family. It explores the issues that living in Broken Hill had raised for him and then what he decided to do after receiving a diagnosis of metastatic progressive cancer.
The cab driver had never left Broken Hill before but he got in his cab and began a journey to Darwin to consult a doctor about euthanasia. Regardless of one's views on the pros and cons of euthanasia, the story is immensely powerful. The landscape of the west also plays a powerful part in the film. For those who do not know it, or have never experienced it, our massive and at times incomprehensible landscape can seem impenetrable. I make special note of a scene in the film when the cab driver passes a tree that is called "pussy willow". It is a tree in which dead feral cats are hanging. I thank the Hon. Trevor Khan for reminding me of the feral animals in the film. He is a movie critic, really.
Where else in the world could one go and see something like that? It is incredible. There are scenes in the film where the cab driver passes through outback towns, including the time when he picked up an incredible fellow. Critics talk about the scene when the driver picked up an Aboriginal man in one of the towns. The scene was not originally part of the film. It was something that happened spontaneously. When filming, the crew had done a bit of a recce in a small town. They had worked out who was there and how they were going to shoot the scene in a pub. Two days later when they arrived in the town many kids spontaneously raced towards the taxi to say hello. That sort of thing really characterises the west. Everybody is prepared to have a go; everybody is really excited if someone new comes to town, and that person is embraced. Sometimes rural and regional New South Wales can be seen as conservative, but if one looks at what has come out of Broken Hill one cannot possibly think that it is conservative. The film is brilliant. I really loved it.
Last week I had the great pleasure of opening the NSW Rural Women's Gathering at Glen Innes, which is in northern New South Wales. I felt inspired by this gathering of rural women. It never ceases to amaze me because I did not grow up in the country. I grew up in different places all over the world, but when I moved to the country it gave me this incredible sense of community. It gave me a sense of who we are. At Glen Innes I talked to a woman from Mudgee. I asked her, "What is it that makes us unique, so that a bunch of rural women are able to come up with solutions to the problems in their communities rather than dwelling on the obstacles?" She said, "Bronnie, it happens because we all really care about each other."
That really resonated with me because rural women really do care about each other. Had I never moved to rural New South Wales I do not think I would have become involved in all of the things that I became involved in. I do not think I would have felt so passionately about my nursing and my patients. I am excited that the next rural Women's Gathering will be held in Broken Hill. That is tremendous. We will see another fantastic event. It will be another fantastic day because of the resilience of the people of Broken Hill. I again thank the Hon. Sarah Mitchell for moving this motion today. It has been a pleasure to speak on it.
The Hon. COURTNEY HOUSSOS [11.57 a.m.]: I did not intend to make a contribution to this debate today but I wish to speak briefly on the motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell. I commend her for this terrific example of how engaging the debate on private members' business can be. I was drawn to speak because, like other members who have spoken to the motion, I feel that Broken Hill is a very special place. Anyone who has visited that place would know that as people fly in over this incredibly unforgiving land—land which some people think of as the traditional Australian outback—up pops this resilient, special place. On one of my visits to Broken Hill I travelled there with a colleague from the United Kingdom, who was unendingly fascinated by the fact that the entire city centred on what he called a slag pile. At the top of this slag hill the city has put a touching memorial to miners who lost their lives. There is a lovely coffee shop and restaurant there, where one can look out over Broken Hill. It is an indication of the character of the place.
As members are aware, in my previous life I travelled a great deal throughout country New South Wales. Unlike many New South Wales country towns, Broken Hill has an incredibly strong trade union history, as evidenced by the previously mentioned Demo Club and the really beautiful and historical Broken Hill Trades Hall building, which houses the Barrier Industrial Council. The city's history and the labour movement are firmly entwined in the story of Broken Hill. Anyone who visits Broken Hill cannot but be moved by that history. People often do not realise until they visit Broken Hill that it has an incredible multicultural history. It is the location for one of the first mosques in New South Wales, due to Afghan migrants. Closer to home, the father of my friend the member for Rockdale, who is the son of Greek migrants, was born in Broken Hill and grew up there. There is an incredible history of migration in that very remote but really special place in country New South Wales.
The motion refers to the arts community. While the arts community is growing throughout country New South Wales, it is particularly vibrant in Broken Hill. The living sculptures and many art galleries that are dotted around the back streets of Broken Hill leave the indelible impression that Broken Hill is a place of incredible creativity and a really special place where people meet the desert and display their response to it in art. Of course, who can speak of Broken Hill without mentioning Pro Hart? The motion also refers to the importance of tourism for western New South Wales communities and the economic boost that tourism provides. It is often assumed when the term "tourism" is mentioned that it is a reference to beachgoers, coastal holidays or tree changers who perhaps more recently are moving to coastal areas of New South Wales. However, the essence of the motion is how a country community has taken what is unique about it and successfully showcased that. We absolutely should recognise and encourage the importance and innovation of such a venture.
Although I cannot match the Deputy-President's knowledge of individual Australian films, I recognised a few of the titles he mentioned during the extensive knowledge he displayed during his speech. It is interesting that as recently as this morning in the Sydney Morning Herald there is a reflection upon how we live in one of the world's most urban cultures but still see ourselves as red dirters, outbackers and bushies. There is no doubt that that is largely due to our vibrant and creative film industry. All of the members who have participated in this debate acknowledge the important cultural role of the film industry in cementing our history and identity that are firmly rooted in country Australia, not just country New South Wales. I reiterate my thanks to the Hon. Sarah Mitchell for moving the motion. I appreciate the indulgence of the House in allowing me to express my personal reflections and genuine affection for Broken Hill as well as for, more broadly, country New South Wales. I commend the motion to the House.
The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS [12.03 p.m.]: I do not intend to become misty-eyed over the topic of the motion. The simple fact is that if we were to consult any investment specialist, they would say one thing: "In the long run, if you want guaranteed returns, you must diversify your portfolio of interests." That is as true of New South Wales rural communities as it is of the individual investor in Potts Point. For the successful future of rural and regional New South Wales, reliance upon amber waves of grain or the sheep's back is a recipe for disaster.
The Hon. Ben Franklin: Coalmining?
The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS: We should not put all of our eggs into one basket if we genuinely seek to have a viable future for this century and future centuries. There is a demographic inevitability about work in rural and regional New South Wales. At the turn of the twentieth century approximately 14 per cent of Australian labour took part in agricultural activity. Mechanisation, industrialisation, corporatisation and the general efficiencies that have been achieved over the last century mean that that percentage has been cut substantially.
If we examine the manner in which the demographics of the State have progressed, we find, as mentioned, inevitability. The 20-mile towns, where horses were changed for the Cobb and Co coach, are gone but not because people hated them or because they were bad. It was simply that the necessity of their existence was disproved by technical innovation and change. We now have in country New South Wales what might be described as sponge cities; in other words, towns that have been able to produce a critical mass that enables them to be self-sufficient in and of themselves to a large extent.
But the really successful towns have been those that have diversified their interests beyond purely agricultural interests into a range of areas. Broken Hill has done that quite successfully. The city not only has a continuance of extractive industries but also has produced a third generation. Originally it would have been silver, then it became lead and now it is nickel that is being produced by the mines in Broken Hill. In addition, the city has tourism and a thriving artistic community. Broken Hill has a range of options available for accessing external sources of funds rather than relying on internal sources of funds from the immediate district.
Extensive travel around the State will show the successful towns that have followed that edict precisely. Tamworth has the Country Music Festival. Parkes diversified earlier into space exploration, later into Elvis, and local councillors now tell me they perceive Parkes to be a future transportation hub. The Hon. Ben Franklin mentioned coal. It is certainly true that extractive industries have assisted economically over a period. It was not simply wool that made Bathurst great, but gold as well. Coal also assisted the development of the Hunter Valley as much as did dairying, vineyards and beef industries. Mudgee parlayed its abilities to have an artisanal food and wine industry. Although Mudgee stayed within the general parameters of agriculture, it specialised in the production of a particular grade of food that would value-add what the area already produced.
Bathurst has motor racing; Deniliquin has its Ute Muster; and Temora—a town which by rights should be in decline—is thriving because it developed historical warbird tourism, which consequently produced a thriving general aviation industry. Those towns recognised that although agriculture is important to them, they should not and must not put all their eggs in one basket. There is one small note of dissent to this. Mathoura and Baradine embarked upon so-called environmental tourism. The tourist numbers they were promised by the previous Labor Government, when that Government locked up large swathes of productive forest, did not eventuate. The promises have not been met. There is no grand opportunity for former timber industry workers to sell lattés to middle-class environmentalists, who were supposed to visit in great numbers but who apparently did not wish to visit the very places in which they claimed to be so interested.
I move on to the movie industry aspect. Other members have spoken about the Hollywood of the outback. But Hollywood has a dark side as well. When one thinks of the Australian bush movies of the 1940s and 1950s one thinks of The Sundowners, Smiley or something like that—something that played into the general Australian bush mythology of the welcoming country town, mutual support, rugged individualism, industry and productivity. In many ways that replicated the Hollywood view of the American rural lifestyle as well.
However—I will not mince words about this—the arts industry in Australia has become overwhelmingly white, urban, bourgeois, progressive and elitist. In many instances it finds working class culture at best problematic and at worst it displays the active disdain of the cosmopolitans for ordinary Australians. Indeed, in some instances it appears in dramatic form in such dystopias as Wolf Creek and Mad Max—let us not forget that Mad Max was originally a vehicle, an instrument, to speak about the sort of high-speed car culture amongst young working-class men.
But in many instances it is worse than that. From the late 1960s or the early 1970s, from Wake in Fright to Shame or the execrable Welcome to Woop Woop paint a picture of life in rural and regional communities as parochial, narrow-minded, brutal, sexist, racist and homophobic. The people who produced these films congratulate themselves on their moral superiority. They say, "We are not like these people." They are missionaries saving the benighted. Indeed, Priscilla is interesting because it breaks from the usual dichotomy of Australian films about the outback. Normally one is given only two choices: leave or die. But Priscilla presents a reconciliation.
I am not sure how many members saw on the ABC recently a documentary about Priscilla. In that documentary Stephan Elliott made it absolutely clear that he wanted to produce a film where cosmopolitan city life met narrow-minded, blue collar country life to see what happened. Fortunately—and I think optimistically—he did not choose the easy option of die or leave. He chose reconcile and that is a wonderful achievement. We should be wary of those who wish to turn rural and regional people into "the other". It is easy to demonise what we do not understand one way or the other. We should celebrate this but we should also be on guard and remember that everyone has a place.
The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK (Parliamentary Secretary) [12.13 p.m.]: ABC television has been looking for a film critic since the passing of John Hinde. It pleases me to think that the Hon. Dr Peter Phelps has a calling ahead of him working with ABC television, given his depth of knowledge. What he said was insightful. In a sense I am distressed by this motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell because I was unaware of this film festival. The member made me sit through this wonderful debate feeling like I have missed out on a fabulous event. I console myself with the idea that now that I am hooked into it I will absolutely be there with my family with bells on in 2016. I sincerely hope that the festival becomes an annual event.
I first visited Broken Hill in 2004 and I flew in. As many members have said, flying over land is a stunning sight before they land. I was in Broken Hill because, for some reason that overjoyed me, the Broken Hill International Women's Day committee had invited me to be their guest speaker. It was my first visit there. My cousin Dymphna Cusack had spent seven years living in Broken Hill. She was an author but she worked as a teacher for the Department of Education; she had many run-ins with department bureaucracy and found herself banished to Broken Hill, where in the library she discovered the works of then contemporary author George Orwell. She describes that period as some of the richest years of her life.
So I was excited to visit Broken Hill and meet these women. I also took the opportunity to meet Janine Whitehair, who worked in the dental surgery and was sacked when she announced she was getting married. She took on Barrier Council in a discrimination case—I think Carmel Niland was the commissioner in those days. That great case in the 1970s was a complete breakthrough for women who at that point were being forced to retire from the workplace for the simple act of getting married. Janine's marriage was successful for a while but, ironically, she is now married to someone else.
Janine was working at the Medibank office in Broken Hill and she told me some great stories. When she won the case there was a huge celebration and a big party at her house in Broken Hill. She and her husband invited all their friends, and she said it was absolutely unbelievable how many of the women produced wedding rings. It was a room full of people who had been secretly married and not told a soul, not even their friends, parents or siblings. At the party there was enormous joy because all the married couples could come out of the closet because thankfully the wives would not lose their jobs. As many speakers have said, it is a rich history.
I think I have flown into Broken Hill twice. However, my great passion is to drive into Broken Hill and I have done so many, many times. The trip is 12 hours from Sydney on a sealed road. Anyone can do it. As my love and knowledge of this extraordinary landscape has grown I have become increasingly convinced that it is the right of all children in New South Wales, particularly those in the cities, to visit this astonishing landscape and to do so by land. Broken Hill airport has a fabulous Pro Hart painting, but children should experience all the great tourism along the way. The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps referred to the Elvis museum in Parkes, but there is also—
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: The space museum.
The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK: —the space museum and the telescopes. One can do a fabulous loop and come back through Coonabarabran. There are tiny towns and hot springs out there. It is an absolute wealth in terms of tourism. The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps referred to Deniliquin. I have visited and camped in Deniliquin for its ute muster. That is a fantastic event. On one occasion we drove from Deniliquin, which I have done a few times, and up through Balranald. Basically—I am talking about national parks now—one connects with the red gums in the national park, which are stunning particularly on the river banks. The river is located south of Deniliquin at places such as Mathoura but one can then drive up via Balranald.
