Mr STEVE WHAN (Monaro—Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [4.12 p.m.]: I move:

That this House:

(1) expresses concern about the deterioration of the New South Wales Nationals and its inability to represent rural and regional families and businesses;

(2) notes that the most recent Morgan poll puts support for The Nationals at an all time low of 2 per cent; and

(3) calls on The Nationals to put politics aside and start acting in the interests of regional New South Wales.

I have moved this motion as a result of the astounding result in the recent Morgan Gallup poll, which shows that The Nationals, who received about 10 per cent of the vote at the last New South Wales election, have slumped to just 2 per cent of the vote.

Mr Andrew Constance: Point of order: The Minister for Primary Industries has just moved his motion in the House. I am concerned that a Minister has the time to be able to deal with this type of drivel. The Minister has more important responsibilities. Rather than wasting the time of the Parliament, we could be dealing with private members' bills.

The DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The member for Bega will resume his seat.

Mr STEVE WHAN: Seven years in this place and the member for Bega still does not know the standing orders. It is quite astounding. It shows the lack of homework on the part of Opposition members. They think they can sit on the Opposition benches, sail through to the next election and, they believe, win the election without putting anything forward. That is why the National Party's support has disappeared. The once proud Country Party led by Doug Anthony and Black Jack McEwen, and Ian Armstrong in the New South Wales Parliament, used to advocate for the people of regional New South Wales. Now The Nationals are a shadow of their former selves. They cannot offer a policy to the people of New South Wales. They spend their time whingeing and whining and they do not achieve anything.

Even when they were in office during the Greiner and Fahey Governments their achievements were appalling. Their achievements included, as the member for Mount Druitt has said, destroying more rail lines when in government than World War II bombers did. That is an example of their commitment to country New South Wales. Labor has been putting forward policies such as the Building the Country package. We are funding the renewal of country halls, and in the next few days I will have the pleasure of announcing the successful applicants. It is an indictment on The Nationals that they offer nothing. The Nationals did not respond to the infrastructure funding that was put forward as a result of the Building the Country package. Currently there is a massive national debate on health policy. What do we hear from The Nationals about proposals for national funding of health? Nothing at all—silence. All they do is inanely wave the shadow Minister's blue-covered policy, as they call it, which has nothing in it but eight dot points dealing with hospital boards. There is nothing in it about the funding challenges for health or the ageing population.

I can give examples of The Nationals' commitment to country New South Wales. As I have highlighted previously, a few years ago the National Party conference was held in Kirribilli in Sydney—a great country regional centre! I am excited that in my electorate of Monaro The Nationals are about to announce their candidate for the next election. I am pleased that I have received an invitation to a special dinner and drinks with guests Andrew Stoner, Melinda Pavey and the new Nationals candidate for Monaro. Where is that dinner to be held? Will The Nationals glitterati be rolling up to Monaro, Queanbeyan, Cooma, Delegate, Dalgety or Adaminaby?

Mr Ninos Khoshaba: I'll go for Cooma.

Mr STEVE WHAN: It is actually at Manuka in Canberra, where the latte set gathers to chat about Federal political issues. The Nationals, on their own website, are bereft of reasonable policy. They attack everything without offering alternatives. The only interesting thing that I have found on their website is a wonderful section headed "Ten things you didn't know about The Nationals". I can give The Nationals some help and provide a few useful suggestions to put in the "Ten things you didn't know about The Nationals". Number one, who is the leader? The people of New South Wales do not know. Two, who is voting for them? Their support is at 2 per cent. Three, they destroyed more rail lines when they were in government than World War II bombers did.

Number four on the "Ten things you didn't know about The Nationals", the only new hospital they built in country New South Wales was at Port Macquarie. We all know what a disaster that was. On the other hand, Country Labor has built or refurbished 50 hospitals in rural New South Wales. Five, they have an amazing policy on sharks, which they stuffed up their costing on by 400 per cent. They want to spend millions of dollars protecting beachgoers from wobbegong sharks, according to their primary industries spokesperson. Number six on the "Ten things you didn't know about The Nationals", their North Coast chairman and the bohemian mate of the member for Tweed recently resigned from his position due to a fourth drink-driving charge, which made the headlines of the local paper. Seven, they are losing a poll on their own "No Fuel No Fire" website by 68 per cent to 32 per cent.

