22362 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Tuesday 2 May 2006 ______ Mr Speaker (The Hon. John Joseph Aquilina) took the chair at 2.15 p.m. Mr Speaker offered the Prayer. Mr SPEAKER: I acknowledge that we are on the land of the Gadigal clan of the Eora nation and thank them for their custodianship of this land. ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT Mr SPEAKER: I report the receipt of the following message from the Administrator dated 19 April 2006. K. MASON Office of the Governor ADMINISTRATOR Sydney 2000 The Honourable Justice Keith Mason, President of the Court of Appeal, Administrator of the State of New South Wales, has the honour to inform the Legislative Council that, consequent on the Governor of New South Wales, Professor Marie Bashir having assumed the administration of the government of the Commonwealth of Australia, and in the absence from the State of the Lieutenant-Governor, he has this day assumed the administration of the government of the State. 19 April 2006 ADMINISTRATION OF THE GOVERNMENT Mr SPEAKER: I report the receipt of the following message from the Lieutenant-Governor dated 19 April 2006: J. J. SPIGELMAN Office of the Governor LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR Sydney 2000 The Honourable James Jacob Spigelman, Chief Justice of New South Wales, Lieutenant-Governor of the State of New South Wales, has the honour to inform the Legislative Council that, consequent on the Governor of New South Wales, Professor Marie Bashir having assumed the administration of the government of the Commonwealth of Australia, and following his return to the State, he has this day assumed the administration of the government of the State. 19 April 2006 ASSENT TO BILLS Assent to the following bills reported: Child Protection (International Measures) Bill Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Reserved Land Acquisition) Bill Law Enforcement (Controlled Operations) Amendment Bill National Parks and Wildlife (Adjustment of Areas) Bill MINISTRY Mr MORRIS IEMMA: In the absence of the Minister for Planning, Minister for Redfern Waterloo, Minister for Science and Medical Research, and Minister Assisting the Minister for Health (Cancer), who is on his honeymoon, the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, and Minister Assisting the Premier on Citizenship will answer questions on his behalf. In the absence of the Minister for Tourism and Sport and Recreation, Minister for Women, and Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development, who is ill, the Minister for Local Government will answer questions on her behalf. BEACONSFIELD GOLDMINE RESCUE Ministerial Statement Mr MORRIS IEMMA: I am pleased to inform the House that the New South Wales Government last night sent a crew of three special casualty access team paramedics and a doctor to assist in the mine rescue at 2 May 2006 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 22363 Beaconsfield in Tasmania. The New South Wales team was deployed after requests from the Tasmanian Ambulance Service and the Beaconsfield mine rescue team. Honourable members will know that Todd Russell and Brant Webb are trapped a kilometre underground in a cramped cage at the Beaconsfield goldmine after a rock fall last Tuesday evening. Sadly, their colleague died in the accident. The New South Wales team was called upon for its expertise, which forms a vital part of our preparedness for incidents of this nature. All four members of the New South Wales team were involved in the rescue of Stuart Diver after the Thredbo landslide in July 1997. One of our team members, Paul Featherstone, sat with Stuart for 12 hours before he was finally brought to the surface after being trapped for 65 hours. Paul is a senior paramedic attached to the Surf Lifesaver Helicopter. Another member of the team is Dominic Morgan, a Tasmanian by birth, who has brothers and relatives in the Tasmanian Ambulance Service. Keith Williams is the manager of the team and he is tasked with managing our team's logistics. The final member of the team is Dr Richard Morris, Director of Anaesthetics at St George Hospital. He is one of our retrieval specialists and led the clinical care of Stuart Diver while Stuart was trapped underground. Dr Morris also assisted in co-ordinating our response to the tsunami disaster in Indonesia. All members of the team are involved extensively in major incident planning and response. I am informed that the team will be working closely with the Beaconsfield rescue teams, initially in an advisory capacity but will take on a more hands-on approach if required. In a situation such as this it is not only the physical state of the trapped men that needs to be addressed but also their psychological wellbeing. I am sure honourable members from both sides of the House will wish our team well and will have the two men and their families in