I wish to heaven that the council and the State Government, between them, could deliver a better sealed road because I believe this is one of the missing links. Drivers would then visit Yanga National Park, another red gum national park that has been left stranded at the cost of hundreds of jobs. The community was promised that there would be a tourism boom but guess where the Yanga park office is located. Yanga is about three kilometres outside Balranald but the park office is in Hay, 150 kilometres away.
Former natural resources commissioner John Williams has spoken about Mungo National Park. I have been there about three times and I hope to get there another 10 times, as I cannot visit that park enough. It is a sacred, iconic, world-class national park with brilliant accommodation. This is another park that requires just a small length of sealed roads for it to be opened to international tourism. The problem with dirt roads is that if there is even just three or four millimetres of rain, which does pop out of the blue in the outback, the council has to shut the roads until they dry out because vehicles wreck wet roads. This means these parks cannot have organised tourism because international tourists cannot jump on a bus and then find they cannot get to their destination because it has rained. It would not require much money to seal the roads to connect Mungo from Victoria and New South Wales.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Aren't we doing Cobb and Silver City? I am sure we have money allocated for that.
The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK: I am not sure that that will connect Mungo. I feel so passionately about this that I measured the length of the unsealed sections. We are talking about 26 kilometres. From Mungo visitors would go to Kinchega National Park as they are getting closer to Broken Hill. This is another stunning park. I have visited it twice while the Menindee Lakes were in flood. From there, it is only an hour and a bit to Broken Hill where visitors can see the dam system and retrace the journey of Burke and Wills. Every schoolchild in this State deserves to have this experience to realise the richness of our history and the beauty of our landscape, as this heritage belongs to them. How can they know about their ownership if this area is not opened up? Making this area accessible involves tarring the roads but 99 per cent of it involves raising awareness of these stunning opportunities. Broken Hill is on the rail line.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Indian Pacific.
The Hon. CATHERINE CUSACK: The Indian Pacific. This rail line has to bring opportunities and options. Everything in the outback is big. I come from the coast, where there are sweet, little coastal emus. Unfortunately, many of these are being run over by cars and it looks like we may not have any coastal emus in the next few years; locally they are virtually extinct. In the outback, wildlife thrives and there are extraordinarily large emus, with a toe that is bigger than my foot, and kangaroos. Perhaps there is too much wildlife because of the water storage but it represents a massive tourist opportunity, along with Aboriginal heritage and multiculturalism. As previous speakers have said, the State's first mosque is there. I believe Australia's first mosque is in South Australia and it too was established by the Afghan cameleers. I believe these cameleers were done a great injustice by the Daily Telegraph which unfairly blamed them for the picnic train massacre when it was the misguided Turks who believed they were at war and hijacked the picnic train.
I endorse the comments of the Hon. Mark Pearson about the beauty of the landscape. In the vicinity are Wilcannia and the extraordinary White Cliffs where people live underground. I thoroughly recommend Sturt National Park and the Mount Wood homestead. I would like there to be a better partnership between the National Parks and Wildlife Service and the road and tourism authorities. People who live in regional areas make us feel very welcome when we are there; these amazing people have everything it takes to run a world-class tourism product. I am sad this tourism opportunity is not coming together because the New South Wales outback is much better than the outback of the Northern Territory and Queensland. Our outback is more accessible and has a better climate. However, it is missing tourism promotion. These days tourism is about experiences rather than destinations. We have a world-class product and the film industry is helping to promote that. I thank the Hon. Sarah Mitchell for bringing this motion forward. This is a part of the world that is well worth bragging about.
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE [12.25 p.m.]: On behalf of the Christian Democratic Party I support this motion, particularly paragraph 2:
(2) That this House recognises:
(a) the importance of the Australian film industry in showcasing regional towns and cities; and
(b) the importance of tourism for communities in western New South Wales and the economic boost it provides.
I have enjoyed my visits to Broken Hill where I have received a friendly and warm welcome. My last visit was during a commemoration of World War II when soldiers from the area travelled by train from Broken Hill to Sydney. I congratulate the citizens of Broken Hill on their strong attachment to their city, despite the many problems they face in regard to jobs and the economy. They have remained loyal to Broken Hill, which is still one of our major cities. Ian Hutchinson is the Christian Democratic Party's local coordinator. He is a former school teacher who has done a wonderful job of promoting development and encouraging the people of Broken Hill.
On a recent visit I met with Aboriginal leaders in Broken Hill to discuss their housing problems. They believe more needs to be done to address this serious issue. I stayed in a motel in Broken Hill that was previously a Catholic convent before it was sold to the Church of Christ. It is unusual to sleep in what was previously a nun's room. Some years ago I was invited to visit Pro Hart at his home to look at his paintings. Before I left, he presented me with quite a big painting he had done on fibro sheeting.
The Hon. Catherine Cusack: Is that on the register?
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE: This painting was his visualisation of a visit by Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser to a university where the students held a protest meeting. The painting depicts the protesting students through the eyes of Malcolm Fraser. Pro Hart had painted nasty symbols and snakes in the students' eyes; it is not a pretty painting so I have never put it on my wall. It is in my garage. It was a good souvenir of my visit to Broken Hill. He also gave me a print of one of his paintings, which was not valuable. Pro Hart was a very strong Christian, and the print depicted bishops and other clerical people beside a cathedral indulging in a feast and drinking and cavorting. Beyond the church in the street is Jesus Christ carrying a cross and accompanied by followers. The picture highlighted the contrast between what was happening on the street and what was happening outside the cathedral. I am pleased to support the people of Broken Hill.
Pursuant to standing orders debate interrupted to permit the mover of the motion to speak in reply.
The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL (Parliamentary Secretary) [12.31 p.m.], in reply: I acknowledge the contribution of Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile and hope he will show us the painting one day; I would love to see it. I also acknowledge the contributions made by the Hon. Mick Veitch, Mr Jeremy Buckingham, the Hon. Trevor Khan, who we have learnt this morning appears to be the Margaret Pomeranz of the Legislative Council, the Hon. Ben Franklin, the Hon. Greg Pearce, the Hon. Rick Colless, the Hon. Natasha Maclaren-Jones, the Hon. Bronnie Taylor, the Hon. Courtney Houssos, the Hon. Dr Peter Phelps, and the Hon. Catherine Cusack.
This has been a good opportunity to learn a little about members' views on their experiences in western New South Wales, and in Broken Hill in particular. It is great that the local community has been recognised in such glowing terms. We also learned a great deal about members' interests in film. One of my favourite films—both Australian and international—is The Castle, and we often hear people quote Darryl Kerrigan's famous words, "It's the vibe." It is fair to say that the vibe in the Chamber today has been great. I am happy that the motion appears to have attracted unanimous support and I again thank members for their contributions. I commend the motion to the House.
Question—That the motion be agreed to—put and resolved in the affirmative.
Motion agreed to.
WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
The Hon. COURTNEY HOUSSOS [12.32 p.m.]: I move:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) in many industries and workplaces the nature of work is changing;
(b) the concept of a balance between working life and other responsibilities has been championed by the trade union movement since the nineteenth century, including through the eight hours work, eight hours recreation and eight hours rest campaign; and
(c) technological changes and economic pressures have in many cases impacted work-life balance.
(2) That this House:
(a) recognises that flexible working arrangements assist workers over the course of their working lives;
(b) affirms its commitment to workplace flexibility as a key method of supporting parents, carers, and families, attaining work-life balance, and increasing productivity; and
(c) encourages both the public and private sectors to investigate and find opportunities and innovative solutions for flexible working arrangements.
In my inaugural speech I spoke about the need for governments to focus on the issue of workplace flexibility. Along with paid parental leave and quality and affordable child care, workplace flexibility is the third key pillar in supporting working families. However, the scope of workplace flexibility and its benefits are much broader than only working families; it is increasingly relevant for all workers. While the media has begun discussing the issue of work-life balance over the past decade or two, the concept of this balance has been championed since the 1800s by the labour movement. Simply captured, we must work to live, not live to work.
Despite dramatic advances in technology, our workplaces have changed little since the industrial revolution, when workers were required to travel to their workplace and complete work alongside others for a specific number of hours before returning home to their families. In the era of solely postal mail and landline telephones, when the majority of the workforce was engaged in physical labour, that was necessary. However, while there has been much talk about disruption technology and the way that it has changed how we communicate with each other, access information and interact with the world around us, there has been little discussion on its impact on the structure of our workplaces.
In the era of smartphones, laptops and cloud computing, we no longer need to travel to one central location to receive communications, to access information and to interact with customers or clients. However, close to 15 per cent of greater Sydney's jobs are still based in the three square kilometres between Circular Quay, Hyde Park, Central station and Darling Harbour alone. The unnecessary strain this places on transport infrastructure, and all the costs associated with our growing congestion issues, manifests itself in dramatically less time with family and friends, and fewer opportunities to engage meaningfully in the broader community. As the workplace increasingly intrudes upon our home life, where it has become routine to check emails as soon as we wake up and before we go to sleep, there has been remarkably little conversation about how new technology can be used to benefit workers in their personal lives.
In the same way the industrial revolution fundamentally changed workplaces by moving workers from the farms and fields into factories, emerging technology has the ability to change the way we work. However, structurally we are still wedded to managerial practices that were developed for another time. Technology is an incredible enabler, but only when used innovatively. We must be the innovators, and we must encourage and support the innovators. Paul Keating said that the next generation will work in a cloud economy rather than an industrialised economy. Governments can lead the discussion and practice in how workplaces can be best structured in this new cloud economy. Of course, there are cultural aspects to the way we work.
As the latest Better Life Index shows, a large proportion of the Australian workforce work very long hours when compared to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development average. On top of this, especially in Sydney, we are commuting longer distances and for longer periods of time. The most recent Household Travel Survey revealed that commute times in our city add an extra 40 minutes to each hour travelled on our roads during peak hours. That places an incredible strain not only on working families but also on young people balancing work and study. It affects workers who are caring for ageing relatives. Indeed, it impacts on anyone with commitments outside of the workplace. In an interview on ABC's Lateline, Richard Goyder, managing director of Wesfarmers, which employs more than 200,000 people, acknowledged:
People who have got a family life that is fulfilling are much better employees as well.
However, we have a structural problem. In spite of increased dual-income families, the modern workplace is largely set up for a primary breadwinner and a primary caregiver, who perhaps works part-time and is still usually a woman. Given the biological requirement for women to bear children—one that I have been incredibly fortunate to experience—it generally becomes the natural default for the woman to be the primary caregiver. Therefore, discussions around workplace flexibility inevitably involve questions of women's participation in the workforce, especially in leadership positions. These discussions can sometimes neglect the considerable benefits for men as well. Studies consistently show that men would like to spend more time with their families, and are being encouraged to play a more active role in family life than perhaps they have in the past. As more and more women continue with their careers after having children, policy solutions often centre on addressing the symptoms rather than the cause of the problem: workplace inflexibility. The Australian Financial Review noted earlier this year:
The inclusion of men is crucial if flexible working is to become mainstream and lose the taint of the "mummy track". A survey of decision-makers at large Australian organisations shows that while they were overwhelmingly in favour of flexible working practices, one-third of them admitted careers take a hit when people take advantage of them.
This discussion could generate more cost-effective solutions with benefits for all workers, rather than simply parents. Anne-Marie Slaughter, a former Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, wrote in her famous "Why Women Still Can't Have It All" article:
Armed with e-mail, instant messaging, phones, and videoconferencing technology, we should be able to move to a culture where the office is a base of operations more than the required locus of work.
Indeed, in an address to the Chicago Council earlier this week, she advocated explicitly for "deep flexibility" in our workplaces. Many other academics believe that updating the way we conceptualise work by embracing more flexible working arrangements for those who want it can have implications for many of the current quality-of-life issues we face as a society: housing affordability, declining community engagement and increasing congestion. Let me turn back to the issue at hand, because the term "workplace flexibility" means different things to different people. "Workplace flexibility" is a term used by conservative forces in recent times as a euphemism to degrade the conditions and dignity of work. These forces perpetuate an argument that workplace relations is a zero-sum game, that workers have to lose out so that business owners can gain.
The labour movement and progressive Labor governments on the other hand have consistently recognised there can be better outcomes for both employers and employees through carefully considered outcomes-focused reform. For that reason, I advocate "mutually beneficial flexibility"—a term I must attribute to Associate Professor Rae Cooper of the University of Sydney Business School, an impressive and intelligent advocate for workplace flexibility—whereby the employer and the employee both benefit from flexible working arrangements. I have met with a diverse array of representatives of Australia's leading companies who all agree that meaningful workplace flexibility is mutually beneficial. For example, Telstra says it is "flexible about being flexible", recognising that each person's needs are different and that the company will also derive a benefit from the bottom line to longer-term retention of workforce talent and everything in between.
Workplace flexibility increasingly liberates our modern workforce from the traditional practice that work can only be done in the office, at a workstation, being immediately supervised, five days per week from 8.30 a.m. until 5.00 p.m. The Fair Work Ombudsman suggests common flexible working arrangements can include changed starting and finishing times, job sharing, working more hours over fewer days or additional hours to make up for time taken off, and even working from home. Under the Fair Work Act 2009, employees are entitled to request flexible working arrangements by making a case to their manager.
