Crimes (Home Invasion) Amendment Bill

About this Item
Speakers - Meagher Ms Reba
Business - Bill, Second Reading

CRIMES (HOME INVASION) AMENDMENT BILL

Second Reading

Debate resumed from 23 November.

Ms MEAGHER (Cabramatta) [4.12]: The circumstances in which I came to be a member of this House are set against a background of great human tragedy. Together with all my Labor colleagues, I was saddened and horrified by the murder of John Newman. John's courage and commitment were unquestioned. His unrelenting advocacy for a better deal for the people of Cabramatta earned him the respect of every person in the electorate. I was proud to be chosen by the Labor Party to succeed John Newman in the State seat of Cabramatta, and I was deeply honoured by the faith the people of Cabramatta placed in me and the party I represent at the by-election on 22 October.

The level of support given to me as John Newman's successor shows two things. First, it shows that John's campaign had the support of the people of Cabramatta; and, second, it shows that a Labor victory means John Newman's campaign will not be silenced. To all John's friends, family and supporters I would like to say this: I will continue his fight to make Cabramatta a better and safer place. I would like to again extend my deepest sympathy to John's family, Mr and Mrs Naumenko, and to Ms Lucy Wang who, despite her hardship and grief, gave me both her personal support and public endorsement.

There is one issue that I feel must be addressed in relation to the circumstances that surrounded the Cabramatta by-election. It is an issue which I find saddening and disturbing as, I know, do the members of the Cabramatta community. Within hours of the shooting the media had put the people of Cabramatta on trial. Without a suspect or even a motive the ethnic community of Cabramatta was placed under scrutiny. The greatest level of vilification was directed at people from Asia. The hype and tabloid headlines that followed the tragic incident demonstrate the bigotry and racism that is still prevalent in our society today. Racism, at its most pervasive, is insidious and subtle. It is often prefaced with terms like, "I don't mean to be racist but . . .", a term I often heard used by commentators and while campaigning.

Each day's reporting of the Newman murder was accompanied by adjoining articles with headlines like, "A Suburb Apart" and, "The Killing of Cabramatta". A lot of media organisations believed that publishing the statistics of Cabramatta's ethnic composition was somehow relevant to a homicide investigation. Personally, I disagree. It is an unprecedented event in Australian history for the reputation of a whole community to be attacked so irresponsibly. The people of Cabramatta are aware that they have endured undeserved criticism and faintly-guarded racism. It was not only shameful and irresponsible, it was un-Australian.

In these statements lie my first challenge as a new member. I am dedicated to rebuilding Cabramatta's name as a vibrant and dynamic place, and restoring the reputation of the people of Cabramatta as honest and hard working. It is my aim to work with the various communities to restore the harmony which is so fundamental to multicultural success. As their voice in Parliament, I will let no-one forget that it was the culture of criminals, not the culture of Cabramatta, that killed John Newman.

At this point I seek the indulgence of the House to express my gratitude to the many men and women who took part in the campaign and have assisted me. The overwhelming endorsement of the Labor Party in the Cabramatta by-election belongs to all members of our party. But no party can effectively communicate its ideas and reflect the aspirations of the electorate without strong leadership. In Cabramatta, as in Parramatta and The Entrance, this leadership was provided by our parliamentary leader, Mr Bob Carr. Without Bob's untiring personal support and his commitment to the people of western Sydney, the 22 per cent swing and an 83 per cent two-party preferred vote could not have been achieved. Bob Carr and his policies were the focus of the campaign, so the result is as much an endorsement of Bob Carr as a leader as it is of Labor's solution to the problems of western Sydney.

I would like to thank the members of the Parliamentary Labor Party - in particular Morris Iemma - who, despite commitments in their own areas, gave their time to ensure a Labor victory. I also extend my warm thanks and gratitude to Bob Carr's staff, who excelled beyond the call of duty. I owe a special thanks to my contemporary and friend, Matthew Shaw. During the last few years we have proved a formidable team and carved a lasting friendship. The result in Cabramatta has shown that the New South Wales Labor Party is an unrivalled campaign machine. The skills and instincts of the ALP officials delivered an unprecedented victory.

