Rees Investing in the Hunter

It was very heartening to see the six page glossy "Community Cabinet Report - Investing in the Hunter" delivered throughout the electorate of Lake Macquarie this week.  

While there are lots of worthwhile projects being promised for the Region, the Business as Usual spin of this Premier is heartening, especially when we would have all been worried by his claims of a fresh approach as Premier, promising to do away with spin.

As the State desperately tries to attach itself to the massive Commonwealth Economic Stimulus package Nathan Rees seems to have deferred his commitment to all things "fair dinkum".  The opportunity to role out blatant Party Political advertising under the guise of information was obviously just too much of a temptation.

I can only guess what the cost of these brochures were but I imagine $30,000 per electorate would not be far off the mark.  Not a bad supplement to the Electoral Mailout Allowance for the local Labor members for Swansea, Charlestown, Newcastle, Wallsend and Maitland, the only local members who featured!  Of course, it would be even better if all of this printing was done locally - and as there is no indication on the brochure, I imagine they can claim that it was.  

Not to say that the Government hasn't been fair though.  They did after all deliver two boxes of these brochures to my State office.  And just to be fair, if anyone wants one, I would be glad to get a brochure to them - after all, if the Premier has been tempted back into using public funds for partisan, party political purposes, it would be a shame to further waste the hundreds of thousands of dollars they are spending on brochures, TV, internet, and other areas telling us how good they are.

O'Farrell on Stateline - Planning and Donations

On ABCs Stateline tonight we saw one of the better performances of Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell. As O'Farrell clearly articulated the Oppositions plans regarding planning regulation and election funding, he managed to blunt the usual effective cynicism of Quentin Dempster.

O'Farrell dealt appropriately with issues regarding the outrageous changes to planning that have been perpetrated on the people of NSW by Labor.  I am paraphrasing but I took his meaning to be that planning consent powers will be returned to elected local councils for most things.  Part 3A of the EP&A Act will be repealed.  The effect of Joint Regional Planning Panels soon to commence and the loss of local decision making will I believe come back to bite this Government.

In the same vein, O'Farrell is suggesting reducing the influence of big money on the election process by capping election campaign costs.  This is sensible and something that I have supported when I previously made my own submission to the Upper House Inquiry into this matter.  The system that Labor capriciously implemented following the Wollongong Council scandal is a mess, a mess that is hard to comply with, hard to police, and seemingly causing confusion even within the Election Funding Authority.  Let's make it simple - it will be better for all.

I'm not sure what the property industry will make of all this - the risk of losing their newly won power over development consent in NSW & the loss of or at least a reduction in being able to buy influence, particularly with Labor?

To be fair, when it comes to large election campaign donations, there are no clean skins, or very few, particularly amongst the traditional parties - but NSW Labor seemed to take it to a whole new and obscene level; they perfected the system.  So, if there is a stench surrounding the new planning laws, where should we look? - it's hard to get away from the powerful perception that at least a few, and some of the most influential in the Labor Party, knew exactly what they were doing.

Hunter Jobs Summit & Community Forum

I attended the State Government's Job Summit at Warners Bay this afternoon.  I attended as Mayor as I had not been invited (or acknowledged) as State Member.  Let me say first off that I think it is great that the Premier came to our area to learn about and speak about opportunities for job creation in our area.  Jobs are critically important.  A high level of work participation and incomes are vital to social justice and equity, and community well-being.  Without community well-being and reasonable wealth we cannot address pressing issues including the protection of our environment.

The Premier invited comments and questions from the floor, so I was a little surprised that he tried to cut me off in giving a preamble to my question.  I was asking if his government would support the Council in seeking Commonwealth infrastructure funding for the proposed Lake Macquarie Transport Interchange and Pennant Street Bridge at Glendale.  This project is estimated to cost $70M - $80M with a multiplier effect that would bring its value to well over $300M!  The Pennant St Bridge would allow access for some 16000 workers in the Cardiff Industrial Area, just across the rail line, to access public transport.  The bridge would also rectify problems within the road network of the industrial site, generating even more investment from business.

This project is the proverbial "no-brainer".  It has huge economic benefits in direct and ongoing jobs, builds capacity in the area that will be needed as our regional population grows, and most importantly, it will make public transport a viable and attractive option for thousands.

Unfortunately, the Premier was not generous in his response.  For some reason he wanted to point out that everyone wants something and that there is only so much money to go around. True - and the answer may have been reasonable if the Summit wasn't about creating jobs!  This would be one of the best short, medium, and long-term investments for jobs in the region.  His response was even stranger as I hadn't asked the Premier for money, rather, I asked his support to seek Commonwealth money!  A strange and disappointing response.

I wasn't at the following community forum but I understand that the Premier was given "a serve" by former Milton Orkopoulos staffer, Gillian Sneddon.  Without Gillian's courage, the activities of Orkopoulos would never have come to light.  She believes that others in the ALP knew what was happening and did nothing.  She believes that Nathan Rees knew, particularly as he had been an advisor to Milton for a year before the issue blew up - something Mr Rees denies.

Perhaps if the Premier met with Gillian, or at least gave her the chance to speak at the forum, he might be able to start the healing process.  Regardless of the payments Gillian received as entitlements after not being re-employed as an Electorate Officer, this woman has been put through hell.  Her physical and mental health has suffered, she has been unable to work and her finances are depleted.  She is worried about her future - all for having done the right thing - and if she is correct, all for doing what others should have done themselves.