More recently, leading companies have introduced specific "All Roles Flex" policies. First instituted by Telstra more than two years ago, similar policies have now been adopted by the Australian Stock Exchange, ANZ Bank, Westpac Bank and PricewaterhouseCoopers [PwC], among others. As an example, ANZ and Telstra's workplace flexibility policies mean that when an employee makes the case for flexible arrangements it is incumbent upon their manager to detail why those arrangements would not be possible. In effect, instead of employees making the case for why, their managers must make the case for why not. Many of the leading companies allow for career breaks and enable employees to purchase additional annual leave, ensuring that working flexibility is not just for working parents but for all workers who have a need for less rigidity in their working life. PwC allows employees to set their own hours of work by shifting to a more outcomes-focused relationship. Their impressive senior executive Debra Eckersley says:
People are working different hours, not necessarily more or less.
Our philosophy is that we trust you to work the way you need to.
This is a remarkable departure from the traditional structures of managing a workforce. Indeed, whilst many of the workers at the Australian Stock Exchange use their flexible working policy to balance work and family, one employee utilises it to go for a surf before work. But this is not only a question for office-based workers. The issue of balancing work and other commitments applies equally to all industries and all skill levels. Mercy Health is a leading national healthcare provider, running hospitals, maternity services, aged care facilities and various clinical and mental health services.
A large part of its workforce is made up of roles perhaps not usually considered suited to the concept of flexibility: doctors, nurses and cleaning and maintenance staff. Their energetic and passionate executive director, Kate McCormack, has led the introduction of children at work policies, including a holiday camp during school breaks and staggered start rostering. It has even created its own brokerage to match employees with opportunities to work more flexibly. Consequently sick leave has reduced from a peak of 12 per cent in the months of September and October, coinciding with school holidays, to just 4 per cent overall.
Cessnock City Council has worked with the United Services Union since 1996 to create flexible working arrangements which have reduced absenteeism, increased staff morale and job satisfaction and, most importantly, better aligned the resources of the council to the services it delivers. Covering parks and gardens staff, swimming pool staff and many of its construction workers, Cessnock council has shown that workplace flexibility policies can be applied to a range of industries. Many work additional hours—perhaps a 50-hour week during peak seasons—for an annualised salary. They do their work through extended hours but over a shorter period when it is required—when the grass is growing quickly or when the swimming pools are open—and they have the security of permanent employment.
I want to be very clear on this issue: these arrangements do not diminish my commitment to penalty rates for unsocial hours of work. I take this opportunity to condemn the Federal Coalition Government for its inability to see past an opportunity to cut penalty rates. It is clear that mutually beneficial workplace flexibility results in better outcomes for both employers and employees. The fact that large and influential companies are implementing these sorts of policies shows undeniably that there are economic benefits in doing so. In all the discussions around growing the Australian economy, the issue of increasing productivity is the mainstay of our economic commentary. It is a key challenge for our country. Mutually beneficial workplace flexibility is an obvious way to improve productivity across a range of workplaces.
Time and time again business leaders I have met with have emphasised the productivity gains from their flexible arrangements. Making workplaces more flexible encourages people back into the workforce, particularly mothers, fathers and carers who have left the workforce. Increasing participation rates is a fundamental component of this debate. A recent Ernst and Young report entitled "Untapped opportunity" details the disparity between men and women engaging in the Australian workforce. It noted that in Australia male participation is 14 per cent higher than female participation and that once women hit their mid-twenties their participation rate declines for the two decades following. This is problematic for a number of reasons, not least of which is the billions of dollars of unrealised productivity. As Ernst and Young has said, it is imperative that we "unlock the productivity dividend women offer our economy".
At the same time we are seeing a rise in "mumtrepreneurs", women who have started their own small businesses, generally from home, while caring for children. We should do all that we can to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation but we should also recognise that these ventures are often symptoms of modern workplaces failing to cater for the needs of their employees. In many of these instances, a workplace that encouraged working from home and phoning into meetings as the norm rather than just a special arrangement would tap into the skills and expertise of these workers, allowing increased productivity across the economy. Many of the flexible arrangements that I have already mentioned could be tied to the inevitable modernisation processes that companies go through.
Indeed, Telstra reshaped its George Street office space after renewing the lease on its current premises. A pilot program showed that it could save a fifth of its floor space allocation by redesigning the office to suit its new flexible workplace arrangements. Rather than allocating a single workstation for each member of staff, workers can carry out their work in one of a number of different environments, depending on the task at hand—specific team environments, collaborative and creative spaces, focus areas and, of course, spaces that connect them with other offices around the country. Telstra reinvested the savings, allowing an extensive upgrade to its phone and videoconferencing facilities. It has reported a more proactive work environment that encourages staff to fully plan their day at the outset rather than simply reacting to what appears on their desk or in their inbox.
More flexible working presents a multitude of opportunities for regional New South Wales as well. In a period in which regional unemployment presents a real threat to the viability of many of our country towns, more flexible working arrangements present opportunities to grow and develop regional communities. A senior manager at Telstra lives in a regional centre in northern New South Wales and commutes to Sydney for several days a week, several times a month. Even in his senior role, Telstra recognises that with teleconferencing and remote access, the staff member does not necessarily need to be at a Sydney workstation five days a week. Indeed, I was consistently told that a culture of presenteeism at a managerial level is the biggest inhibitor to implementing flexible working arrangements.
Improving productivity during commuting times is also an option when face-to-face time is required. The women's website Mamamia has taken a unique view on this issue, counting time commuting as time working. One worker travels from the Blue Mountains and, using mobile internet, completes work tasks in a quiet train carriage. This is only one illustration of an innovative policy that encourages productivity where before there was none. There can also be benefits in workers compensation liabilities when considering the cumulative effect of fewer employees having to be present in an office environment that does not necessarily correlate with their ability to complete their work.
What can the Government do to encourage greater mutually beneficial flexibility? It is a question that the Labor Party and I will continue to explore. The New South Wales Government could offer flexible working arrangements to its more than 400,000 employees across New South Wales. While those arrangements will look different for each employee, the principle could be adopted. In addition to improving efficiency and effectiveness, this would be an opportunity to encourage other private sector firms to adopt flexible measures. The New South Wales Government could also offer a brokerage platform for those seeking flexible options in the workforce, especially for those wishing to vary their hours of work rather than using the current ad hoc basis. The Government could invest in commuter technology and investigate public transport design possibilities that would enable more productive commuting, including expanding wi-fi to trains and buses rather than just ferries or at specific stations.
This question has been investigated already by the Government without substantive action. Most importantly, we would need leadership from the very top to implement such changes. Westpac's Chief Executive Officer, Brian Hartzer, leads by example, purchasing additional annual leave each year to spend more time during the school holidays with his six children. The culture change I have spoken of today is not revolutionary and it is not new. Leading Australian businesses have shown us that mutually beneficial flexibility offers an opportunity not only to drive productivity increases but it also allows workers to engage more fully in their communities and with their family. This cultural change could fundamentally change how large parts of the workforce undertake their work. It could kickstart a conversation around the nature of work and how we harness technology to assist us in balancing our work life, and our life outside of work. These are important conversations to have. I thank the House for its consideration and commend the motion to it.
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE [12.52 p.m.]: On behalf of the Christian Democratic Party I support the motion moved by the Hon. Courtney Houssos. She has raised an important issue. The motion states:
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) in many industries and workplaces the nature of work is changing;
(b) the concept of a balance between working life and other responsibilities has been championed by the trade union movement since the nineteenth century, including through the eight hours work, eight hours recreation and eight hours rest campaign; and
(c) technological changes and economic pressures have in many cases impacted work/life balance.
As I was listening, I added up the time we spend in the upper House.
The Hon. Sophie Cotsis: You work 24/7.
Reverend the Hon. FRED NILE: Yes. If one adds up the maximum time we are here, we have 8½ hours to spare. In the 8½ hours that we are not here, we sleep and have recreation. We are being short-changed by the system. If the motion of the Hon. Courtney Houssos means we will have three eight-hour work segments, I am sure we would all support it enthusiastically. The motion also states:
(2) That this House:
(a) recognises that flexible working arrangements assist workers over the course of their working lives;
(b) affirms its commitment to workplace flexibility as a key method of supporting parents, carers and families, attaining work/life balance and increasing productivity; and
(c) encourages both the public and private sectors to investigate and find opportunities and innovative solutions for flexible working arrangements.
It is important for parents, especially working mothers, that there be an opportunity for flexible working hours. We support industries giving serious consideration to providing that opportunity for flexible working hours so that working parents can organise their lives and be allowed an opportunity to care for their children. We support the motion before the House.
[Deputy-President (The Hon. Trevor Khan) left the Chair at 12.55 p.m. The House resumed at 2.30 p.m.]
Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted at 2.30 p.m. for questions.
Item of business set down as an order of the day for a later hour.
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE ______
DETENTION ORDERS
The Hon. ADAM SEARLE: My question is directed to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism. Given his answers in question time yesterday, will he now accept that his Government's decision to not inform Muslim community leaders at Monday's meeting about the Government's 28-day detention plan has damaged efforts to build social cohesion in the State?
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: The only damage to social cohesion is being done by Opposition members, who are playing political games. That is it: full stop.
The Hon. Walt Secord: You misled them.
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: I stand by the answers I gave yesterday and by the answers given yesterday by the Premier to the same question.
CLASSIC VEHICLES REGISTRATION SCHEME
The Hon. RICK COLLESS: My question is directed to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight. Will he expand on the proposal for a two-year trial of an optional logbook-based conditional registration scheme for classic vehicles that are more than 30 years old?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I thank the Hon. Rick Colless for his question. I note his interest in and enjoyment of classic cars. Approximately 300,000 New South Wales people, who are members of car clubs and associations, enjoy owning and safely operating classics. Statistics show that those rare and valuable cars are driven carefully. They are involved in very few accidents, are safe, and are better maintained than is the general car fleet. I proposed a two-year trial of a logbook-based conditional registration scheme for cars 30 years or older and weighing less than 3.5 tonnes. The trial rollout will be in two stages. Those who are eligible for current historic plates are in the first stage. The second stage, which will be early in 2016, will be for non-original and modified vehicles that must be eligible and certified for full registration. The compulsory insurance component will be sorted out before the second stage can be rolled out.
Conditional registration will be cheaper than is full registration. This is an opt-in trial through recognised clubs that will offer additional advantages of up to a total of 60 days logbook recorded use, which will allow for the occasional Sunday afternoon drive with the family. Those 60 days of use are not intended to be in addition to any other scheme. The logbook scheme does not replace the historic plates in the historic vehicle scheme, which will remain untouched. The role of recognised clubs is critical to this proposed trial. The trial and the final scheme will strengthen recognised clubs and associations, which are recognised for their positive peer influence. The trial can be accessed only through recognised club membership. People who do not fit into an existing scheme and who are not club members therefore will need to join a club that is recognised by Roads and Maritime Services [RMS] to access the trial and the final scheme.
Clubs will opt in, or not, as they choose. There is no compulsion. If a club opts in, not all members will take advantage of the logbook-based registration scheme, but I believe that most will. It is a matter of the club opting in, and then a matter of personal choice. I am aware of the desire of many H-plate holders, if they move to the logbook scheme, to preserve their plates. The Government is still working through the best mechanism by which to implement the scheme and allow people to preserve their existing H-plates, as they wish to do. This great and long overdue initiative will be welcomed by motoring enthusiasts who love their classics. It will preserve and allow the use of our motoring heritage and strengthen the large motoring aftermarket industry, which is worth approximately $11 billion a year and employs 30,000 people across Australia. The proposed scheme will be a win-win. Those who own these great vehicles largely get to drive them only to events organised by their clubs. They would like to enjoy the feeling more often of driving their vehicle. This scheme will be a win-win for them.
Classic car owners have been asking for this scheme for a number of years. Preparations for introduction of the scheme have not been without difficulty. I congratulate all those from motoring clubs and in RMS who have worked together to achieve it. The first stage of the scheme is complete and we soon will be working on the second stage. The scheme is pretty much together. I thank classic car owners and everyone else involved for their support, and I wish them well.
DETENTION ORDERS
The Hon. WALT SECORD: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism. Given his answers yesterday and today, when was he informed of the Government's plan in relation to detention orders?
[Interruption]
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has the call.
The Hon. WALT SECORD: Was that before or after Monday's meeting with Muslim community leaders?
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: As I have indicated, unlike Opposition members, I do not intend to play political games. This is an incredibly serious issue. It involves the lives of our youth and the lives of members in our community. If the Opposition wants to play games, I will not do that. I rely on my answers.
WALLY'S PIGGERY
The Hon. MARK PEARSON: My question is directed to the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water. In response to a budget estimates question, the Government advised that the Minister is not privy to legal advice detailing the reasons for the withdrawal of cruelty charges in the Wally's Piggery case. Will the Minister confirm that the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act is the only criminal legislation that gives prosecutorial authority to a charitable body such as the RSPCA? Will he advise what accountability mechanisms are in place to ensure that the RSPCA competently fulfils prosecutorial duties in this case? Given the ongoing public concern about the RSPCA's carriage of this prosecution, will he affirm his confidence in the RSPCA and its ability to competently conduct criminal prosecution cases?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: I thank the Hon. Mark Pearson for his question. In the first part of his question he alluded to this topic being explored briefly during a budget estimates hearing earlier this year before General Purpose Standing Committee No. 5. From memory, the member also raised this matter with me on previous occasions during question time. On a number of occasions I have said that when it comes to animal welfare, the Government takes the matter seriously. I know that staff of the Department of Primary Industries do an outstanding job in relation to animal welfare. They proactively work with producers, stakeholder groups and agencies to help them understand and fulfil their responsibilities when it comes to animal welfare.
