NSW Ports - a dangerous workplace for Ministers

Well here we go again. Another NSW Minister resigns following one more scandal! Premier Keneally announced at the commencement of Question Time that Minister for Ports and Waterways, Paul McLeay, had resigned this morning at her request after it came to light that he had used a Parliamentary computer to access "adult sites" and online gambling. You could have heard a pin drop in the Chamber!

On one hand this seems unbelievable. On the other hand, another scandal in a now long list for this Government was probably more likely than not. As Peter Besseling (Port Macquarie) said, he wouldn't be surprised if one day the Premier introduced Question Time with advice that one of the Members was an alien! "Yep, I could see that coming" he would say without blinking and return to his inimitable rendition of Dolly Parton's "9 to 5".

More Police for Lake Macquarie - More Spin for Labor!

The federal election has us focused on the way political parties are foundering because the public has lost confidence in them.  While the focus has been on the Federal arena, its not long till full attention will return to the pending NSW election where we have arguably the worst Labor Government ever.  Thankfully even during this “quiet” time, NSW Labor remains committed to timely reminders of how self-serving they are.

Last week the Newcastle Herald included an item about three new probationary constables being assigned to Lake Macquarie police. In self-serving Labor style, the news item was crafted to include quotes from the Labor members for Charlestown and Swansea. I’ve grown accustomed to such childish snubs from Labor, but I shouldn’t be frozen out of this issue because I’m the one who has driven it.

I’ve spoken on Police numbers 6 times in Parliament, written to the Minister and Commissioner and had the Minister visit the local Police Command as well as speaking directly to the Ministers about this a number of times. In 2007 I supported the Police Association staffing campaign and on the basis of the effort my office has made to raise these issues, I think it would not be unreasonable for some credit for the 26 new police we have gained since then to be sent our way. Through all of this I note that neither of these Labor members has spoken on police staffing in the Parliament, although the Member for Charlestown opposed my motion calling for improvements to Toronto Police Station.  To be truly fair I should also note that the Member for Swansea recently stated in the media that we need more police in the Lake Macquarie Command.  This statement is better than nothing I suppose; but barely!

The lesson from this story is that, to Labor, spin is still more important than substance. The deployment of new police was known at the time Community Safety Precinct Committee meetings were held across a number of centres on 19 August including in Lake Macquarie, but in this case it was more advantageous to Labor to keep tighter control the information. It is a disgrace, but not surprising, that Police have been politicised by a government more focused on grooming its own image than delivering services.

Despite all this spin, three new constables is still not a fair share of the 377 new officers. We still have only half of the state average of police per population and I won’t be giving up on this problem – even if I’m never given any credit for the results.

The Outing of David Campbell

Well we all know a bit more than when I first wrote on this matter last Thursday night. David Campbell has lived with a deeply personal secret for who knows how many years.  Clearly someone knew or suspected but we haven't been told how Channel 7 and Adam Walters came to know about the Minister's "personal choices".  I think this is relevant as it goes to the veracity of any claim that 7 and Walters has made that this "outing" was somehow in the public interest. I think we need to know their source, their motivation to follow Campbell, before we could e convinced that this was anything other than a grubby and wicked use of a person's sexuality to add to the ratings of an organisation and to elevate the career of an individual journalist.

Walters has been much more than an arms length observer and reporter of State politics.  He has worked for the Government as an advisor and as long as all matters personal are on the table, we shouldn't forget that he became former Minister for Health, Reba Meagher's lover and partner.  No longer together, they do now share a child.  Walters tried lamely to raise the issue of public interest  as Campbell had used his Ministerial car to visit Ken's at Kensington.  Well, he was entitled to, wasn't he?  He could have even used it to go to Ken's Kebabs at Kellyville if chose.  Walters would no doubt have known this having spent more than a little time with a Minister.  He and Meagher famously apparently enjoyed a night together forgetting to let the Minister's driver know her car wouldn't be needed!  Not so flash for that driver.

With Channel 7 alluding to more to follow I can only imagine that they are desperately trying to find a story to shore up what has become a bit of a PR disaster for them.  This grubby intrusion into the personal life of a politician in this way has been shown to more about titillation and ratings than it ever was to do with public interest.