Number eight on "Ten things you didn't know about The Nationals", they have a hazard reduction policy that would see them attempting to burn 3.8 million hectares per annum in New South Wales. A hell of a lot of houses will go up in smoke when they light that one and let it go. This shows the absolute paucity of policy making from this hopeless Opposition. Nine, they have said that they support reducing the regional share of the roads budget to 60 per cent from its current 70 per cent. Number 10 on the "Ten things you didn't know about The Nationals", it is the only parliamentary party in Australia where the average age of its members is higher than their average IQ.

Mr Richard Amery: Point of order: In relation to the content of the Minister's contribution, I point out that is no way to treat a minority group.

The DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.

Mr STEVE WHAN: What we have here is a party that used to be the proud representatives of country New South Wales but is now the party of whingers, the party of excuses, the party of blaming other people for a failure to deliver.

Mr JOHN WILLIAMS (Murray-Darling) [4.19 p.m.]: I move:

That the motion be amended by leaving out all words after "That" with a view to inserting instead:

this House

(1) notes the lack of voice in Cabinet and his electorate from the member for Monaro in relation to the unfair $30 registration tax imposed on country motorists to pay for Sydney's transport plan;

(2) notes there are only two members of the Country Labor faction in the lower House; and

(3) congratulates The Nationals on winning Tweed and Murray-Darling from Country Labor at the 2007 election.

In my time in Parliament I have never seen a Minister move a motion to be accorded priority. The motion demonstrates that the Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister for Rural Affairs has issues with The Nationals: he has had to contest against The Nationals in two elections. He is unnerved because he knows that he will lose his seat to The Nationals. That is why he is prepared to denigrate his position on the front bench in this House by debating a matter that is completely and utterly trivial.

We have to look at what this Labor Government is doing for people in country New South Wales. In my electorate the Government is about to remove 1,300 jobs from the forestry industry in the southern Riverina, which the Minister tries to defend. The Premier rang the mayor of Wentworth the night before to alert her to a visit the next day. But the mayor was asked not to tell anyone about the visit. When the Premier arrived in Wentworth she went to the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers for one reason: a photo shoot for the capital city, a photo shoot to say she has been in the country.

We have Paris Hilton representing the people of New South Wales! She did not want to hear about the problems in that area. She did not want to hear about the problems of law and order. She did not want to hear about the problems of the local environmental plans. She did not want to hear that they have not had a doctor in Wentworth for three years. She was there for one reason. If that sort of behaviour continues people will hear a lot more about The Nationals. Polling in the city might amount to only 2 per cent for The Nationals but there are a lot more votes in the country, where it counts.

People in the electorate of Monaro will find out what a very poor job the Minister has done in representing their interests, particularly with this $30 tax. He has toed the company line. He has not got the guts to back his constituents; he just rolled over. Come election time, after all the times the Minister has sold out country New South Wales, he will lose his seat to The Nationals. The Minister, the member for Monaro, had better believe that in his electorate The Nationals will get a lot more than 2 per cent of the vote. The Nationals are coming to get him. He knows it and he is living in fear. We have a doctor in the House. I am sure he could sit down and analyse the Minister's problem—there may be some medication for it. The Minister is losing sleep with his constant fear of losing his seat to The Nationals. He has denigrated the position that he holds by moving this motion. Recently he issued a press release stating:

The Emergency Services Minister, Steve Whan, offered his sympathies to the people of Haiti and confirmed that New South Wales is on standby to support the Caribbean country following the tragic tsunami.

Apparently it was a tsunami and not an earthquake! That shows how up-to-date the Minister is. He is far too busy worrying about The Nationals, counting his numbers for the next election and trying to hold his seat. That is his obsession, and it has been for years. He fears this party like no other, and he knows the strength of The Nationals. He should survey country New South Wales to see what is the real figure for Nationals support. It is substantially more than he claims. The press release from the Minister came straight after the Morgan Gallup poll suggested that the Coalition would win the next election if it were held that day. Walt Secord has found the silliest Minister he could to send out a press release and he roped the dope. In came dopey. He only had to mention The Nationals and the Minister took the bait, hook, line and sinker. Old Walt, who is running the State, roped the dope, dragged in a Minister of this State and let him denigrate his office and get involved in this garbage.