I can confidently speak on behalf of the majority of New South Wales citizens when I refer to the RSPCA's role in this area in New South Wales. I will deal in more detail later with the specifics of the prosecution, which I acknowledge is part of the member's question. When it comes to an agency that is responsible for animal welfare under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, I can confidently say that the New South Wales branch of the RSPCA is an outstanding organisation. During the election campaign earlier this year the Government made further commitments relating to funding of its facility in Sydney. I have faith in the agencies, including the police, the Animal Welfare League and the RSPCA to carry out their functions diligently under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
As for the specifics of the prosecution, I am advised that in August 2012 Animal Liberation released video footage showing the alleged mistreatment of pigs and illegal slaughter at a piggery in the southern tablelands of New South Wales. RSPCA NSW investigated the allegations relating to the treatment and management of the pigs, and laid charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act against Wally's Piggery in July 2013. On 17 November 2014, RSPCA NSW withdrew the prosecution after consultation with independent counsel based on matters relating to legal evidence. The piggery has since been destocked and is no longer in operation.
Animal welfare is a concern to everyone in the community and, as I said, the New South Wales Government takes it seriously. New South Wales has a robust system in place to address animal cruelty. RSPCA NSW is one of three enforcement organisations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act; the other two enforcement agencies are the Animal Welfare League NSW and NSW Police. RSPCA NSW operates under its own constitution and governance structure, independent of the New South Wales Government.
The Hon. MARK PEARSON: I ask a supplementary question. Will the Minister elucidate his answer? Does he have confidence that the RSPCA, as a charitable organisation, can administer a criminal Act although he is not privy to the legal advice detailing the reasons for the withdrawal? He would have been privy to the advice if it were the police.
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: As I said, I have confidence in the operations of the RSPCA. However, I must make it clear that RSPCA NSW withdrew the prosecution after consultation with independent counsel based on matters relating to legal evidence. That was the basis on which the RSPCA made that decision. As I said earlier, I have confidence in the RSPCA to fulfil its obligations under the Act. In this case RSPCA NSW has acted under the guidance of independent legal counsel. That is all we can ask.
LIVEABLE COMMUNITIES GRANTS PROGRAM
The Hon. NATASHA MACLAREN-JONES: My question is addressed to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism. Will the Minister update the House on what the Government is doing to deliver on its election commitments to seniors?
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: I thank the member for her question. Ageing is a major issue for New South Wales, as it is for the rest of Australia. We know that by 2030 about 20 per cent of the Australian population will be aged over 65 years, and new ideas are needed to respond to the challenges that this presents. We need to encourage the creation of new social spaces, and the design of better physical environments, structures and services to enhance everyone's quality of life, particularly those with specific needs. From my discussions with seniors and the feedback I receive from members of Parliament and other stakeholders, I know that accessibility and inclusivity are the areas where the Government can most profoundly contribute to a better quality of life for our seniors.
The New South Wales Government is committed to creating communities that enable all people, regardless of age or ability, to lead active, independent, healthy lives and access their community freely and safely. Before the election the Premier and I announced a number of measures intended to improve the lives of seniors in New South Wales. These contained a commitment that a re-elected Baird Government would deliver $4 million over four years in programs to help local councils, non-government organisations and small businesses deliver accessibility, active living and mobility projects for our seniors. I am pleased to say that we are delivering on this promise—another election commitment delivered by the Baird-Grant Government.
On Wednesday 7 October this year I launched the Liveable Communities Grants Program. Liveable communities address more than the needs of seniors, people with disability and carers; they also create communities that are liveable and inclusive for all. Grants of up to $100,000 will be available to successful people and organisations in New South Wales with an innovative idea about how to make the most of life as we age. Applications are welcome from non-government organisations, academics, entrepreneurs, small businesses and local councils. The Liveable Communities Grants Program will allow people to explore new possibilities and approaches to the global challenge of ageing.
We also know that local communities know their areas best and have brilliant ideas on what their community requires for their seniors. Thinking outside the box is strongly encouraged. We will support people who have passion and great ideas, and help them take those ideas to the next level. Applicants whose ideas are shortlisted will also participate in workshops to learn about launching an innovative start-up and how to spread their ideas for maximum impact. Applications close at midnight on Thursday 12 November, and I look forward to receiving some new and local approaches. The work we are doing on liveable communities is exciting and aims to help our ageing population to stay active and participate in the community.
Since 2012 a range of funding programs have been offered by the New South Wales Government to help the creation of liveable communities. The most recent was the Creating Liveable Communities Competition, which awarded $670,000 to 17 local councils earlier this year to deliver projects to increase the liveability of communities in New South Wales. Byron Bay Council is now running an intergenerational playgroup in collaboration with Byron Aged Care and the Ballina-Byron Family Centre. Kiama Municipal Council has partnered with Alzheimer's Australia and the University of Wollongong to work towards making Kiama a dementia-friendly community. Parramatta City Council is commencing swimming classes for seniors that will provide not only recreational activities and the chance to undertake physical activity but also opportunities for seniors to make new connections and friends. I am pleased to see the progress of these grants. [Time expired.]
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATIONS
Mr DAVID SHOEBRIDGE: My question is directed to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, representing the Minister for Local Government. Given that the Government said that it is waiting for the report from the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal [IPART], due later this month, before making a decision on local council amalgamations, why has the Government already distributed maps of proposed council amalgamations before receiving the IPART report?
The Hon. Walt Secord: Show us the map.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I suspect the member is trying to circumvent his call for documents on this matter. If there are so-called maps out there, why is he asking for documents? I cannot see the connection between a resolution of the House this morning—
Mr David Shoebridge: Point of order: The Minister is debating the question and not answering it. I ask you to call him to order.
The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I suspect I was getting close to debating the question, so I do a mea culpa. I am unaware of the allegations made by Mr David Shoebridge. His allegations are normally incorrect, but on the rare chance that on this occasion he is correct I will check with the Minister and come back with an answer.
DETENTION ORDERS
The Hon. SHAOQUETT MOSELMANE: My question is directed to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism. In light of the Minister's answers to questions today and yesterday, will he now apologise to Muslim community leaders for what they believe is undermining their efforts to work together on this very difficult issue?
The Hon. Duncan Gay: You should apologise. This is a disgraceful political campaign.
The Hon. Adam Searle: Point of order: The Minister is out of order.
The PRESIDENT: Order! All members will resume their seats.
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: The only undermining that is occurring is from those opposite. The only people who should be apologising are those opposite. They should be ashamed of themselves.
RECREATIONAL FISHING
The Hon. BRONNIE TAYLOR: My question is addressed to the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water. Can the Minister update the House on how the New South Wales Government is improving access to some of the State's best recreational fishing sites for anglers with a disability?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: It is with great pleasure that I can inform the House of a new initiative in this area. Recreational fishing in New South Wales is enjoyed by about a million fishers each year. Community members with disabilities should have every opportunity also to enjoy our wonderful waterways and some of the best fishing locations in the world. Last month the Minister for Disability Services, the Hon. John Ajaka, and I travelled to Lake Wallace at Wallerawang to announce a $200,000 investment to upgrade access and make it easier for anglers with disabilities to enjoy recreational fishing.
The Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane: That's where he was; he was fishing while the Premier was—
The PRESIDENT: Order! I call the Hon. Shaoquett Moselmane to order for the first time.
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: Only members of the Australian Labor Party could interject on an initiative to increase recreational activity opportunities for people with disability. They are a disgrace. This funding will be invested in—
The Hon. Penny Sharpe: Point of order: My point of order refers to Standing Order 48, which concerns ministerial statements. This is a terrific announcement that should be made as a ministerial statement to give others an opportunity to respond to it. However, the Minister is making this announcement in answer to a question without notice. I think this is inappropriate and I ask that he make this announcement at another time so that the Opposition can respond.
The Hon. Niall Blair: To the point of order: This initiative occurred last month, which means it cannot be made as a ministerial statement. Clearly those opposite were asleep and so missed this initiative.
The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order.
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: This funding will be invested in targeted fishing clinics as well as infrastructure upgrades such as new casting platforms and access ramps to improve access to some of our most popular angling sites. The funding will be a combination of investment from the New South Wales Government and a contribution from the Recreational Fishing Trusts, in consultation with the Advisory Council on Recreational Fishing. That investment will be guided by community groups and individuals across the State, whom we have invited to make expressions of interest for funding for projects or programs.
This is a true grassroots policy in its purest form. It is an idea conceived through conversations with Wallerawang-based fisher Ray Tang, who had seen the enjoyment his friends in wheelchairs received from fishing and wanted this joy to be had by all. This idea was shared with my office and, in turn, we shared it with the office of Minister Ajaka. From there, the policy grew. I was pleased to see this enjoyment firsthand when I was joined by Minister Ajaka as well as the member for Bathurst, Paul Toole, at Lake Wallace.
As part of this program about 80 large trophy trout were released into Lake Wallace, a location known for easy access to its facilities and its proximity to Sydney. Immediately after this release it was a huge joy to see one of Ray's friends, Hamish Murray, working a fly rod with amazing skill from his wheelchair and loving every cast. The only way that could have been better would have been for Hamish to land one of the massive fish, which I hope he does soon. It also pleases me to inform the House that I have received photos of a couple of kids who have landed some of those newly released trophy fish.
Lake Wallace will become just one of a number of locations where people with limited ability can enjoy one of Australia's most popular pastimes. We want to hear from fishing groups, organisations and individuals. We want to hear their ideas on how fishing can be made more accessible for everyone. Expressions of interest can be made on the Department of Primary Industries' [DPI] website until 13 November. I strongly urge all members of the public to apply and have input into this fantastic program. I thank Minister Ajaka for his contribution to this program. I also thank the amazing DPI Fisheries staff, without whom this initiative would not have become the great program it is. There is nothing better than wetting a line. I am proud that this Government is giving everyone in this State the chance to do the same. It is very disappointing that Opposition members choose to see the political side of this and to take cheap shots. They should wake up, have a look at what we are doing, and maybe get on board and help.
WELLBEING INDICATORS
Ms JAN BARHAM: My question without notice is directed to the Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, representing the Treasurer. On Tuesday 13 October SGS Economics and Planning presented its analysis of 42 economic, social and environmental indicators to answer the question "Is life in Sydney getting better?" It noted that, despite overall economic improvements, there is a growing wellbeing gap and many current social indicators are alarming, including that where people live affects their ability to access opportunities; homelessness has risen and housing costs have soared; and unemployment and the average time taken to find a job have increased. Does the Minister agree that this type of analysis demonstrates the importance of measuring the State's performance across a broad range of social, economic and environmental indicators? Will the Government commit to adopting a framework of wellbeing indicators to guide future policy and budget decisions?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: The short answer is no, I was not aware of that report or its results. I have to say, listening to the member's description of the report and the background in it, those figures are important to the Government and to the community. People are isolated, whether economically or through a lack of transport or ability to relate to the community, and this is an important issue that we need to address. I believe that we reflect the Premier's view that it is not enough to be an economic and rational government; we need to be compassionate. One of the key characteristics of the Baird Government is the Premier's view on compassion. We should address the issues raised in the member's question, within whichever Minister's portfolio is responsible. Infrastructure is in part in my portfolio but it goes beyond that. I am not aware of the report. I will take the question on notice to answer all its parts.
WILLIAMTOWN WATER CONTAMINATION
The Hon. PENNY SHARPE: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water. Regarding Williamtown groundwater contamination, will the Minister confirm whether the Department of Defence has agreed to pay all costs of affected people, businesses and the New South Wales Government?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: The Department of Primary Industries is not the lead agency for the New South Wales Government on this issue; it is the Environment Protection Authority's responsibility. The Government has an expert panel chaired by the Chief Scientist and Engineer of New South Wales that is meeting regularly to review and interpret test results and also to better understand and manage the risks on the site. As I understand it, the panel is also leading the communication with the Commonwealth Department of Defence. It would be more appropriate to direct this question to the Environment Protection Authority for it to provide a clear explanation of what the Department of Defence has or has not committed to do about the ongoing situation at Williamtown.
The Hon. PENNY SHARPE: I have a supplementary question. Will the Minister agree to take on notice the Environment Protection Authority aspect of this issue and have his department provide a response? The question was asked as a result of the answer—
[Interruption]
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Minister may respond if he wishes.
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: I will repeat part of what I said the other day:
... the New South Wales Government is working closely with the Department of Defence to manage the contamination from the RAAF base at Williamtown. There are three main aspects to manage: firstly, protecting people's health and the environment; secondly, remediation of the contamination; and, thirdly, ensuring that as the polluter the Department of Defence pays for the impacts to people and their livelihoods, the clean-up and the costs to the New South Wales Government in managing the contamination and related costs.
The Government has also indicated to the Department of Defence that, in line with the polluter-pays principle, it should be in a position to be fully responsible for the majority of the sampling and monitoring associated with the contamination by the end of this month. This position was reiterated by the Minister for the Environment at a meeting with the Assistant Minister for Defence and Department of Defence officials in Williamtown on 8 October 2015. Given that the Environment Protection Authority is the lead agency and that the Minister for the Environment conducted that meeting with the Department of Defence, the question would be better directed to him.
BRIDGES FOR THE BUSH
Mr SCOT MacDONALD: I address my question to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight. Will the Minister update the House on the upgrade and replacement of old bridges in country New South Wales?