KK seems to have received some good reports over her stance as well.  She certainly read her script well (shown by cameras peering over her shoulder) though it really was arrogant of her to utter those words that what Campbell had done was "unforgivable".  And this from someone who parades her Christian faith as part of her public life.  This wasn't Christian, it was Old Testament.  Apart from that pious statement from a clearly morally superior person, I think her overall message was correct.  I am glad though  surprised, that David Campbell appears to be facing up to the situation so well.  But then again, this bloke would be one of the most immovable politicians I have ever seen.

Riverina Red Gums

Debate on the Government’s National Park Estate (River Red Gum Reservations) Bill 2010 (No 2) came with the type of emotion and rhetoric from all sides that would be expected from such a divisive matter.

The Bill was not expected on the day, at least not by others than the Government who were in the know. Changing the Standing Orders to bring on such an important Bill at short notice and to push it through within the session is just plain wrong – it reeks of “clever” politics, setting aside the expectation of reasonable notice, usually five days.

Concerns of local effected residents are understandable; after all, life as they know it is going to change and all the assurances in the world that they will be looked after will be viewed with absolute scepticism.

The fact may be disputed by the Government, but the reality is that this Bill was brought on, perhaps not as an outright deal, but if not, at least as an appeasement to the Greens as the Government seeks to shore up support for preferences in March next year; no actual discussion of preferences maybe, but a “nod and a wink” wouldn’t surprise me.  No slur on the Greens; their views on this matter have long been known and they have worked hard for the result.

Having said that I do support the intention of the legislation, which will create an extremely significant National Park protecting a wide range of species within this important ecological system. Inclusion of a greater legislated role for traditional owners in the management of this land was also very significant.

Local industries have been provided with compensation but it remains to be seen if this is enough. Claims that this Park will generate tourism dollars are in my view quite weak and eco-tourism in itself is unlikely to substantially offset losses from industries that have relied on harvesting timber from the River Red Gum forests. Of course, the truth of this will be only known with hindsight. Because of this it will be important for the Government, and the next, to carefully watch the impact on these communities and take action as needed to ensure that these communities can adapt and hopefully prosper.

The debate was extensive and credit to Frank Sartor who I think argued his point well. Properly done, this decision could in the long-term provide benefits for those local communities and ensure the best conditions for the sustainability of the River Red Gum Forests. In short, I don’t like how it was done, possibly not why it was done, but I think the decision is correct.

F3 - in the House - No Confidence Motion

The Minister for Transport today survived a No Confidence Motion moved by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Nationals Leader, Andrew Stoner. There was never any doubt of the outcome, the Government always going to exercise it’s substantial majority in the Legislative Assembly.

David Campbell used his full allocation of twenty minutes to put the case why such a censure shouldn’t succeed. I listened to both his speech and that of Andrew Stoner. A normally effusive speaker, the Minister this time was flat and seemed tired. I’m sure that he believes what he said but you wouldn’t have known it from his delivery.

David Campbell no doubt has many things that he can rightly claim as positive outcomes of his tenure as Minister for Transport but the severity of recent failures deserves a much higher level of scrutiny and contrition than the public has seen.

Supporting the motion was not an easy decision however the appalling situation with the F3 debacle on 12 May and the subsequent limp response demands higher accountability. Thousands of people trapped in their vehicles for in the order of 10 hours without any effort to the implement contra-flow exposed many travellers to very real risks. Diabetics, asthmatics or persons with other medical conditions were surely involved. The fact is, those responsible for managing the crisis would have had no answer to any medical emergency that may have occurred. The fact that this didn’t happen was by good luck and nothing to do with good management.

The Minister carries the ultimate responsibility for this fiasco and his protestation and apologies have been as flat as his defence on the No Confidence Motion. The fact is that David Campbell enjoys executive power and he should have used it. Residents of Lake Macquarie that have been speaking to me and who were caught in this traffic jam would want me to support this motion. They want their anger expressed. More than that, they want answers to how it happened and they want changes that will ensure that it never happens again!

F3 Debacle

With the huge outcry over the debacle on the F3 last Monday night it seems that there could be little more to say.  The incident was blamed on an accident between a truck and a petrol tanker but the reality is the issue is really about the RTA response to that accident.  The incident left thousands of people stranded for hours in gridlock and was not just a major system failure; it was an indication of the contempt, arrogance and incompetence of the Roads and Traffic Authority in dealing with people. 