Without the support of John Della Bosca, Jarka Sipka, Amanda Fazio, John Gilmore and Lawrie Daly success would not have been possible. I reserve a special thank you for my friend Eric Roozendaal, the New South Wales State Organiser. Eric, without doubt, is the best electoral campaigner in the country. One of the most encouraging aspects of the campaign was the support members of the local ALP showed to
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me. They welcomed me and assisted me throughout the by-election and in my first week as their local member. It was a test of courage to support a young woman who many outside the party doubted. It was always going to be a tough battle, but together we overcame the prejudices and obstacles that stood in the way of a Labor victory.

In particular I would like to mention councillors Nick Lalich, Ken Chapman and Phong Ngo, together with the members of the State Electorate Council. I would also like to thank Pat Serge, Michael Danieli, Anthony Cavallaro, Sam Romeo and Nick Scali. To my campaign team - Mario Falchoni, Bob Rowlinson, Kelly Murphy, Lan Lee, Denis Ryan and Nick Street - I place on record my gratitude and appreciation. Often described as the toughest political school in the country, New South Wales Young Labor equipped me well for the difficulties of the by-election and a parliamentary career. It is a reflection of both the professionalism of New South Wales Young Labor and the maturity of the senior party that they were prepared to endorse a Young Labor president for an electorate in difficult circumstances. My Young Labor colleagues gave up their time freely to become the arms and legs of the campaign, and I thank them for their untiring efforts and friendship.

Mr Speaker, like many on this side of the House I am proud to stand before you as a parliamentary representative of the broader Labor movement, a representative of working Australians. I enjoyed the invaluable support of the New South Wales Labor Council, the Australian Services Union, the Public Service Association, the CWU, the AWU-FIMEE, the Electrical Trades Union and the Nurses' Federation. However, my deepest gratitude is reserved for the Transport Workers Union. As a young woman in a traditionally blue-collar, male-dominated and militant union, there were many challenges and preconceptions to overcome. But with the support of my TWU colleagues - in particular Steve Hutchins, Tony Sheldon, Craig Shannon and Doona - my involvement was encouraged and supported.

As one of the few members of this House who has worked under the current Industrial Relations Act, I see a Labor victory in March as an opportunity to repeal that failed instrument and introduce changes which will guarantee a greater degree of equity in industrial relations in this State. In other words, Labor will deliver a better deal for working men and women in this State. My final thanks go to my parents and Joe Tripodi. Joe is a constant source of encouragement and support. Together we achieved remarkable gains in Young Labor - perhaps not as remarkable as the Premier has attempted to suggest, but we are a great partnership and the constituents of Fairfield and Cabramatta will experience the benefit of the close working relationship of their two representatives.

I shall now turn my attention to the needs of the people of Cabramatta. No member of this House would argue when I say that the safety of children should be a top priority. Every day in Cabramatta, children on their way to and from Canley Heights Public School are forced to make dangerous crossings of the Cumberland Highway. Three years ago the Fahey Government promised to erect a pedestrian overbridge for school children. As with its promises in Parramatta, it has failed to deliver. If the Premier cannot deliver on the safety of children, what can he deliver on?

There is a need to fast-track the widening of Elizabeth Drive between Cabramatta Road and Cowpasture Road at Bonnyrigg and a need to upgrade the overbridge at Canley Vale railway station to improve traffic conditions in peak periods. A key part of Labor's overall crime prevention strategy is to make public transport safer and more reliable. Under Labor's innovative railsafe policy, Cabramatta will be declared a safety station, its security upgraded, and staffing provided 24 hours a day. Police will patrol the railway stations for gang activity and, when conflict is a possibility, police will disperse gangs.