Mr Jeremy Buckingham: How many do you have at Crookwell?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Only one; I wish there were more. The Government is upgrading or replacing the timber, steel and concrete bridges across New South Wales that were sadly left to rot by the Labor Government and The Greens. Crumbling bridges are a safety hazard to motorists, not to mention the fact that they create serious pinch points on the country road network. Being able to run more modern and productive freight vehicles results in fewer journeys on the road network. That in turn leads to less wear and tear on our regional roads, highways and bridges. Removing old, weight-limited bridges means that regional transport and logistics companies and the businesses and farms that they service can run more efficiently with better connections to saleyards, fuel depots, abattoirs, supermarkets, railheads and silos.
In October 2012 the Coalition announced an allocation of $145 million to fast-track the upgrade and construction of old bridges at 17 key locations across regional New South Wales, including at Crookwell. We aptly named that program Bridges for the Bush. During the recent election campaign the Government announced an allocation of a further $200 million in Rebuilding NSW funding to expand this vital program. The New South Wales Government is also working closely with the Commonwealth Government to source funding for our State's bridges as part of the Commonwealth Bridges Renewal Programme. In addition, the Government's Fixing Country Roads initiative is providing funding for the repair of old and decrepit bridges located on council-owned and managed roads. I will read out an impressive list of achievements. In November last year, construction started—
Mr Jeremy Buckingham: Point of order: The standing orders forbid the reading of lists. The Minister clearly stated that he would read a list, which is out of order.
The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: That is pathetic. In November last year construction started on a new $55 million road-over-rail bridge on the Olympic Highway near Kapooka, which is expected to be completed as soon as next year. At the same time, construction has begun on a new $12 million bridge over the Namoi River at Tulladunna, near Wee Waa. That project is also expected to be completed next year. In yet another exciting development, the New South Wales Government will be working with the Victorian Government to replace the bridge crossing at Yarrawonga-Mulwala. After extensive community consultation, this new structure will replace the old Mulwala Bridge, and Roads and Maritime Services has recommended a route known as the "grey option". Work on new and upgraded bridges has also been completed near Dunmore, Boorowa, James Park—
Mr Jeremy Buckingham: Where was that?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Yes, where is James Park? The honourable member does not know that it is at Crookwell. The Greens are conducting a scare campaign and they are lost. Gone again, cobber! Bridge work has also been done at Gooloogong, Captains Flat and Broads Crossing at Temora. Other structures are under construction near Gundagai, North Haven near Port Macquarie, and Bemboka. How fantastic is that? Every member in the House, apart from The Greens, is applauding this. [Time expired.]
AGRICULTURAL LAND USE
Mr JEREMY BUCKINGHAM: I direct my question to the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water. Can high-quality biophysical strategic agricultural land [BSAL] from one area be recreated elsewhere simply by digging it up and moving it?
The Hon. Rick Colless: Point of order: The member has asked a hypothetical question.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I ask the member to provide me with a copy of the question. I do not think the question is hypothetical. However, it is clearly asking for an expression of opinion and is therefore out of order.
NATIONAL DISABILITY INSURANCE SCHEME
The Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS: My question is directed to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism. Is the Minister aware of recent statements by the NSW Council for Intellectual Disability expressing its concern over the impact the Government ceasing to provide disability services through Ageing, Disability and Home Care [ADHC] will have on people with high or complex needs? What is the Government doing to address these concerns?
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: I thank the honourable member for her question. The New South Wales Government is committed to ensuring a smooth transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme [NDIS] for complex clients. Many complex clients have interactions with more than one government agency. Therefore, the Department of Family and Community Services [FACS] is working closely with other New South Wales agencies in preparation to determine how best to support complex clients in transition to the NDIS. This New South Wales work is informing the detailed discussions with the National Disability Insurance Agency [NDIA] and the Commonwealth on the development of the New South Wales NDIS operational plan. This operational plan will include the development of systems and processes to facilitate streamlined access for complex clients and strategies to provide the necessary support once in the scheme.
The New South Wales Government also recognises that broader market development activities will be required. In response to this, FACS is implementing a strategy to identify the current market capacity and capability and to identify functions and specialist supports that will be required in the sector for people with complex support needs. The non-government sector already provides 60 per cent of disability and community care support in New South Wales. In fact, in some areas the non-government sector is the only provider of support. They have the flexibility and responsiveness to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people in our communities, including those with high or complex needs.
An important aspect of transition of New South Wales Government services to the non-government sector will involve retaining the skills and expertise of New South Wales Government staff to continue to deliver supports to people with complex needs, working within the non-government sector. The New South Wales Government is working closely with the NDIA to share its knowledge and expertise in supporting people with complex needs.
REAL MEN MOVE
The Hon. SHAYNE MALLARD: My question is addressed to the Minister for Ageing, Minister for Disability Services, and Minister for Multiculturalism. What is the New South Wales Government doing to help older men get more physically active?
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: I thank the honourable member for his question. As I am sure many members are aware, there are many benefits of being physically active and it is important to maintain physical activity throughout our lives. But knowing the facts and doing something about the issue are often not connected. However, research shows that when men hit the age of 45 they start to move less and less. Not only are older men less active than women generally, but also men in the 55 to 74 age group are the least active overall. When they get to 75 years or older, only a third of Australian men are "sufficiently active" for health.
The Hon. Duncan Gay: Fred got married again.
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: He is one of the third that remain active. Increasing the participation of seniors in physical, creative and social activity is a key aim of the NSW Ageing Strategy. However, the Government cannot do this alone. There needs to be genuine collaboration between government, non-government organisations, industry and the community. The Real Men Move campaign, developed by Exercise and Sports Science Australia with support from the New South Wales Government, is a perfect example of this collaboration in action.
The Hon. Mick Veitch: I reckon the Minister is losing weight.
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: Eight kilos. I had the pleasure of launching the Real Men Move website on Thursday 1 October. At the launch I met Mr Ray Ferrier. Ray is a 70-year-old Vietnam veteran who spoke of starting to exercise to improve his health and wellbeing in his mid-fifties. Ray said that in addition to significantly improving his health, exercising with his mates became a social activity that he enjoys and shares with them each and every week. It is through Real Men Move that we hope more men will be able to experience the benefits of enjoying a more active lifestyle and start moving more.
The Real Men Move website is a one-stop shop for men to understand how to start and maintain more active lives. The key message is that movement can and should be fun. By catering to everyone's interests and abilities, Real Men Move encourages men to find something they like to do and to then do it. The Real Men Move resources encourage older men to start doing some exercise immediately in the comfort of their home and groups of older men to get together to enjoy the social and health benefits of being active together. Educator information and resources are also available for social groups such as men's sheds to get their members moving.
There is a Man Fans section on the website that provides tips for anyone who has a man in their life who needs some support and encouragement to get started. The website also offers blogs and information to inform and inspire individuals. Groups in New South Wales will be able to engage speakers to talk to their members about physical activities. The accompanying resources will also be translated into four community languages. Since its launch, the Real Men Move website has had more than 500 hits.
Delegates at the Australian Men's Shed Association Conference next week will find an insert about the Real Men Move website in their delegates pack. The following week Exercise and Sports Science Australia will speak at the men's health conference, so the word is spreading quickly. This early distribution of information and resources will ensure older men and their friends and family have access to the Real Men Move website and associated resources as soon as possible. It is a great set of resources and I encourage members to promote it not only to their constituents but to themselves.
STOCKTON AND NEWCASTLE FERRY SERVICE
Dr MEHREEN FARUQI: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight. Does the Government have any plans to discontinue or reduce the ferry services that operate between Stockton and Newcastle?
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I thank the honourable member for her question. As far as I am aware there are no plans, but I will certainly check. I urge some restraint from The Greens, because normally when we answer a question like that they say, "Minister refuses to confirm that there will not be any loss …" I have been here a long time but it only took a short time to work out the mantra of how The Greens operate. I have absolutely no idea whether there are any plans to change it. I suspect there are not, but I will certainly find out and come back with an answer.
GASTROENTERITIS OUTBREAK
The Hon. LYNDA VOLTZ: My question is directed to the Minister for Ageing, and Minister for Disability Services, representing the Minister for Health. Given that there were 63 reported gastroenteritis outbreaks in New South Wales last month, what practical steps has the Government taken to protect nursing home residents and children in child care?
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: I thank the member for her question. I will refer the question to the Minister for Health for a response. I am certain that the incredible Minister for Health is doing all that needs to be done in this space.
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Jillian the builder.
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: Jillian the builder.
TRAVELLING STOCK RESERVES
The Hon. SARAH MITCHELL: My question is addressed to the Minister for Primary Industries and Minister for Lands and Water. Will the Minister update the House on how the New South Wales Government is working to better manage the State's travelling stock reserves?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: I thank the Parliamentary Secretary for her question. During my visit to the Henty Machinery Field Days last month I had the pleasure of launching a six-week public consultation process for the statewide planning framework for the travelling stock reserves [TSR] of New South Wales. The framework will establish a platform to develop regional plans that will help Local Land Services [LLS] to effectively manage almost half a million hectares of travelling stock reserves across the State. Once used for the movement of livestock from properties to markets or railheads, TSRs now have multiple uses by and values to the wider community. They allow for short-term and long-term grazing and provide livestock with refuge in events of emergencies. They are common locations for beekeeping and craft wood collection, and popular spots for camping and horseriding. Furthermore, our TSRs are key locations for biodiversity conservation and the protection of Aboriginal heritage.
While all those uses are important, the overriding condition of any lease of a travelling stock reserve is that it must continue to be used for its primary function, which is travelling stock. For too long the management of those parcels of land has been based on ad hoc decisions with no transparency or consideration to their diverse uses and values. Under this Government, transparency is non-negotiable when it concerns publicly owned land. For this reason, we have developed a framework and we want the community's involvement in the process from the get-go. The statewide framework allows Local Land Services to better understand what the community values about TSRs and how TSRs can be best utilised to meet community needs and wants. The proposal is for each of the 11 Local Land Services regions to identify the range of uses for their unique travelling stock reserves and to assess the values and properties of each. This will help the regions to determine the most appropriate range of uses for travelling stock reserves over time.
As part of the framework there also will be local operational schedules to address the specific issues of localised pest animals and weeds. What affects a long paddock in the south of the State may be different from what affects the north-west of the State. To make the process of developing regional plans effective, Local Land Services is calling for community feedback so it can understand the important values of travelling stock reserves. Local Land Services will be consulting directly with a range of user groups, including drovers, environment groups, apiarists, farmer networks, Aboriginal communities, local government, and many other production and recreational groups. I urge all those groups and any other group or individual with a stake in the future of our TSRs to provide feedback to Local Land Services.
The Hon. Mick Veitch: The Combined Action to Retain Routes for Travelling Stock [CARRTS]?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: I met with CARRTS today on this issue and encouraged it to provide a submission through the consultation process with the LLS. This Government is determined to work hand in hand with the community to manage the State's travelling stock reserves. It is through listening to the local community and gathering its views that the future direction for the management of the long paddock will be guided. Some have expressed concern about the future of travelling stock reserves and the ability to have continued access. This framework is about ensuring the long-term sustainable management of the travelling stock reserves for generations to come. The primary purpose of those reserves is to move stock. It always has been and I am determined to keep it that way. I also gave that commitment to CARRTS during our meeting. The main purpose of the planning framework is to better manage travelling stock reserves in the future so we can continue to enjoy using them. They play an important part in the history of New South Wales and will continue to do so in the future.
BLUESCOPE STEEL, PORT KEMBLA
The Hon. PAUL GREEN: My question is directed to the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Lands and Water, representing the Minister for Regional Development, whom I congratulate on the birth of his beautiful daughter, Sofia Grace. Is the Minister aware of BIS Shrapnel's report on Australian steelmaking, which states that there is a great possibility that Port Kembla steelworks will survive if governments spend an extra $60 million to $80 million on Australian steel in its infrastructure projects?
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: I thank the member for his question. I also pass on my congratulations to Minister Barilaro and his wife, Deanna, on the birth of their daughter, Sofia Grace. We have been waiting to know the result. I will pass the question on to Minister Barilaro to provide a detailed response. It is interesting to note that members opposite have voted against many infrastructure projects in this State, which means that those who rely upon that steel are a lot better off in the hands of the New South Wales Liberal-Nationals Government. That fact cannot be ignored. I will refer the question to the Minister for a detailed response.
The Hon. PAUL GREEN: I ask a supplementary question. Will the Minister elucidate on the length and weight of the baby?
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Hon. Courtney Houssos has the call.
HUNTER REGION JOBS AND RAIL
The Hon. COURTNEY HOUSSOS: My question without notice is directed to the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight. In light of the decision by rail and freight group Aurizon to cut 800 jobs in Australia, what steps has the Government taken to ensure that the Hunter, which has a current unemployment rate of more than 10 per cent, will not suffer from further job losses, and what steps is the Government taking to maintain the rail industry in the region?
The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: We want to maintain a coal industry, which is more than your parliamentary leader wants.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps should not take all my lines. I was going to work up to that one; I still will. I thank the member for her question. There is not a State in the Commonwealth that is doing more to encourage industry and freight, particularly on rail. My role as the Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, includes rail freight. The Hon. Courtney Houssos would not have asked this question if she had been listening to earlier answers relating to the extra money the Government is spending on rail to complement rail freight distribution in this State. The Hon. Courtney Houssos talked about jobs in the Hunter and in the State. A large number of jobs in the Hunter are dependent on the coal industry, but she and her colleagues in the Labor Party are against the coal industry. Her leader in the other place wants to shut down the coal industry.