The accident that caused the problem needed to be dealt with in the most appropriate way by the emergency services however the management of the resulting problems also needed to be considered equally as seriously.  The risk of another medical emergency amongst people including many families was high, and I consider it only good luck that such an event didn’t occur.  It certainly wasn’t thanks to any action by the RTA! 

The standing aside of RTA CEO Michael Bushby is only part of the appropriate response and is no doubt in part an attempt to apportion blame neatly to one person.  The reality is that in this instance the Minister does share blame but steadfastly refuses to acknowledge it.  It is a farce for the Minister and the Premier to distance themselves from responsibility by stating that it would have been inappropriate to intervene in RTA operational matters.  Just when would interference be warranted? How many hours? How much distress or how many people? 

The reality is that Ministers and the Premier frequently involve themselves in operational matters and an example of being able to act quickly occurred only hours before when the Premier directed the Health Department to investigate claims of a cancer cluster in the Upper Hunter.  What were they thinking? Why when it came to the F3 was the Minister not on the phone to Mr Bushby ensuring that he was getting regular situation reports and stressing the urgency of implementing the contra-flow system? 

Residents of the Central Coast and Hunter or others needing to travel this road are rightly furious with the Government.  The impact on business in dollar terms would be huge but nobody should discount the value of the time lost to commuters returning home or other travellers needing to get somewhere as well.  

Ken Moroney has been appointed to head an inquiry into what occurred. I don’t know where he lives but I think it would be preferable if whoever was carrying out the inquiry regularly needed to commute on the F3. 

One outcome that must come from the inquiry is a change in culture of the RTA.  They are notorious for being difficult to deal with and even members of Parliament report that they are treated with disdain.  I feel a certain irony in that only two months ago in a speech to parliament I specifically referenced the contra-flow system and said “I compliment the Roads and Traffic Authority on its implementation of that strategy.”  I sure got that wrong!

Our State of Health – The Rudd plan

While Kevin Rudd has previously talked of the Commonwealth assuming broader responsibility for health, it would be fair to say that the issue had slipped below the horizon for quite a while. No doubt the deaths and injuries associated with the Insulation program spurred his memory and his admission that the Government could have done better across a range of issues made a further major initiative timely.

The implications for the states are substantial and while some of the apparent reluctance from states may include an element of “turf” protection, it is evident that there just wasn’t a level of detail in the proposal that would allow the states to be able to understand the full implications.

Public sentiment in favour of the proposal is high but that is based on a broad perception that the states have, or are failing to provide the level of care demanded by the community. The reality is that the public are also unaware of how the proposed Commonwealth intervention will work. Premier Keneally has given support to the principle but has rightly identified some major issues that would need to be addressed or understood before NSW can agree to the proposal. She is right to be cautious and the failure to understand the proposal falls squarely on Mr Rudd and the Commonwealth for having announced their intention without sufficient detail or discussion with the states.

On the other hand, the implications of the growing health budgets are huge and the need for a new model to deal with increasing demand is clear. If done properly I have no doubt that Australians will benefit but this will be a further reduction in state autonomy. With so many other nationalised polices and programs, the argument that states are becoming increasingly irrelevant will grow.

NSW Parliament 2010 - Sitting 1 in review

With the NSW Parliament resuming this week with a new Premier and a re-jigged Cabinet people could have been worried that there might have been a change in the way the Parliament behaves.  They need not have worried! If consistency is a significant benchmark of how a Government, or for that matter, an Opposition performs, both sides did very well. 

It is true that Kristina Keneally works the crowd well – media opportunities that her predecessor, Nathan Rees would have failed to make an impact with even though he threw everything into it, have been masterfully managed by Premier Keneally.  Under the glare of the Parliamentary spotlights, Ms Keneally took to the stage in the latest episode of the longest running theatre production in Australia – “Question Time”. 

The critics have given mixed reviews including the predictable commentary on the Premiers attire.  In that regard she apparently did well.  The rest of the show seemed to draw heavily from old scripts with the main theme being allegations by the Opposition of Government incompetence.  David Campbell, now sporting the addition of Roads to his Ministerial titles certainly helped the Opposition.  His attack on the media for having apparently illegally obtained and then published details of the new Transport Blueprint was great theatre, a real bombshell; which unfortunately for the Minister and Government blew up in their own camp when it was revealed his information was wrong.  An embarrassment that would have seen a lesser performer stumble and freeze.  The masterful improvisation must be commended though it was beneficial that an off stage player, the online consultation website, Bang the Table, was there to take most of the blame.

