Page: 7028
Easter in Sydney Festival
Ms ANGELA D'AMORE (Drummoyne) [3.31 p.m.]: This motion is urgent because we are on the verge of celebrating a major new tourism initiative for Sydney known as Easter in Sydney. The motion is urgent because the very same week that the State Government is launching a massive advertising campaign for a new initiative that highlights Easter festivities in Sydney, which is expected to attract more than 27,000 interstate and overseas visitors, the Opposition has begun a campaign to oppose the festival and the State Government's tourism initiative in Sydney. It has no regard for, or understanding of, the benefits that will flow to small businesses and sporting associations, and the 2,800 jobs it will create. The motion is urgent because the new tourism initiative for the people of New South Wales will include three weeks of sports, arts and entertainment festivities including the AJC Easter racing carnival, The Lion King, and AFL and rugby union matches, to name just a few. The motion is urgent because the State Government's Easter in Sydney tourism initiative will inject $47 million into the New South Wales economy.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is far too much audible conversation in the Chamber. Members wishing to converse should do so outside the Chamber. That warning applies to the honourable member for Baulkham Hills as much as any other member.
Ms ANGELA D'AMORE: The motion is urgent because the Royal Easter show is essential to the Easter festivities.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of The Nationals will resume his seat.
Ms ANGELA D'AMORE: The motion is urgent because it shows the mean-spirited nature of members of the Opposition, who fail to comprehend that their constituents, particularly residents in rural and regional areas, travel to Sydney every year to enjoy Easter festivities with family and friends.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! The Leader of the Nationals will remain silent.
Ms ANGELA D'AMORE: The motion is urgent because the State Government has an obligation to facilitate the Easter festivities for the people of New South Wales. They deserve it! I commend the motion to the House.
Pacific Highway Fatalities
Mr DONALD PAGE (Ballina—Deputy Leader of The Nationals) [3.3 p.m.]: This matter is urgent because the number of fatal accidents on the Pacific Highway is spiralling. It is urgent because the Pacific Highway took almost as many lives last year as all other major highways in New South Wales combined. It is urgent because the number of accidents and fatalities on the highway is on the rise. According to RTA figures published in the Newcastle Herald on 14 January, there were 59 fatal accidents on the Pacific Highway in 2003, leading to 73 deaths. The road toll on the Pacific Highway increased by almost 40 per cent in 12 months, from 53 in 2002 to 73 in 2003. The matter is urgent because the Pacific Highway is a major factor in the serious accidents and fatalities that occur on an almost daily basis.
The matter is urgent because, according to his figures, Labor Minister Carl Scully has presided over a blowout of almost $900 million on the estimated costs versus the completed costs of Pacific Highway upgrade projects since 1997. That is $900 million that had to be diverted from improving the quality of the Pacific Highway, $900 million in cost blowouts that should have been used by Labor to upgrade hazardous stretches of road and dangerous black spots. The matter is urgent because some of the $900 million in cost blowouts could have been used at locations such as the Keels Road intersection at Bulahdelah, where last Friday three people were tragically killed. It is urgent because these blowouts raise serious questions about the ability of the Carr Labor Government to manage major road infrastructure projects.
The matter is urgent because, under the stewardship of Sydney Labor, the Yelgun to Chinderah dual carriageway project suffered a cost blowout of $118 million, 51.3 per cent over original estimates. It is urgent because cost overruns have meant that Pacific Highway upgrade projects have been forced onto the backburner. The Ballina bypass, which Sydney Labor promised in 1997 would be completed in December this year, now has an estimated completion date of 2010. It is a disgrace! It is urgent because this is one of the worst parts of the highway for accidents. The time blowout of six years on one single project before the digging has even started is simply unacceptable.
The matter is urgent because, despite the rising number of fatalities on the highway, the Carr Labor Government has presided over cuts to highway patrols on the Pacific Highway. A leaked document in my possession reveals that the number of highway patrol kilometres covered in the northern region has been cut by more than 500,000 kilometres in the past five years. It shows that the total number of kilometres travelled by the northern region highway patrols has dropped from more than 4.7 million in 1998 to 4.2 million in 2003. Another disgrace! The Carr Labor Government has not provided adequate resources to enable highway patrol officers to pursue visible police strategies on the highway.