The Hon. Lynda Voltz: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance. The Minister is required to answer the question asked of him, not make untrue statements that have no relevance to the question.
The PRESIDENT: Order! The Minister was in order.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Earlier we heard about Real Men Move. Real men would not move to where the Labor Party has gone. I am disappointed that the Labor Party would give this question to one of its better members. I will give Labor Party members a bit of advice as they do not have a real question time committee.
The Hon. Walt Secord: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance. The Minister is debating the question. It is time the Hon. Duncan Gay stopped the confected outrage.
The PRESIDENT: Order! I will take that as a comment. There is no point of order.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Once again, I thank the Hon. Courtney Houssos for her question but I advise her—because members on this side of the Chamber think that she has a great future—not to take the questions of the Hon. Walt Secord—
The Hon. Walt Secord: Stop patronising.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: The Hon. Walt Secord phoned me in the House yesterday.
The Hon. Walt Secord: Point of order: The Minister is misleading the House. I have lodged a Government Information (Public Access) Act application, which will show who dialled the number.
The PRESIDENT: Order! There is no point of order.
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: I have no more to add to the answer. If members have further questions, I suggest that they place them on notice.
STOCKTON AND NEWCASTLE FERRY SERVICE
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Dr Mehreen Faruqi asked me earlier in question time about the Stockton and Newcastle ferry service. I am advised that there are no plans to reduce ferry services between Newcastle and Stockton. It is a shame the member is not present; question time has not concluded. If the member is writing that press release that I suggested she not write, she should make sure that she gets it right.
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AMALGAMATIONS
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY: Earlier today in answer to a question from Mr David Shoebridge I raised the possibility that my comments may not be correct. I am informed that they are not correct. No maps on the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal [IPART] boundaries have been circulated or released. No decision has been made by the Government. We are still awaiting IPART's report, which I understand is due later this week. When that report is available we will go through the proper process, as indicated by the Minister and the Premier.
SENIORS GAS AND ELECTRICITY CHARGES
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: On 10 September 2015 Dr John Kaye asked me a supplementary question about seniors gas and electricity charges. I provide the following response:
I am advised:
One energy service provider contacted the Department of Family and Community Services [FACS] following the AGL announcement. They were advised that the AGL partnership is not exclusive and that any energy company could join the Seniors Card program by offering a discount. I am further advised the organisation did not opt to take the matter further.
WILLIAMTOWN LAND CONTAMINATION
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: On 10 September 2015 the Hon. Courtney Houssos asked me a question about Williamtown land contamination. The Minister for Health has provided the following response:
I refer you to the NSW Health Fact Sheet, and the NSW Food Authority Fact Sheet:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/Documents/RAAF-site-contamination.pdf
http://www.foodauthority.nsw.gov.au/news/news-03-sep-2015-chemicals-around-williamtow n#.Vh7mLvmqpBc
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/MediaInformation/williamtown.htm
ABORTION
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: On 10 September 2015 Reverend the Hon. Fred Nile asked me a question about abortion. The Minister for Health has provided the following response:
The Private Health Facilities Act and Regulation 2007 requirement is that all facilities undertaking any surgical procedure involving administration of a general, epidural or major regional anaesthetic or sedation, resulting in more than conscious sedation are required to be licensed. Overall there are 65 private hospitals and 76 day procedure centres with a surgical class licence in NSW.
WILLIAMTOWN LAND CONTAMINATION
The Hon. JOHN AJAKA: On 10 September 2015 the Hon. Peter Primrose asked me a question about Williamtown land contamination. The Minister for the Environment has provided the following response:
I am advised as follows:
Please refer to answers in this regard provided during budget estimates and in response to questions without notice.
WORKERS COMPENSATION PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR OPERATIONS
The Hon. NIALL BLAIR: On 10 September 2015 Mr David Shoebridge asked me a question about workers compensation private investigator operations. The Minister for Finance, Services and Property has provided the following response:
The State Insurance Regulatory Authority has advised me that it is not aware of any circumstances where a private investigator is able to obtain images and information from a workers' Facebook page, where the privacy settings on that social media platform are set to exclude access to the public.
Questions without notice concluded.
WORKPLACE FLEXIBILITY
Debate resumed from an earlier hour.
The Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS [3.35 p.m.]: I commend my colleague the Hon. Courtney Houssos for bringing this motion before the House. I thank the honourable member for her comprehensive speech about workplace flexibility. The motion raises one of the most pressing issues facing our society. The union movement has been raising this issue since the nineteenth century, yet we still find that in factories, in the hospitality industry and in low-skilled areas of the workforce there is very little workplace flexibility. People are faced with many challenges, particularly women who work in low-skilled jobs.
Many of us are parents or grandparents. As a mother I know that juggling the responsibilities of work and family, including caring for elderly parents, can be a challenge. The extent to which our workplaces are flexible enough to accommodate these balancing acts can be a decisive factor in our quality of life. Members in this place are fortunate because we have flexibility in our workplace, but I am concerned that for too many workers this kind of workplace flexibility is out of reach. Over the past four decades we have seen two major shifts in the way Australians work: a move away from a highly regulated and centralised system for determining wages and conditions; and a growth in the number of women in the workforce as many of the formal barriers to women's participation in the workforce have been removed.
Whenever we talk about workplace flexibility, or work-life balance, we are really talking about how we deal with the consequences of those two major changes in how Australians work. There can be no doubt that those changes have been beneficial. The introduction of labour market reforms such as enterprise bargaining have made our economy more productive and competitive. The growth in women's participation in the workforce has unlocked a previously untapped reservoir of human potential and provided women with a wealth of opportunities to pursue their own goals and to live their lives on their own terms. However, there are significant challenges which we must address if Australia is to be a fairer society with a prosperous future.
One of the key challenges that our nation faces is the ageing of our population. As Australians live longer we will all need more savings in our superannuation accounts in order to prepare for retirement. Unfortunately, for too many Australians their superannuation is not sufficient to cover their retirement. This problem is particularly acute for women, who accumulate less superannuation on average than do men. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that men approaching retirement have almost $110,000 more saved in their superannuation accounts compared to women. The average superannuation balance at retirement age is $252,000 for men, while it is only $144,000 for women. While one in five men currently rely on their superannuation as their main source of income in retirement, only half as many women are able to rely on their superannuation as their main source of income.
The gap between men's and women's retirement savings is the consequence of gender gaps that persist throughout women's working lives. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that while 78 per cent of working-age men participate in the labour force, only 65 per cent of working-age women participate in the labour force. Women are more likely to be employed on a part-time basis: 43 per cent of women work part-time compared to only 14 per cent of men. Women are also almost twice as likely to be underemployed, meaning that they are working part-time and would like more hours. The underemployment rate is 9.7 per cent for women, compared to just 4.8 per cent for men.
Figures from the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency's most recent scorecard show that only one quarter of key management positions in organisations are held by women and one-third of organisations have no women in key management positions. On average, men earn almost 25 per cent more than women in full-time total remuneration, and only 13 per cent of employers have a strategy for flexible working arrangements and supporting workers who have caring and family responsibilities. The Hon. Courtney Houssos mentioned a number of companies and their representatives with whom she has met and that provide flexible workplace arrangements as a matter of best practice. I commend those companies for doing so, but there is a long way to go.
This Government should ensure it provides flexible workplace arrangements. The Government should be a model employer and exhibit best practice by providing innovative solutions, particularly for women who have completed tertiary education and who are highly skilled as well as highly qualified. The State has skills shortages in fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics [STEM] and in information technology [IT]. The Government can encourage more women to take up employment in those areas and when recruiting take flexible workplace arrangements into consideration. A person does not have to be chained to a desk to be productive and to ensure that employers receive 100 per cent output.
I worked for a private sector infrastructure company that had some very good workplace arrangements. My superior, who held a national role, returned to work after giving birth to her second baby. At that time, I was due to have my second baby. Because of her qualifications, years of service and experience and because the company derived so much value from her knowledge, contacts and abilities, the male second in charge of that national company restructured workplace arrangements and also ensured that those improved conditions applied to men and other women in the company. Those flexible workplace arrangements included working from home and teleconferencing. That flexibility provided incentive for everyone who worked in the company. It is desirable that other companies follow that example. The Government should implement innovative workplace arrangements.
In 2011-12 when the New South Wales Government imposed huge cuts on the public service, resulting in approximately 10,000 positions being lost, many of those positions were part-time positions held by women who had returned to work after taking maternity leave or after caring for family members. The positions were specifically designed for employees with family responsibilities, yet this Government cut those positions. That was disgraceful. The Opposition has been calling on the Government to reinstate some of those positions and flexible workplace arrangements. All the statistics point to a terrible picture for women in the workplace. Despite all the progress that has been made to advance women in the workforce, women are less likely than men to participate in employment or, if employed, to hold a senior position. Women are more likely than men to be underemployed. In comparison to men, women are likely to be paid less and to retire with approximately $110,000 less in their superannuation accounts.
While improving workplace flexibility is not a silver bullet that can magically fix all those issues, improvement in workplace flexibility is important if we are to address the persistent economic inequalities that women endure. Put simply, if women can be more confident about being able to access flexible workplace arrangements that would help more women to participate in the labour force and bridge the participation gap that currently exists. Moreover, as workplace flexibility becomes normalised, more men may be willing to embrace workplace flexibility so that family and childcare responsibilities are equitably shared. However, before reaching that point, it is necessary to acknowledge the present status of flexible workplace arrangements in Australia.
While National Employment Standards include a right for many employees to request flexible working arrangements, the experience on the ground is that too few organisations are turning that right into reality. As previously stated, the Australian Workplace Gender Equality Agency's most recent scorecard found that only 13 per cent of employers have a strategy for developing flexible working arrangements and for supporting workers who have caring and family responsibilities. Moreover, even when organisations have internal policies for developing flexible working arrangements, research shows that implementation of those policies is far from perfect.
Implementation is the key factor in establishing and maintaining flexible workplace arrangements. We can have all the nice policies we want, but implementation is of paramount importance. Earlier this year Associate Professor Dr Rae Cooper and Professor Marian Baird from the University of Sydney published a study examining how the right to request flexible working arrangements was being applied in practice. The study examined two large organisations and found that, despite the existence of detailed policies and procedures for accessing flexible workplace arrangements within both case study organisations and at the national policy level, the vast majority of interviewees, line managers and employees in both case study organisations lacked a clear understanding of organisational policies.
The study also found that even when employees could access flexible working arrangements, many employees found that their flexible working arrangements might be undermined by organisational restructures; their performance and productivity was judged to be less, with no accounting for the fact that they were working fewer hours; and inadequate support was provided to fill the gaps caused by an employee's reduced hours, leading to employees taking on more hours of unpaid work to stay on top of their workload. Clearly, more must be done not only to make flexible workplace arrangements accessible for employees in more workplaces but also to ensure that those arrangements are beneficial for the workers who sign up to them. We must also be aware that while many workplaces can make adjustments to accommodate people working from home and working reduced hours, in many workplaces that still is not possible.
As I mentioned at the outset of my contribution to this debate, I am particularly mindful of people in metropolitan, rural and regional areas who work in low-paid and manual jobs—particularly people from a non-English speaking background—such as cleaners and those who work in the hospitality sector, the services industries and textiles and manufacturing, as well as shift workers. I understand that we need to begin a conversation with small business owners, contractors and subcontractors as well as engage in negotiation. We must increase workplace participation by women, who have a lot of skills and are highly competent; otherwise, the economy will continue to miss out on productivity that is worth billions of dollars.
Flexible working arrangements must be provided. This may be achieved by simply starting a conversation about flexible conditions, such as working from home, establishing a satellite office or co-locating. By the implementation of flexible working arrangements, employees will be able to earn more money and show the full range of their talents and capabilities, particularly if they are interested in promotion. As previous speakers in this debate have said, flexibility includes the provision of child care—an issue we have been talking about for approximately 40 years. All the factors I have outlined dovetail with child care. If we want to increase the participation of women in the workplace and provide flexible workplace arrangements, we must provide sufficient childcare places.
When policy development is being considered, care must be taken to ensure that union representatives of low-paid workers are engaged in the consultation processes to ascertain the level of need to provide workplace flexibility. People in low-paid employment are holding down difficult and demanding jobs. Often a move towards flexibility represents a drive by employers to increase casualisation, which increases the insecurity that those workers face in employment. Ensuring that all workers benefit from workplace flexibility is a significant challenge that will require collaboration between industry, government and community. We recognise that flexible working arrangements assist employees throughout their working lives. As I said, one key issue is superannuation for women. I commend the Hon. Courtney Houssos for bringing this motion to the Parliament.
The Hon. MARK PEARSON [3.50 p.m.]: I will speak to the motion from a different aspect. I support the principle of flexibility in the workplace. It is important to address the mental and physical health of employees in a workplace where the work is difficult, the stress level is high and there are many deadlines. Often people do not merge their work lives and home lives, for different reasons. At home people may have to deal with illness of a partner, a child or a family member. That and other factors make life complex and it is impossible to live a regimented life. At the same time their workplace may be rigid and regimented, and does not provide flexibility, which results in more stress. That can have deleterious impacts on their wellbeing and their capacity to manage their lives, both at work and at home.