This unusual mistake from the Minister lead to some improvised lines by the Premier in his support.  Performing to a gallery audience including visiting dignitaries from Vietnam and Bangladesh, the Premier’s defence initiated a raucous response and verbal exchanges across the stage leading to the need for the Speaker to rise and admonish the members for of all things – “unparliamentary behaviour”!  This term always causes some amusement for anyone who has been an observer of parliamentary behaviour.  

The first sitting week of 2010 scored well for consistency – unfortunately, that may be the best that can be said.

Premier attraction - “no one’s girl”

We certainly have seen a huge style change since Kristina Keneally became Premier of NSW.  The Premier seems to be everywhere and comments about her glamorous appearance are are likewise common.  There seems no doubt that her looks will be a large part of the attention she attracts but not even Kristina Keneally could have planned that.  She is who she is.  On the other hand it might be reasonable to presume that her looks were at least part of the reason she won over some of the Labor caucus in rolling Nathan Rees.  Not a personal attraction mind you, but rather a political calculation that looks and gender might be a winner with sectors of the voting community – after all, Labor were on a hiding to nothing anyway. 

Keneally says she is “no one’s girl” and I believe her.  She is no fool and will no doubt make her mark on her owns terms.  She does however seem to have been well schooled in Machiavellian politics with one of her main teachers and mentors being Joe Tripodi.  Joe of course seems widely disliked but for one so often embroiled in controversy he seems to have survived very well.  Not blessed with a pretty face, Joe must have plenty of smarts.  It remains to be seen if Kristina Keneally has enough of both to win over the electorate in 2011. 

Under Keneally the Government has already begun to distance themselves from bad or unpopular policy that is deemed not worth the fight (for now) or is seen as un-winnable.  Retail power privatisation is conveniently delayed till later in 2010; will anyone be surprised if it is further delayed until after the election?  (A Labor member told me within days of the change of leadership that it would be killed-off).  The Rozelle Metro looks dead in the water and we can expect a number of other strategic withdrawals throughout the year.  And is it hypocrisy that we now see the Premier ready to address the unfair treatment of Gillian Sneddon?  I think most people from around this area will see it that way but at the same time hope that Gillian finally gets some fairness from the NSW Government.  

Under Iemma and Rees I found that the government could be arrogant and rude to non-Labor MP’s even in their own area.  This wasn’t so much a problem for me as the snubs at public functions were so overt that the Premiers and other Labor members looked very petty and rude.  It did them damage while not hurting me.  Kristina Keneally on the other hand has already shown herself to be very different while attending a function at the Ourimbah Campus recently.  This was a Labor show, a policy announcement attended by government MP’s, Minister Ian MacDonald and the Premier.  The Premier was very gracious in recognising me and, after  the formalities, insisting that I joined them for a photo.  A very different approach from before and it’s difficult to know if she was genuine or just understands that pettiness is noticed.  Either way, I have to acknowledge that she can be very charming.  Now to see how she performs as Premier in Question Time – that will be revealing!

Terenzini to call it quits

I don't know the reason behind Member for Maitland, Frank Terenzini, deciding not to contest the next state election in 2011 but it's not hard to imagine that he had "a better offer".

While maybe not well known outside of Maitland and immediate surrounds, Frank has been pretty noticeable within the Parliament.  He has been a regular contributor for the Government to a range of debates and in my view has done more than his share of "heavy lifting".

There may be some merit in the view that the polling for Labor in Maitland wasn't looking good for Frank.  Nothing personal I would guess .... just sick of Labor. If I had to guess at least one other contributing factor it would be that Frank's conscience didn't need to be compromised anymore.  It can't have been easy having to support some of the awful decisions taken by the Government over the last 3 years let alone watch first hand the brutality and ineptitude of factional brawling.  Whatever the reason for Frank's decision I'm guessing he will enjoy being back in the legal profession as a public prosecutor; dealing with thugs, rapists, murderers and the like couldn't be more difficult and disheartening as what he's had to deal with over the last 3 years amongst some of his own colleagues in the NSW Labor Party.  

Frank has been a good member and in Government or Opposition after March 2011 I think Labor will miss him.