Fairfield City Farm

The Hon. CHARLIE LYNN [8.07 p.m.]: Fairfield City Farm is a farm-based attraction close to the heart of Sydney where children and adults can enjoy a variety of exciting shows and exhibits and get up close to a range of native and farmyard animals. The farm is a family favourite attraction and one of the rare places families can go in western Sydney. The farm is owned and run by Fairfield City Council on land leased and run by the council from the Western Sydney Parklands Trust. Fairfield City Farm has been operating for 20 years, but unfortunately it is on the verge of closure, with the lease due to expire at the end of February. The closure of the farm has inspired Vicky Mycio to start a Facebook group called Save Fairfield City Farm, which has now reached some 4,000 members. According to an article entitled "Lalich snubs Farm friends", published in the Fairfield Advance on 11 November 2009, this is not enough to impress the mayor of Fairfield and State member for Cabramatta. The article states:

The Save Fairfield City Farm Facebook group is fast approaching 4000 members, but Fairfield mayor Nick Lalich refuses to respond to their concerns, according to the group's founder, Vicky Mycio.

"Mr Lalich won't return my calls," Ms Mycio said. "I've emailed him and I rang his office, I've left messages with his PA and so far we haven't got anything back.

"He says he wants to support the farm and keep it open, but you don't really see him taking any action to keep it open."

The mayor of Fairfield and State member for Cabramatta does not seem to understand that this is a great demonstration of the strong support for Fairfield City Farm in the local community. The Government acknowledged this in question time yesterday. Unfortunately, the Government's response to my question does not give me much confidence about the future of Fairfield City Farm. Members will recall that I asked the Minister for Lands, the Hon. Tony Kelly, if he was aware that Fairfield City Council will not renew its lease with the Western Sydney Parklands Trust to keep the farm open and running for the benefit of the community. I also asked whether Fairfield City Council had approached him or his department to request the funds necessary to keep Fairfield City Farm open.

In his response the Minister praised the member for Cabramatta and the member for Smithfield. He also told me that he would pass my inquiry to the relevant Minister, David Borger, the Minister for Western Sydney. I do not believe that the Minister for Western Sydney is the relevant Minister. The Minister for Western Sydney is more of a token appointment and is more concerned with the running of the Western Sydney business awards, which are a great awards program. Nevertheless, they do not have any executive authority in this area. Far from being strong advocates for keeping Fairfield City Farm open, the members of Parliament mentioned by the Hon. Tony Kelly, Ninos Khoshaba and Nick Lalich, have done little to help keep the farm open.

Fairfield Liberal Councillor Andrew Rohan, who audited the questions asked by Ninos Khoshaba, exposed this. He found that while Ninos had asked 23 Dorothy Dixers in the time he has been in Parliament, ranging from questions about the Sydney Opera House and Manly jetcats to the Northern Rivers floods, he has not asked a single question about his electorate of Smithfield. Ninos should be asking his Government to keep the Fairfield City Farm, which is in his electorate, open.

The Hon. Greg Donnelly: Point of order: I have been patient. The honourable member is well aware of the standing orders in terms of imputations about members of this House as well as members of the other House. His presentation to this point has been riddled with imputations involving a handful of members in the other place. Indeed, I think it could be argued that he made an imputation in terms of the answer given by the Minister yesterday in question time. He should be reminded that imputations are disorderly and he should be drawn back to delivering an adjournment speech.

The Hon. CHARLIE LYNN: To the point of order: I have referred to the voting record of a member, which is a matter of record.

DEPUTY-PRESIDENT (The Hon. Kayee Griffin): Order! I uphold the point of order of the Hon. Greg Donnelly. If members wish to attack members of this place or the other place, they must do so by way of substantive motion. President Willis ruled:

There is a difference between a member relating a statement of fact and a member reflecting upon or imputing improper motives to a member of either this House or the other place. The member should simply state the facts without opinion or reflection on those actions, otherwise the member will be out of order.

The Hon. Charlie Lynn will confine his remarks to the relevant facts regarding the farm and not make comments about other members.

The Hon. CHARLIE LYNN: It is not only about the farm; it is about the neglect of south-western Sydney. The Government has just cancelled the south-western Sydney rail link and there is a lot of angst out there with the Government spending so much money on the metro link to pander to inner city residents and totally ignoring south-western Sydney. Now Fairfield City Farm is obviously going to be closed. It is of great concern to us in south-western Sydney. [Time expired.]

Question—That this House do now adjourn—put and resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.