Flexibility in the workplace is a robust way of sustaining the mental and physical health and wellbeing of employees. I have experienced this. I worked in the mental health area for 23 years and was a team leader for a community mental health service. We developed more flexibility for employees to adjust their shifts, work relationships and timetables to be home once or twice a week when their children came home at three o'clock or half past three. They were able to assist with meals or look after a parent who may be dementing. All these factors affect our lives. Flexibility in the workplace enables employees to be home and enjoy their family life but at the same time provide support and strength to family and friends who may be suffering from a broad spectrum of health problems. That brings more wellbeing and strength to work performance. So it is a win-win situation.
Where there is flexibility employees can go home and attend to these things, and enjoy their children, friends and partners; they then come to work and contribute to a different culture and mindset, which results in better performance and productivity in the workplace. The measure of any workplace is the impact that we bring to the outcome of our employment. If employment can be balanced with a personal life, flexibility in the workplace is an important principle that results in a better workplace, better performance and productivity, as well as a happier and more fulfilled home life at home with children, friends and family. I support the motion.
The Hon. LYNDA VOLTZ [3.55 p.m.]: I congratulate my colleague on moving this motion. We all know that governments around the world are grappling with this important matter. It is not a phenomenon only in New South Wales. The motion notes that in many industries and workplaces the nature of work is changing, as are where we live and how we move, and liveable cities are changing. The 1961 census put the population of metropolitan Sydney at about 2.4 million. It is now double that. Towns such as Penrith had a population of about 40,000 and were not included in metropolitan Sydney; they were classified as rural.
When I was a child people who wanted to ring Campbelltown or Penrith needed to be put through by the switch operator, there was no Saturday trading, and the pubs were shut on Sundays. The butcher and the bakery were the only shops to open early and the supermarket shut at 5.00 p.m. Society for my generation has changed significantly; indeed, it has changed materially for the better. However, in terms of lifestyle and work balance it has become particularly complicated, to the extent that on the outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area women in particular are falling out of employment because being able to get to work and put children in child care in a city of nearly five million people is tremendously difficult.
People are making choices not only about work and lifestyle; they are choosing whether to live in an area close to child care. More importantly, while house price differentials have always existed across Sydney, they have not been as large as they are now for properties within 20 kilometres of Sydney. My father has lived on the outskirts in Camden since the 1980s. He moved there because it was rural and there was plenty of space to walk the dogs. Camden is now essentially part of Sydney. Housing is wall to wall all the way to Camden, across the farmyards that I remember as a child. Parents of people of my generation often live within the 20-kilometre city zone but we live further on the outskirts. Some 60,000 new houses will be built in places such as Dapto. The reality is that people who live in Dapto travel into the city to work.
When I was a child the Central Coast, Gosford, Terrigal and Wyong were country destinations and we holidayed there. And people in those places did not travel to work in the city. However, it is becoming more complex. It is the antithesis of where we thought society would head throughout the 1970s and 1980s. In the 1980s computers and a lot more sophisticated technology were introduced, and we thought we would be working fewer than eight hours a day. When I left school at 15 my first job was as a packer in a clothing factory. Those clothing factories no longer exist in Cleveland Street, Chippendale, where I worked and where my aunty and grandmother worked. Many jobs were becoming automated and there was concern about what we would do with our spare time if we were working no more than 20 hours a week. The reality is the opposite has happened and we are working longer hours. Statistics show that Australians work long hours and new technology often means that we take work home as we can check emails on our home computers and other digital devices. Parliamentarians are not the only people affected by these changes. Workers in many industries can now work from home and log in remotely at all hours of the day and night.
These changes can be viewed as positive, as flexible working arrangements often mean people work from home and look after their children or can be close to where they need to collect their children from school. However, that is not always the case. People are working longer hours than ever before, including on weekends and public holidays. They often find it difficult to stop working, to not worry about whether an email has been sent, and go to the beach or kick a ball with the kids in a park. In a world dominated by technology it is difficult to switch off.
Workplace flexibility is needed as the age of first-time mothers has risen. When I left school, the average age of first-time mothers was 21 and now it is well over 30. Women in their mid-30s with young children do not want to work 80 hours a week in the office, as we often did. These women need the flexibility of being able to work from home or reduce their hours of work. However, it is important to note that this does not apply only to working women but also to working men. If working women are going to break through the glass ceiling, the burden of child rearing needs to be shifted across the board so that in the crucial years of promotion through middle management both parents do their fair share. Men are a crucial part of flexible working arrangements. Men and women should be given the same opportunities to work remotely.
Public sector workplaces can usually offer flexible arrangements, but private sector workplaces can find it harder because businesses have to make crucial decisions about productivity, margins and the best financial outcomes. However, it has been shown that companies that offer flexible working hours and a family-friendly workplace benefit economically in the long term. For a start, they retain their employees and so retain their skills, knowledge and experience. Given that working women have a high level of tertiary education, these companies benefit from developing and retaining their female workforce. There is evidence that if these women leave the workforce to raise a family they often do not return to the workforce.
Pursuant to sessional orders business interrupted to permit a motion to adjourn the House if desired.
Item of business set down as an order of the day for a future day.
AUDITOR-GENERAL'S REPORT
The Deputy President (The Hon. Trevor Khan) tabled, pursuant to the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, the Auditor-General's Financial Audits Report, Volume Four 2015: Treasury and State Finances, dated October 2015.
Ordered to be printed on motion by the Hon. Duncan Gay.
ADJOURNMENT
The Hon. DUNCAN GAY (Minister for Roads, Maritime and Freight, and Vice-President of the Executive Council [4.05 p.m.]: I move:
That this House do now adjourn.
ANTI-POVERTY WEEK
Ms JAN BARHAM [4.05 p.m.]: The week of 11 to 17 October is Anti-Poverty Week 2015. But for too many people, every week is poverty week. Poverty is experienced in homelessness, chronic unemployment and underemployment and, yes, here in Australia, hunger and malnutrition. It is experienced in the Centrelink queues, by those who seek emergency assistance from charities and non-government services—for many, as Anglicare's "State of the Family 2015" report makes clear, repeatedly and regularly rather than as a one-off crisis. It is seen in the faces of the children who, according to the 2014 report of the Council of Social Service of New South Wales [NCOSS], represent almost one in five of the 900,000 people in New South Wales who live in poverty.
According to the "Poverty in Australia" report of 2014 of the Australian Council of Social Service [ACOSS], New South Wales is one of the three States with the greatest risk of poverty, at 14.6 per cent, and at 15 per cent Sydney has the highest risk of any capital city. Addressing poverty also requires us to look at the problem of inequality. As reported in the ACOSS inequality report of June this year, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. In our current real estate boom our New South Wales coffers are enjoying the windfall of massive increases in stamp duty, while it is the disadvantaged who bear the collateral damage. The market price for rentals across the board is increasing to give new investors reasonable returns and exclude more people from the rental market.
What is it like for people who are vulnerable to poverty? They crowd into already overcrowded family homes. In the absence of sufficient public housing they sleep in cars and parks. They couch surf. Their slim chances of employment diminish. Their physical and mental health and wellbeing are diminished. Their access to services is diminished. Without the security of shelter it is near impossible to engage with the requirements of government. The people affected by poverty are much more than the stereotypes and the most visible faces of poverty. They are increasingly older single women and women fleeing domestic violence, and with the loss of refuges they are desperate. They are Aboriginal people, refugees, and overseas students. They are the young people who are struggling to find a job and are confronted with a Federal government that expects them to get by on nothing while they wait for Newstart. They are people who are disadvantaged or vulnerable but who deserve the same opportunities to pursue their goals and the same level of wellbeing as everyone else in our society—and if we fail to help them, then they are our collective shame.
This Anti-Poverty Week, ACOSS and all of its State and Territory counterparts, including NCOSS, are calling for a national plan to address poverty and inequality. At a minimum, the plan should include: a clear target to reduce the number of people living below the poverty line; an increase in the unemployment benefit by at least $50 per week as well as an increase in the sole parent benefit; an increase in Commonwealth rent assistance for low-income households; an increase in the supply of affordable housing; and more jobs and more assistance for the long-term unemployed.
While the nation's social service sector stands "ready to work with the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments to develop an effective anti-poverty plan," The Greens stand ready to work with the Government of New South Wales and the wider community to develop a plan to address the growth of poverty and to support those communities most affected by poverty. Achieving this will rely on a whole-of-government approach that is firmly based on social justice principles. I welcome this House's support this week of my motion calling on the Government to give consideration to the recommendations of the NSW Council of Social Service in its pre-budget submission, which was launched on Monday.
It identifies seven key priorities that significantly improve the lives of people experiencing poverty. It requires investment in housing and homelessness; domestic and family violence; disability; children, youth and families; employment; mental health; and transport. The success of this State must be judged by how many or how few people are being left behind. More must be done to address poverty. It cannot be fixed in one week. For all of us in this Parliament, every week must be anti-poverty week. We must prioritise caring for those who need it the most.
NORTH COAST SURF LIFE SAVING CLUBS
The Hon. BEN FRANKLIN [4.10 p.m.]: Last weekend marked the start of the 2015 Nippers season on the North Coast. Sunday was the first day of the season for the Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore Surf Lifesaving Club, the Lennox Head-Alstonville Surf Life Saving Club, the Byron Bay Surf Club, and the Brunswick Surf Life Saving Club. There will be a lot of nippers as well as volunteer surf lifesavers across the North Coast who have been counting off the days, and I wish them a safe and happy season.
According to Surf Life Saving NSW, "For Nippers, the beach is the classroom. They gain confidence by passing the 'tests' of swimming, body boarding, beach sprints, dolphin-diving, spotting a rip, having fun with new friends and discovering things about themselves." Australia-wide there are 62,866 nippers, which is nearly 40 per cent of the entire membership of Surf Life Saving Australia. We sometimes forget that our volunteer surf lifesavers not only keep watch when we are enjoying the coast but they also train our children to be surf smart. Here in New South Wales there are almost 77,000 members of surf lifesaving clubs and almost 170,000 Australia-wide, making it one of the largest volunteer organisations in the country. This is not surprising given that Australia has the world's sixth longest coastline—or the seventh if we include Denmark's autonomous region in Greenland—at almost 36,000 kilometres. Swimming at the beach is very much a part of the Australian way of life, and our volunteer surf lifesavers keep us safe while we are enjoying the coast.
Last year in New South Wales there were 839 rescues, 286,000 preventative actions, and 5,700 first-aid calls. We will never know just how many lives these actions saved. It would be great if there were no need for surf lifesavers, but unfortunately our beaches can be dangerous. Sadly, 40 per cent of all victims of coastal drownings live more than 50 kilometres away from where they drowned. That is why the Coastal Accommodation Network provides a link between surf lifesaving and frontline tourist operators. This initiative provides free access to educational resources, dangerous surf warnings, and other information to keep guests safe.
Another initiative, the Surf Rescue Response System, was introduced in January 2008 to give emergency services, including the NSW Police Force, a single point of contact to advise Surf Life Saving NSW of incidents along the coastline. This system provides for an on-duty State duty officer 24 hours a day, seven days a week who can allocate the nearest lifesaving network to deploy volunteers, council lifeguards, jetskis, inflatable rescue boats or even the Westpac rescue helicopter. This coordinated response has helped in more than 1,000 successful rescues while facilitating 2,500 requests for assistance. Lifesaving manager Andy Kent says last season there was a sharp increase in jobs tasked to surf lifesavers through the NSW Police Force, thereby strengthening ties between the organisations.
The dedication of our surf lifesavers is extraordinary. However, we must not forget that it is not only the summertime that sees them spring into action. During the winter break, many of them are busy upskilling, gaining qualifications and maintaining equipment, and preparing the administration requirements in the run-up to the summer season. This preparation ensures a successful season saving lives on the beach. I pay tribute to our volunteer surf lifesavers who are the ultimate protectors of our way of life. Without them, many lives would be lost and we would not be able to enjoy what we have in this great State.
I also pay tribute to Byron Bay surf lifesaver and former Olympic kayak coach Ben Hutchings, who was awarded an Order of Australia in the Queen's Birthday Honours list in June for his contribution to Australian sport. His commitment to sport and the training of young surf lifesavers on the North Coast is inspirational. I wish the Lennox Head-Alstonville Surf Life Saving Club luck for its Dolphin Enduro event this Saturday, which involves local competitors aged from 10 to 17 years of age. It is the region's premier junior lifesaving endurance event and features swimming, boarding and run legs. I wish all competitors the very best of luck. Finally, I pay tribute to the volunteer lifeguards on the North Coast, who protect both locals and visitors alike. The beaches on the North Coast draw many tourists each year, and it would not be possible without our volunteers keeping them safe. Indeed, I thank all lifeguards across New South Wales, and we wish you all the best for the 2015-16 season.
MELANOMA
The Hon. LYNDA VOLTZ [4.15 p.m.]: Ever since I was a child I have understood one incontestable rule as a Sydneysider: The October long weekend is the official first weekend we must be in the water and the Easter weekend is the last. Although we can swim outside these dates, we must have been in the water by then. I cannot remember a year when this rule has not been on my mind throughout the dark and gloomy days of winter. In the life of Sydneysiders, who have such a cavalier disregard for so many rules, it is the one rule by which so many of us abide. It accords with my belief that after a long winter the sun will shine, the jasmine will bloom and we might just win one or two cricket games. October marks the beginning of that wonderful battle that pits body surfer against the surf. It is a time for boogie board dodgems within the flags. It is Sydney rejuvenating itself from our sandstone enclosures.