Labor will provide safe, well-lit areas at rail and bus terminals where passengers will be able to call friends and wait for lifts. I have already received calls from distressed parents about schoolgirls who have been harassed by intimidating groups of youths at Cabramatta station while they waited for a connecting bus. All these roadworks and public transport improvements have one focus: to improve public safety. If there is one issue that the Fahey Government deserves to be condemned for - and there are many - it is the issue of health services. After seven years of Fahey Government neglect, no detoxification unit exists in the entire south-west region of Sydney.

The reason for this is simple. For more than two years the Fahey Government has refused to establish a unit, despite strong support by local police and drug and alcohol workers. People with serious drug and alcohol problems who live in Cabramatta and Fairfield are being denied essential rehabilitation services. If many of these people do not get treatment, they are likely to resort to crime to support their habits. Unlike the Premier, the Leader of the Opposition and Labor care about people, and we have given a commitment to establish a 10-bed facility at Fairfield hospital in our first term.

After seven years of this tired Government, we have 300 people on the waiting list for surgery at Fairfield hospital, and about 1,500 in the queue at Liverpool. The South Western Sydney Area Health Service accommodates about 10 per cent of the State's population, and year after year it fails to receive an adequate share of funding. Labor's policy will see the abandoning of productivity cuts in Sydney's greater west and the full health budget being spent on health services. The role of GPs will be expanded in casualty units to handle non-emergency cases, and new ambulance officers will be recruited. [Extension of time agreed to.]

Cabramatta, like all areas, has a criminal element. The crime problem in Cabramatta should be a clear signal to this Government that its policies are
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not working. What is needed is a comprehensive approach to crime prevention which focuses on preventing crime, restoring the rights of victims and giving fair punishments to perpetrators. Under Labor, that is what the people of New South Wales will get. Labor's practical solutions are in stark contrast to the neglect and knee-jerk reactions of the Government. I campaigned on the issue of home invasions, advocating a new offence of aggravated burglary for violent home invasion style crimes. This bill is a vindication of the campaign by the Leader of the Opposition and me. The most alarming failure of this bill and the Fahey Government's approach is that no attempt has been made to support the victims of home invasions.

Ricki Bartell of the Cabramatta community centre recently raised with me the possibility of introducing and the need to introduce counselling for the victims of home invasions. The nature of the home invasion crime is such that criminals prey on people who are intimidated into remaining silent. Without counselling, individual victims are unable to overcome their grief and report the crime to police; and if the crime is not reported, police are unable effectively to target and assist. If we can give the victims of these crimes the security to feel that they will be supported, without repercussions, the rate of arrests will improve, as will the healing process.

Labor's approach - in contrast to this Government's approach - is all about breaking the cycle of crime and giving young people opportunities. While Labor's policy will be tough on criminals, it is balanced with a progressive approach to preventing criminal activity. At present in Cabramatta we see a cycle of youth despair. The current Government has failed young people by denying them health, recreational and educational opportunities. Without these opportunities, many young people slide hopelessly and, in some cases, irretrievably towards a life of drugs and crime. That is why we need funding for the Police Citizens Youth Club which is at present in a shocking state of disrepair.

This facility in Cabramatta is falling down. The roof leaks; the doorways are unsafe; the gym equipment is hazardous; and there are no recreational facilities. These sorts of standards would not be tolerated in a workplace, so if we are serious about opportunities for young people, we should put our money where our mouth is. While I support this bill, I see its limitations. There is more that can be done, and I look forward to pursuing these issues as part of a Labor government.

Let me conclude by saying that, as the youngest member of Parliament, I feel privileged to be part of this great democratic institution. I am aware of the responsibility that being a member of this House entails, and I am respectful of its history. But I will not be bound by tradition or protocol if it stands in the way of a better deal for the people of Cabramatta and New South Wales. My first priority - and my deepest commitment - will remain to the Labor movement and the people whom I represent.

Debate adjourned on motion by Mr West.

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