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Consideration of Urgent Motions

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About this Item
Subjects -  Police: New South Wales; Rural Industry; Interest Rates
Speakers - Paluzzano Mrs Karyn; Stoner Mr Andrew; Speaker
Business - Consideration of Urgent Motion, Division, Motion
Commentary - Procedural debate to determine precedence


    CONSIDERATION OF URGENT MOTIONS
Page: 22377


    Interest Rates

    Mrs KARYN PALUZZANO (Penrith) [3.28 p.m.]: My motion is of the utmost urgency. Today the future of families and businesses across New South Wales hangs in the balance as they await the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision on interest rates. Tomorrow businesses, individuals, families_including young families in the electorate of Penrith who have achieved their dream of home ownership_small business owners and farmers will learn whether interest rates will rise, blowing their budgets and plans for the future. It is crucial and urgent that honourable members place on record their positions in relation to this issue. Families and businesspeople we represent need to know where we stand. The Iemma Government is proud to stand up for the people of New South Wales and to make it clear that we oppose any rise in interest rates.

    It is imperative that honourable members opposite nail their colours to the mast. Will they join us to defend New South Wales family budgets and the growth plans of New South Wales businesses, or will they sit on their hands while Peter Costello robs New South Wales of $2 billion in goods and services tax [GST] revenue? Will they stand by and let Peter Costello slug New South Wales motorists twice: with the spiralling cost of petrol and double dipping directly out of the pockets of hardworking families and the cash registers of our businesses with his 38¢ per litre fuel excise_a nice little earner that puts $13 billion into his coffers every year? To add insult to injury, Peter Costello then adds GST to the cost of fuel. He must be rubbing his hands with glee as the cost of petrol skyrockets and he grabs more tax across the State.

    Peter Costello knows full well that if inflation hits 3 per cent the Reserve Bank Board will be pushed towards a rate increase. With inflation heading full steam towards that mark and the pressure unlikely to ease in the next 12 to 18 months, the board will be forced to act, punishing hardworking families for Peter Costello's arrogance and lack of backbone to tackle the real issues that confront those families on a daily basis. This motion is urgent and deserves the support of this House because, as I said, the future of families, businesses and farmers across this State hangs in the balance as they await the Reserve Bank's decision on interest rates. Tomorrow those families, businesses and farmers will learn whether interest rates will rise, blowing their budgets and their plans for the future.

    Native Vegetation Act Compliance Inspections

    Mr ANDREW STONER (Oxley—Leader of The Nationals) [3.31 p.m.]: On 5 April I raised in this House the urgent need for more police in country New South Wales to curb an increase in violent crime. That call was made in response to a University of New England publication that revealed that violent crime in rural areas exceeds the State average by 58 per cent, and a police report following the recent Bourke riots that stated, "Police do not have the numbers on shift to deal with these types of incidents." What I failed to realise at the time was that the Minister for Police was planning to send more police to country New South Wales, but for all the wrong reasons: to harass farmers in the Warren, Marthaguy, Coonamble and Moree districts—and this during a severe drought. The House needs to urgently consider why the Minister for Police_Sparkles Scully_was able to find 18 police, at an estimated cost of $62,000, to harass farmers when he is unable to find local police to tackle violent crime.

    This is an urgent issue because the farmers in these districts are not hardened criminals. They included an elderly widow who felt grossly stigmatised by the fact that police were outside and around her property and she was being talked about in the town. There was a suggestion that perhaps it was a drug bust or something. This matter is urgent because we have heard of one elderly farmer who subsequently suffered a heart attack and required surgery. These farmers have not been found to do anything wrong prior to being intimidated by this Government's heavy-handed, over-the-top actions. It is urgent that this matter be debated because this Labor Government is treating the farmers of this State worse than it is treating criminals. In this State criminals get away with their actions because of a lack of police, yet farmers going about their normal day-to-day business are harassed and intimidated by this Labor Government. It is an absolute disgrace!