The matter is urgent because the Carr Government is over-reliant on funding fixed speed cameras at the expense of mobile speed cameras and a strong and visible police presence. Minister Scully has argued that speed cameras save lives. In some locations they make a difference, but in many cases they are little more than cash cows. What is certain is that they are no replacement for police on our roads. I call on Sydney Labor to provide adequate resources and backup to enable our highway patrol to do its valuable and life-saving job. The matter is urgent because fatalities in New South Wales continue to climb, despite the Labor Government's promise to drastically reduce the number of fatalities through its "Framework for Saving 2,000 Lives by the Year 2010 in New South Wales". The Sydney Labor Government must immediately allocate increased resources to enable highway patrols to cover greater distances.
The matter is urgent because last year The Nationals convened the Pacific Highway Safety Summit, which was attended by the NRMA as well as Federal, State and local government representatives, and emergency services representatives. The summit attendees were unanimous in their concern at the state of the highway and the rising number of accidents and fatalities. The matter is urgent because Minister Scully has spent too much time washing his hands of responsibility for the parlous state of the highway and too much time flicking blame elsewhere, notably the Federal Government.
The Pacific Highway is a State responsibility. The Carr Government's inaction and never-ending buck passing must come to an end. At the current rate of funding it will take 17 years before the Pacific Highway will become a dual carriageway from Hexham to the Queensland border. Only 30 per cent of the road that was originally intended to be upgraded under the current 10-year agreement has been completed, compared to the estimate of 80 per cent. Today I call upon the Minister for Roads, Carl Scully, and the Premier to get on with the urgent job of ending the carnage on the Pacific Highway. I urge honourable members to support my motion.
Question—That the motion for urgent consideration of the honourable member for Drummoyne be proceeded with—put.
The House divided.
Ayes, 50
Ms Allan
Mr Amery
Ms Andrews
Ms Beamer
Mr Black
Mr Brown
Ms Burney
Mr Campbell
Mr Collier
Mr Corrigan
Mr Crittenden
Ms D'Amore
Mr Debus
Ms Gadiel
Mr Gaudry
Mr Gibson
Mr Greene | Ms Hay
Mr Hickey
Mr Hunter
Mr Iemma
Ms Judge
Ms Keneally
Mr Knowles
Mr Lynch
Mr McBride
Mr McLeay
Ms Meagher
Ms Megarrity
Mr Mills
Mr Morris
Mr Newell
Ms Nori
Mr Orkopoulos | Mrs Paluzzano
Mr Pearce
Mrs Perry
Mr Price
Dr Refshauge
Mr Sartor
Mr Scully
Mr Shearan
Mr Stewart
Mr Tripodi
Mr Watkins
Mr West
Mr Whan
Mr Yeadon
Tellers,
Mr Ashton
Mr Martin |
Noes, 36
Mr Aplin
Mr Armstrong
Mr Barr
Ms Berejiklian
Mr Cansdell
Mr Constance
Mr Debnam
Mr Draper
Mr Fraser
Mrs Hancock
Mr Hartcher
Mr Hazzard
Ms Hodgkinson | Mrs Hopwood
Mr Humpherson
Mr Kerr
Mr McGrane
Mr Merton
Ms Moore
Mr Oakeshott
Mr O'Farrell
Mr Page
Mr Piccoli
Mr Pringle
Mr Richardson
Mr Roberts | Mrs Skinner
Mr Slack-Smith
Mr Souris
Mr Stoner
Mr Tink
Mr Torbay
Mr J. H. Turner
Mr R.W. Turner
Tellers,
Mr George
Mr Maguire |
Pairs
| Mr Bartlett | Mr Brogden |
| Ms Saliba | Ms Seaton |
Question resolved in the affirmative.