Mr FRANK TERENZINI (Maitland) [4.26 p.m.]: There is a good reason why the member for Murray-Darling has gone through his whole speech with a smile on his face. It is because he does not believe a word he is saying. If I were the leader of a party and a motion came before the House questioning the validity of or support for my party I would be here arguing the case for my party and protecting my party. [Quorum called for.]

[The bells having been rung and a quorum having formed, business resumed.]

Instead they sent two lackeys to the Chamber to defend The Nationals. I was listening very closely, but I did not hear anything about any Nationals initiatives for this State. Members opposite raised not one initiative, policy or announcement; they simply indulged in politicking. That is of great concern to the people of New South Wales. The polls are certainly of great concern to The Nationals—the hollow rump on the Liberals. They are second-raters who follow along. The polls are also of great concern to the Liberal Party. If I were the Leader of the Liberal Party and I had a coalition party that was attracting only 2 per cent support in the electorate I would also be worried. It is only a matter of time before the Liberal Party assesses its position and decides whether The Nationals are an asset or a liability. The Nationals offered not one policy initiative when they had the opportunity to speak on behalf of their constituents. That is very important.

The Hon. Melinda Pavey recently visited the State Emergency Service [SES] in my electorate. There was a photograph of her in the local newspaper and the accompanying article said that she discussed the SES doing hazard reduction burning. The SES does not do hazard reduction burning; the Rural Fire Service does it. The Hon. Melinda Pavey does not know about the responsibilities of those two organisations. I do not know whether The Nationals members have earned even their 2 per cent electoral support. They do not know what people do in the country. How can they expect to attract more than 2 per cent support when they cannot get that right? It is an absolute disgrace. If I were a member of the Opposition I would be really worried.

Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [4.31 p.m.]: I have never seen such an arrogant performance as the one we have witnessed this afternoon. The member for Mount Druitt took a point of order on the Minister in an attempt to waste time. That demonstrates the arrogance of this Government. Who represents the electorates of Murray-Darling, Tweed and Clarence? It is certainly not members of Country Labor. We have only two members in this House representing Country Labor. Country Labor is finished.

As always, the Minister for Rural Affairs selectively quoted. He referred to Ray Hadley. Why did he not quote everything that Ray Hadley said about the other member of Country Labor, the member for Bathurst? That was of no interest to Country Labor because he represents 50 per cent of its membership. What happened to the Business Enterprise Centre in the Monaro? The Minister and member for Monaro might like to tell us what happened to that service. Where was this Minister when the Government scrapped the country transport subsidy? Who objected to that measure? It was The Nationals. The Minister reversed that decision because it was the worst decision this Government has made. The Nationals have been pilloried around the State because for three years we have proposed the reinstatement of hospital boards. The Labor Party now agrees with us, despite the fact that members opposite have continually condemned our proposal.

This Minister—the member for Monaro—has supported the Metropolitan Transport Plan, which will slug rural and regional people with a $30 charge for metropolitan transport projects. The Government has not heard the end of that from rural and regional New South Wales. People in the country have had enough. What about the Federal Government's decision to allow the importation of beef from bovine spongiform encephalopathy affected countries? Although it is a Federal issue, that decision will affect this State. How many Labor members tried to defend the Federal Government's decision? Not one. Only Nationals members took on the Federal Government. People in the country know that Nationals members have taken up the fight. The Minister's press release, in which he tried to slam The Nationals, states:

Country Labor has stood up to ensure that regional New South Wales gets its fair share of Government spending, road spending and good train services

Where is the Casino to Murwillumbah rail service? Who closed it? It was Country Labor. Country Labor represented the electorates of Tweed and Clarence. Who scrapped the train service? It was this Labor Government, which continues to remove services from rural and regional New South Wales. If members opposite believe that there are no problems in the country they are not listening to the grassroots people of this State. They are sick of what is happening in Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong. They want their fair share.

Country Labor members say that they represent rural and regional New South Wales. That is unbelievable given the arrogance of the member for Bathurst and his actions over the past of couple of days. The Minister's condemnation of The Nationals demonstrates that he is certainly not listening to what is being said around the State. I am proud to be a member of The Nationals and will continue to fight for people in regional New South Wales, who have had enough of this Labor Government led by the member for Heffron, who has made no difference to the leadership of this State. We have had enough.