    We need to urgently debate this Government's misguided priorities. Violent crime is out of control in country New South Wales, yet police numbers are being slashed. For example, since 2003 the Darling River Local Area Command has lost 17 officers. The Government is prepared to use the few police that remain in country New South Wales to pursue farmers but not violent criminals. This Government is charging country shows to have police present. However, it can fly in large numbers of heavily armed police to intimidate farmers who are working hard to make a living on the land. We need to urgently debate where this leaves the native vegetation issue. Any genuine solution requires the co-operation of all stakeholders, but this Labor Government is so focused on Green preferences that it sent police after farmers in a highly provocative and intimidatory manner.

    The matter is urgent because this breach of trust has resulted in large numbers of farmers refusing to co-operate with the authorities. That is the last thing we want in this State, but those farmers have every right to do that after having been provoked and intimidated by this Government. This Government needs to urgently answer these questions: Which Minister authorised these draconian tactics? Which department is footing the bill? It is going to be normal practice in respect of future native vegetation compliance checks? If, as has been mooted, the Minister for Primary Industries, and Minister for Natural Resources—

    Mr Gerard Martin: Point of order: The Leader of The Nationals is not addressing urgency. While he is on his feet he might tell us why his mate beside him was out on the same property—

    Mr SPEAKER: Order! The honourable member for Bathurst will resume his seat. I note the point of order taken by the honourable member for Bathurst in relation to the necessity for the Leader of The Nationals to establish the priority of his motion. However, that does not allow the honourable member for Bathurst to enter into the debate.

    Mr ANDREW STONER: This matter is urgent because we have a Minister who purports to represent both primary industries and natural resources in this State. Clearly, he has a conflict of interest and it is a conflict of interest that he is not managing. As Minister for Primary Industries he is supposed to support this State's farmers, but he has failed miserably by kowtowing to the extreme greens. It is important that this debate take place to restore trust and the relationship between rural communities and the State Government. The Labor Government's provocative and intimidatory actions have destroyed that relationship. This matter must be debated today.

    Question—That the motion for urgent consideration of the honourable member for Penrith be proceeded with—put.

    The House divided.

    Ayes, 48
            Ms Allan
            Mr Amery
            Ms Andrews
            Mr Bartlett
            Ms Beamer
            Mr Black
            Mr Brown
            Ms Burney
            Miss Burton
            Mr Campbell
            Mr Chaytor
            Mr Collier
            Mr Crittenden
            Mr Daley
            Ms D'Amore
            Mr Debus
            Mr Gaudry            		Mr Gibson
            Mr Greene
            Ms Hay
            Mr Hickey
            Mr Hunter
            Ms Judge
            Ms Keneally
            Mr Lynch
            Mr McBride
            Mr McLeay
            Ms Meagher
            Ms Megarrity
            Mr Mills
            Mr Morris
            Mr Newell
            Mr Orkopoulos
            Mrs Paluzzano            		Mr Pearce
            Mrs Perry
            Mr Price
            Ms Saliba
            Mr Scully
            Mr Shearan
            Mr Stewart
            Mr Tripodi
            Mr Watkins
            Mr West
            Mr Whan
            Mr Yeadon

            Tellers,
            Mr Corrigan
            Mr Martin
    Noes, 37
            Mr Aplin
            Mr Armstrong
            Mr Barr
            Ms Berejiklian
            Mr Cansdell
            Mr Constance
            Mr Debnam
            Mr Draper
            Mrs Fardell
            Mr Fraser
            Mrs Hancock
            Mr Hartcher
            Mr Hazzard            		Ms Hodgkinson
            Mrs Hopwood
            Mr Humpherson
            Mr Kerr
            Mr McTaggart
            Mr Merton
            Ms Moore
            Mr Oakeshott
            Mr O'Farrell
            Mr Page
            Mr Pringle
            Mr Richardson
            Mr Roberts            		Ms Seaton
            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

      Pair
                      Ms Gadiel
                      		Mr Piccoli

      Question resolved in the affirmative.


    Last modified 05/12/2007 16:42:50   :   Update this page