Although this may sound dreamlike and nostalgic, I believe that the beach and summer are the great equalisers of our personal relationship with nature. Nothing tames or terrifies like the sea. I know I am not alone in this fascination for water. As other nations are dreaming of the snow and mountains, waiting for the first good fall, Australians can sniff the lure of the ocean on the shift of the winds to the north east. Of course, like me, many members would have been lathered in coconut oil as a child to spend those long school holidays worshipping the Australian sun as it warmed us to the core of our very bones.
However, like the sea, the sun is the other terrifying and cruel reality of Australia. Of course, this is an incontestable truth and Australians know it better than any in the world. While we may not always excel on the sporting field at every opportunity, every Australian sportsman and sportswoman knows that Australia is number one in one area: we have the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. On average, 30 Australians will be diagnosed with melanoma every day and more than 1,200 will die from the disease each year.
Earlier this year this unforgiving cancer took my wonderful sister-in-law Toni Newman. Like me, Toni was a devotee of the sun and sand, and being an Illawarra girl, born and bred, she spent her life either at the beach or on Lake Illawarra. Toni was younger than me, and being taken away so young was heartbreakingly and tremendously unfair. She was of a pioneering spirit, not only in her love of the outdoors but also as one of the first female electrical apprentices trained by NSW Rail. She comes from that stock of women who I think are peculiar to my generation who held no fear and were determined to do exactly as they wanted. She did not like people making a fuss about her, but she was one of the people most deserving of it.
This October was no different from those of the past. I obeyed the rule and headed to the beach, much sadder, but thankful of the uplift of the swell to wash away another year of horrors, some here, some in lands far away. However, unlike in the hedonistic days of my youth, I am less cavalier about other rules. I now make sure I put on plenty of sunscreen and wear a hat and shirt. I am no longer dreamlike and nostalgic for my youth. I take nature seriously for its impartiality—age, wealth and intellect mean nothing to it. Although Toni could not be saved from the terrible cancer that took her too young, for a while medical research nearly rescued her.
A new experimental immunotherapy trial, the first in the world to investigate the anti-PD-1 drug, Nivolumab, and Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab in patients with active brain metastases is being undertaken in Australia. The trial is going ahead thanks to the Melanoma Institute of Australia. The funding from the trial was raised by the community through the Melanoma March 2014 and 900kmForACure, an event that saw two melanoma survivors walk from Sydney to Melbourne to raise melanoma awareness and $160,000. A research grant was also generously provided by Bristol Myers Squibb, which also provided the drugs that were used in the trial at no cost.
Whilst governments search for ways to save lives both at home and abroad, medical research still leads the way as the greatest weapon we have in the fight to save lives. I know it is a terrible reminder at the start of the glittering jewel of Sydney summer—a sombre reminder during our end-of-year ritual for the harbour city—but we are indeed a lucky country to have such wonderful organisations as Melanoma Institute Australia and medical researchers that are so dedicated to making the lives of others better. They are our greatest asset and New South Wales—and Australia—is a better place because of them.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
The Hon. PAUL GREEN [4.19 p.m.]: In the past I have stated:
Harm eradication is always preferable to harm minimisation.
I have particularly made that statement in relation to childhood sexual abuse. It is better for the Government to spend more now to prevent a problem than to have massive costs later on in dealing with these issues. I hold to the same principle with violence against women. The costs and consequences of violence against women last for generations, and I have certainly had previous personal experience with that. When young men see their dads, uncles or other male role models mistreat a woman, that is a bad example and has the capacity to reproduce itself in future generations.
Yesterday I asked the Leader of the Government a question without notice as to what the Government was doing about the problem of domestic violence. Yesterday the Government announced a package which puts the perpetrators of domestic violence clearly in the centre of the frame while also continuing to support women, men and children who have experienced domestic and family violence. The Christian Democratic Party concurs with the Government that domestic and family violence is a crime. It is about power and control. It has the potential to reach any household on any street in any suburb. I was concerned by the statistics provided by the Government. More than one in five domestic violence offenders ends up in court convicted of another domestic violence offence within two years. That recidivism is completely unacceptable. One incident of domestic violence is one too many.
The Christian Democratic Party commends and supports the Government for its $60 million package, which includes $15 million to introduce Domestic Violence High Risk Offender Teams in six police regions, rolled out over the next three years. The Christian Democratic Party further commends the Government for the additional investment of $19.5 million which will be invested in mandated perpetrator behaviour change programs to provide treatment to perpetrators, in a similar manner to that which is currently used for drug and alcohol offenders. The Christian Democratic Party will certainly be following this issue with great passion and interest and we look forward to the Government reporting the progress of these behavioural programs to the House in the future. The Federal Senate's Finance and Public Administration References Committee interim report on domestic violence in Australia made the following important statement:
The National Plan's overall aim is to change social attitudes about violence against women and their children to reduce domestic violence over the long term. The National Plan states that:
… It is the first to look to the long term, building respectful relationships and working to increase gender equality to prevent violence from occurring in the first place.
On the topic of gender equality I reiterate what I have said previously: How can we ever have gender equality when our society accepts the status quo that women can be bought and sold as a commodity? As long as men—and it is largely men—think that it is okay to purchase another human being for sexual purposes, we will never mature as a nation. It is not respectful to women and will only cause confusion when society says women are equal while they are exposed to denigration and abuse. In the preface of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables there is a statement which sums up my sentiments. It states:
So long as there shall exist, by reason of law and custom, a social condemnation, which, in the face of civilization, artificially creates hells on earth, and complicates a destiny that is divine with human fatality; so long as the … problems of the age … are not solved; … so long as ignorance and misery remain on earth, books like this cannot be useless.
The only way to permanently and definitely remove the hell of domestic violence is by changing the human heart. In Ephesians 4:23-24 Saint Paul says we need to renew the spirit of our minds and put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. Our world needs new men with new hearts and new minds—heads and hearts that honour and respect women, not ones that see them as lesser beings.
LYNWOOD PARK RURAL FIRE SERVICE
The Hon. LOU AMATO [4.24 p.m.]: On 10 October 2015 Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service celebrated 50 years of community service in the Macarthur area. Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service is located at St Helens Park in Western Sydney. I was honoured to represent the Hon. David Elliott, MP, Minister for Emergency Services, and share in the celebrations with distinguished guests such as Assistant Commissioner Stuart Midgley, holder of the Australian Fire Service Medal; Mr Ken Middleton, Acting President of the Rural Fire Service Association; the Hon. Greg Warren, MP, New South Wales member for Campbelltown; Mr Russell Matheson, MP, Federal member for Macarthur; Mr Richard Blair, Manager Emergency Management and Facilities Services, Campbelltown City Council; Superintendent Paul Norton, Manager Macarthur Zone; Captain Mario Burzynski; and many brigade officers, service members, family and friends.
The NSW Rural Fire Service is currently the world's largest volunteer firefighting organisation, with 73,746 dedicated volunteers operating across the State. During 2013-2014 the NSW Rural Fire Service attended more than 23,000 incidents. Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service was formed as the 4th Bush Fire Brigade in Campbelltown, alongside the already existing brigades of Wedderburn, Menangle Park, Minto and Kentlyn. The newly formed brigade had humble beginnings with one Chevy Blitz fire tender. Initially there was no station to house the beautiful red fire truck so it was parked at the famous 300-acre property of Glen Lorne on Appin Road. There is an amazing history associated with the Glen Lorne property which can be discovered in a publication entitled The Romance of Glen Lorne by Eileen Thomson, which is available from the Campbelltown and Airds Historical Society. Eventually the fire truck was housed in a shed on Lynwood Road. "The shed" has become the affectionate nickname of the brigade, regardless of its location, even to this day.
The current Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service boasts modern state-of-the-art fire trucks fitted with the latest firefighting and communications equipment, all operated by committed volunteers. These volunteers have undergone extensive training and are equipped with an impressive range of skills to mitigate many serious threats to the community's safety. Just some of the services provided by the amazing members of the Lynwood Park brigade are: attending local bush and grass fires, attending residential house fires, rescue operations, hazard reduction, education programs to prepare the community for the fire season, attending education seminars at local schools and fetes, search and rescue operations for people lost in bushland, and assisting with maintaining community safety due to flood and storm damage.
In May 2010 Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service was presented with the Commissioner's Certificate of Commendation. The award recognised the bravery and quick thinking of volunteers who saved many lives at Broughton Anglican College. Severe flooding had caused cars to be washed away with families still trapped inside them. Lynwood Park and Varroville rural fire brigades were the first units to arrive and immediately assisted vehicles which had been swept into the water by setting up a pump relay which relieved the water pressure being forced through a culvert. The quick action of the volunteers stopped cars being swept away and averted what could have been a tragic disaster.
Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service has also played a vital role in offering support in many emergencies outside the Macarthur area. For example, they provided emergency assistance with storm damage in Wollongong in 2010 and at Albion Park in March 2010. They attended bushfires at Shoalhaven, Bulahdelah and Bathurst in 2009. They provided emergency assistance due to flood damage at Lightning Ridge in April 2010 and they attended the Victorian fires in January 2009. I congratulate Lynwood Park Rural Fire Service for 50 years of continued service to the community. It is a great blessing that we have such a unique service with so many dedicated professionals who risk their lives in the service of the community in times of emergency.
SOCIAL COHESION
The Hon. SOPHIE COTSIS [4.29 p.m.]: Two weeks ago our community lost a wonderful man, Curtis Cheng. He was a valued public servant who had dedicated his working life to serving our State as an accountant in the finance department of the NSW Police Force. I offer my sincere condolences to the Cheng family; they have suffered an awful loss. As a community we must respond to that loss. We must not allow our response to be driven by fear or division. Some people wish to divide the community so they can exert power and dominance over others.
The greatest threat to those who promote violence and hatred is not to be found in harsher laws or tougher policing measures, as necessary as those actions might be. Rather, the greatest threat to those who promote violence and hatred is the success of modern Australia—a diverse society that welcomes and accommodates people of all backgrounds and faiths. The success of the Australian ideal will show that violence and hate is never necessary and can never be justified. However, for the Australian ideal of a diverse and peaceful society to succeed there must be trust and inclusion of all parts of our community.
That is why I have been disappointed by the Baird Government over the past couple of days. The Baird Government had a good start to the week on Monday when it invited leaders of the Muslim community to consult on how all parts of our society can come together and work in partnership to prevent future tragedies like this one. Labor leader Luke Foley and Jihad Dib, the member for Lakemba, were also in attendance. Hours after that meeting the Baird Government squandered its goodwill when it announced plans for tougher national security laws; it did not consult Muslim leaders about that proposal. I note the comments of Silma Ihram. On Tuesday this week she told the ABC:
I think it's very unfortunate. When you go to consultation, you expect there's going to be the opportunity to hear what the Government's going to do before they do it. It certainly took us by surprise, especially since they were announced shortly after the meeting. We don't believe they are going to be beneficial to Australian society as a whole and it certainly is going to feed straight into the narrative of Daesh ... so it's really a major problem and it's going to make things worse, unfortunately. I think if they'd brought it up ... there would have been such a reaction that the meeting would have gone into absolute chaos, because we were already stating how the securitisation is already having such a negative effect on the community.
Why was this plan kept secret from the Muslim community at that meeting? What happened to openness and honesty, and building trust and mutual respect? The sentiments expressed by Silma Ihram do not indicate that the Baird Government is off to a good start when it wants to build unity and trust throughout our community. We have to restore a sense of mutual trust and respect, particularly with the Muslim community. We must pay more than lip service to the idea of consultation. People like members in this place have a responsibility to rise above opportunism and moral duty to protect our precious and social cohesion. I hope that the Baird Government will learn from the events of this week. It must consult with the communities and keep building on its trust. I hope that in the future the Baird Government will engage in meaningful and serious dialogue with the whole community so that we can demonstrate that New South Wales and Australia is united as one society and we will never be divided by hatred and fear.
CAPITALISM AND POVERTY
The Hon. Dr PETER PHELPS [4.34 p.m.]: A number of motions that were introduced to the House this week and an earlier adjournment speech by Ms Jan Barham related to Anti-Poverty Week. The simple fact of the matter is that the best cure to poverty is capitalism. If we look around the world we see that the richest countries are invariably capitalist countries. China has made a great leap forward not through socialist doctrine but by the adoption of capitalistic practices. The great leap forward for India has not come through the autocratic bureaucracy of the old socialist Gandhi state but through the initiatives that have been introduced by the current Prime Minister such as those used when he was in charge of Gujarat province. His view is simple—capitalism brings prosperity; it does not bring poverty. Members of this House will know that I am something of a fan of capitalism, but do not take my word for it. Listen to the words of Bono, lead singer of U2, who, for decades, has been an anti-poverty activist. In July 2013 he said:
Aid is just a stop-gap. Commerce [and] entrepreneurial capitalism takes more people out of poverty than aid.
In dealing with poverty here and around the world, welfare and foreign aid are a Band-Aid. Free enterprise is a cure.
Entrepreneurship is the most sure way of development.
I could not have put it better myself.
[Business interrupted.]
RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES AND HOUSING LEGISLATION AMENDMENT (PUBLIC HOUSING—ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR) BILL 2015
Message received from the Legislative Assembly agreeing to the Legislative Council's amendments.
[Business resumed.]
Question—That this House do now adjourn—put and resolved in the affirmative.
Motion agreed to.
The House adjourned at 4.35 p.m. until Tuesday 20 October 2015 at 2.30 p.m.
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