their thoughts. We all hope for a speedy and successful rescue. VARIATIONS OF PAYMENTS ESTIMATES AND APPROPRIATIONS 2005-06 Mr John Watkins tabled variations of the payments estimates and appropriations for 2005-06 relating to various agencies under section 24 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 flowing from the transfer of funding for water social programs from "Payments for Water and Sewerage Assistance" to the Department of Energy, Utilities and Sustainability. INDEPENDENT COMMISSION AGAINST CORRUPTION Report Mr Speaker announced the receipt, pursuant to section 78 of the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988, of the report entitled "Report on Investigation into the Alleged Leaking of a Draft Cabinet Minute", dated April 2006. Ordered to be printed. AUDIT OFFICE Report The Clerk announced the receipt, pursuant to section 63C of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983, of the performance audit report of the Auditor-General entitled "Fare Evasion on Public Transport: Follow-up of 2000 Performance Audit", dated April 2006 LEGISLATION REVIEW COMMITTEE Report The Clerk announced the receipt, pursuant to section 10 of the Legislation Review Act 1987, of the report entitled "Legislation Review Digest No. 5 of 2006", dated 28 April 2006. PETITIONS Hornsby and Berowra Train Station Parking Facilities Petition requesting adequate commuter parking facilities at Hornsby and Berowra train stations, received from Mrs Judy Hopwood. 22364 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 2 May 2006 Bus Service 352 Petition requesting extension of bus service 352 to operate on nights and weekends, received from Ms Clover Moore. Mount Austin Public School Petition requesting funding for the provision of a school assembly hall facility at Mount Austin Public School, received from Mr Daryl Maguire. Wagga Wagga Electorate Schools Airconditioning Petition requesting the installation of airconditioning in all learning spaces in public schools in the Wagga Wagga electorate, received from Mr Daryl Maguire. Campbell Hospital, Coraki Petition opposing the closure of inpatient beds and the reduction in emergency department hours of Campbell Hospital, Coraki, received from Mr Steve Cansdell. Breast Screening Funding Petitions requesting funding for breast screening to allow access for women aged 40 to 79 years, received from Mr Steve Cansdell, Ms Katrina Hodgkinson and Mr Michael Richardson. Singleton Hospital Land Sale Petition opposing the proposed sale of Singleton Hospital land, received from Mr George Souris. Mental Health Services Petition requesting increased funding for mental health services, received from Ms Clover Moore. Caritas Mental Health Service Petition requesting the redevelopment and expansion of the Caritas mental health service, received from Ms Clover Moore. Newstan-Awaba Mines Extension Project Petition opposing Centennial Coal Company Limited's proposal to extend the Newstan-Awaba mines for open-cut mining, received from Mr Jeff Hunter. Community-based Preschools Petitions requesting increased funding to community-based preschools to enable them to maintain parity with preschools administered by the Department of Education and Training, received from Mr Greg Aplin, Mr Jeff Hunter and Mr Daryl Maguire. Drought Assistance Subsidies Petition requesting the restoration of drought assistance subsidies for landowners in drought affected areas, received from Ms Katrina Hodgkinson. Recreational Fishing Petition opposing any restrictions on recreational fishing in the mid North Coast waters, received from Mr John Turner. Crown Land Leases Petition requesting the withdrawal of changes to the rental structure of Crown land leases, particularly enclosed road permits, received from Ms Katrina Hodgkinson. 2 May 2006 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 22365 Sydney Harbour Master Plan Petition requesting that Sydney Harbour remain a working harbour, and calling for long-term strategic planning culminating in a published master plan, received from Ms Clover Moore. Yass Water Supply Petition requesting funding to provide Yass with a safe and secure potable water supply, received from Ms Katrina Hodgkinson. CSR Quarry, Hornsby Petition requesting a public inquiry into Hornsby Shire Council's acquisition of CSR Quarry in Hornsby, received from Mrs Judy Hopwood. Grafton Bridge Petition requesting the construction of a new bridge over the Clarence River at Grafton, received from Mr Steve Cansdell. Barton Highway Dual Carriageway Funding Petition requesting that the Minister for Roads change the Roads and Traffic Authority's priority for Federal AusLink funding for the Barton Highway to allow the construction of a dual carriageway, received from Ms Katrina Hodgkinson. Coolac Bypass Petition requesting approval of the Coolac bypass, received from Ms Katrina Hodgkinson. The Rock/Bullenbong Road