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- 25 June 2003
Tamworth Country Labor Conference
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Page: 2130
Ministerial Statement
Mr CAMPBELL (Keira—Minister for Regional Development, Minister for the Illawarra, and Minister for Small Business) [3.19 p.m.]: It is on again—the annual Country Labor conference. It is a political assembly bigger than the conference of the entire State branch of the Liberal Party. On 5 and 6 July more than 400 delegates and their families will converge on the home of country music.
Mr O'Farrell: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance. It is untrue to say that 400 people at a Country Labor conference is bigger than the State conference of the Liberal Party. It is simply untrue.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition may reply to the ministerial statement at the appropriate time if he wishes to do so.
Mr CAMPBELL: On 5 and 6 July more than 400 delegates and their families will converge on the home of country music, Tamworth. It is also the home of Ray Tait and Di Carter, the first ever Tamworth councillors elected under the Country Labor banner in New South Wales, and of the newly elected Country Labor MLC, Christine Robertson. The 2003 conference is anticipated to be an economic windfall for the local Tamworth economy. I am sure that small businesses in Tamworth will already be dusting off the welcome mats. Although the conference officially takes place over two days, Saturday 5 July and Sunday 6 July, many delegates take advantage of the weekend, arriving a day or two early to spend some time in the surrounding region.
I think the honourable member for Tamworth will join me in taking this opportunity to encourage delegates to extend their visit so that they can enjoy the hospitality of Tamworth and the New England region. On top of these 400 delegates and their families, a strong media contingent from Sydney and other regional centres will converge on Tamworth on the weekend of 5 and 6 July. The conference will also be attended by Country Labor MPs and MLCs—members who represent an area far and wide, stretching from the Tweed down through Monaro and the Riverina, and out to Broken Hill. All of these visitors will be staying in Tamworth hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts and farm stays. In true Country Labor style they will work hard but they will also support the local hospitality industry, injecting thousands of dollars into the local economy.
Tourism New South Wales estimates that this year's Country Labor conference will inject almost $100,000 into Tamworth alone. Local domestic tourists on conventions such as the Country Labor conference spend an average of $80 a day. All this spending helps to create local jobs. That is good news for local communities. In the end, that is what securing conferences is all about. As is a tradition with Country Labor conferences, the Premier will give the keynote address. He will be joined by senior Ministers, most of whom will be on hand for the full weekend. As well as debates on major rural and regional issues, such as economic development, health, education, law enforcement, land and water conservation, and agriculture, this conference will allow delegates to put their concerns directly to Ministers.
Unlike Liberal Party and National Party get-togethers, Country Labor is now the only true political country conference. Over the past four years Country Labor conferences were held at Goulburn in 1999, Coffs Harbour in 2000, Huskisson on the South Coast in 2001, Cooma in 2002 and now Tamworth in 2003. When it comes to a Country Labor conference that old bush saying sure rings true: Have saddle will travel. And this year's Country Labor conference will prove that we will also be bringing our money with us.
Mr PICCOLI (Murrumbidgee) [3.23 p.m.]: It is with some interest that I respond to this ministerial statement. First, I thought ministerial statements were supposed to be about issues relating to government, not party political issues such as the Country Labor conference. The Minister spouted on about the so-called Country Labor Party conference in Tamworth. I am sure it will be fascinating for the people of Tamworth to see the bus loads of trade unionists—
Mr Campbell: Point of order: My point of order is simple. Most people in regional centres know the importance of holding a conference in their centre. They know the important public policy issues of having a conference in their centre. Most people in regional centres in New South Wales would welcome a conference of 400 delegates to their community. It is unfortunate that the honourable member for Murrumbidgee does not recognise the important public policy aspects of attracting conferences of this nature.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The honourable member for Murrumbidgee may continue.
Mr PICCOLI: I am sure the people of Tamworth—indeed, the people of country New South Wales—will be fascinated when they see the trade union officials bussed into Tamworth to attend this farcical conference. I wonder how many genuine country people will attend the conference.
Mr Fraser: None.
Mr PICCOLI: As the honourable member for Coffs Harbour says, probably none. Labor Party officials are characterised as people who have never worked. They purport to represent the working class but they are not usually people who work. I heard the honourable member for Upper Hunter refer to the honourable member for Swansea as the "accidental worker". I thought that was appropriate. Some of the problems with the Federal Labor Party have been sheeted home to the fact that the party has professional unionists. That is the major problem with the Federal Labor Party.
Mr O'Farrell: Or the kids of former Labor members.
Mr PICCOLI: That is right, the kids of former Labor members. Members opposite do not like to hear that.
Mr Whan: Point of order: My point of order relates to relevance. The Minister made a statement on the importance of conventions to regional economies. Clearly, the Opposition spokesman is straying a long way from that, and I ask you to bring him back to the point.
Mr Fraser: To the point of order: The Country Labor conference in Coffs Harbour saw the Premier slip in the back door of the services club, and that is why he is known in Coffs Harbour as backdoor Bob. When he attends these conferences he will not talk to the people, the people members opposite purport to represent, but he refuses to meet them.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Coffs Harbour will resume his seat. The honourable member for Monaro is correct when he claims that the honourable member for Murrumbidgee should respond directly to the ministerial statement made by the Minister. I uphold the point of order.
Mr PICCOLI: I could have sworn that the Minister said "and related matters" in his ministerial statement. I am simply referring to your earlier ruling allowing me to stray.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! In this instance that is a figment of the imagination of the honourable member for Murrumbidgee.
Mr PICCOLI: Of course, country communities appreciate any money that is spent in their communities. We all appreciate conferences. I am sure the honourable member for Tamworth appreciates them. The $100,000 that this conference will inject into Tamworth is probably more than the entire allocation for Tamworth out of the $35 billion State budget. Of course the people of Tamworth will welcome the conference. But Country Labor should be doing something fair dinkum. It should invite the Namoi groundwater users and people on hospital waiting lists in Tamworth to the conference, and address all the things that should have been done while the Labor Party and Country Labor have been in government. [Time expired.]
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