Mr STEVE WHAN (Monaro—Minister for Primary Industries, Minister for Emergency Services, and Minister for Rural Affairs) [4.36 p.m.], in reply: Much as I like the two Nationals members who have contributed to this debate—I know they think it is like old times debating this with me—it is a real shame that not one of their frontbench colleagues has appeared to defend their party. More importantly, in 12 minutes of speaking not one policy was offered to rural New South Wales. The only policy mentioned was the good old hospital boards proposal, which was raised by the member for Lismore. The Nationals do not realise that the Federal Government's proposal is not the same as their proposal. They think it is a magic solution.

According to members opposite, hospital boards will automatically fix hospital funding and the shortage of medical professionals. They believe that doctors will flock to regional New South Wales if hospital boards are reinstated. That is a reflection of the simplistic nature of Opposition policy making, which is embarrassing. The member for Murray-Darling spent his time talking about me. I am flattered, just as I was flattered when the Hon. Duncan Gay, in response to my press release on The Nationals' interesting poll result, put out his own press release—

Mr Thomas George: Point of order: The Minister is not allowed to introduce new information into the debate. He is supposed to be summing up.

ASSISTANT-SPEAKER (Ms Alison Megarrity): Order! The Minister is responding to issues that were raised in the course of the debate.

Mr STEVE WHAN: We all know that members opposite resort to personal attack instead of suggesting policy alternatives. That is what we have seen today.

Mr Thomas George: You don't? What about today?

Mr STEVE WHAN: I have never personally attacked either of them. I took what the Hon. Duncan Gay said as a compliment. The press release states:

There's only one Steve Whan. This makes our job harder, but it's probably a good thing for rural NSW.

I was forced to tweet on my Twitter site and thank him.

Mr Richard Amery: That is 11 things we don't know about The Nationals.

Mr STEVE WHAN: I seem to have secret admirers opposite. It is a pity the member for Burrinjuck—an Opposition frontbencher—is not here to defend her party as well. I heard something from someone who went to her Christmas party last year, and her colleagues will be interested to know this. What did she spend 10 minutes of her Christmas party talking about? Was it the drought or things happening in her area? No, it was me—Steve Whan, member for Monaro. Why would she spend 10 minutes talking about me? I really cannot understand it.

Mr Richard Amery: That is 12 things.

Mr STEVE WHAN: That is 12 things we did not know about The Nationals. It is an odd party. It shows a party that has no concept of policy development for country New South Wales. Its members only play the man. They have no idea about putting forward positive policies. Again we heard the member for Lismore talk about funding for roads. As I made the point earlier in justifying the priority motion, The Nationals seemed to be espousing a policy that only money collected in an area should be spent in that area. That would be a disaster for rural New South Wales. Sydney motorists subsidise country roads, and so they should. They have the capacity to do so. That is why the duplication of the Pacific Highway is taking place at the moment, and we hear a lot from The Nationals on that. I remember very well when the big work on the Pacific Highway started. Who was standing there? Was it Nick Greiner and John Howard? No, it was Bob Carr and Paul Keating standing side-by-side on the Pacific Highway announcing an historic agreement to improve the road. That is what has been happening.

The former Coalition Government closed railway lines and rural hospitals. In my electorate alone our Government has built two new hospitals and has improved services in those hospitals. We have delivered grants to a range of organisations across our electorates, most recently for country halls—a fantastic investment in country New South Wales. The Nationals cannot even effectively defend themselves. The member for Lismore keeps interrupting. Yesterday he referred to daylight saving. To illustrate the intelligence of The Nationals, I have to go a long way back to the Leader of The Nationals when he said:

Areas where the temperature regularly reached 40 degrees plus, daylight saving meant that people had to put up with more sunlight at the higher end of the day—

[Time expired.]

Question—That the words stand—put.

The House divided.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Amendment negatived.

Question—That the motion be agreed to—put.

The House divided.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.

ASSISTANT-SPEAKER (Ms Alison Megarrity): Order! The motion accorded priority having concluded, the House will now consider the matter of public importance.