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- 11 May 2006
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Mr ANDREW STONER (Oxley—Leader of The Nationals) [11.37 a.m.]: I move:
That this House notes that members of the Kempsey branch of the Labor Party are calling for a review of the term "Country Labor" in New South Wales because they are being mistaken for National Party representatives or just another faction of the Australian Labor Party.
This motion is about a call from members of the Kempsey branch of the Australian Labor Party [ALP] following the last State election. Clearly, they were concerned about the lack of success of the so-called Country Labor faction to the point where it was losing them votes. That concern has come from good, loyal supporters of the Labor Party in the great country town of Kempsey, and I instance Mrs Melville, who has been a loyal and hardworking member of the Labor Party for many years. Clearly, members are disillusioned with the Country Labor marketing gimmick. The origins of this once-proud party were in the bush. I refer to its genesis in the struggles of miners and shearers. The Labor Party is now a city-dominated party whose frontbench looks like the cast of The Sopranos and whose Cabinet has only one Minister from outside NSW—Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong.
There are two main reasons why grassroots members of the Labor Party in country communities are so disillusioned with the current regime. First, the actions of Country Labor members do not match their words. I will refer to the voting record of the Country Labor faction on issues that are important to country people. They have never done the right thing by their country constituents and supported those important issues. They have meekly acquiesced to their city masters on a range of issues. Second, Labor Party members are disillusioned about the backroom deals done with the Independents by ALP headquarters in Sussex Street that are killing the ALP presence in country communities.
I turn first to the voting record of country Labor. We have never seen the honourable member for Tweed, one of the so-called Country Labor faction, cross the floor on issues of importance to country people. These are big men in their electorates but they are wimps in Macquarie Street. I include in that statement the honourable member for Monaro, the honourable member for Murray-Darling, the honourable member for Tweed, the honourable member for Bathurst, the Minister for Local Government, the honourable member for Kiama and the honourable member for Port Stephens. They have consistently toed the city-dominated party line in Macquarie Street.
As recently as 4 May this year they voted against debating an urgent motion relating to the sale of Snowy Hydro. On 8 March this year they voted against debating a motion opposing the rushed fire sale of Snowy Hydro. On 1 December 2005 they voted against the Rural Communities Impacts Bill, which would have required an assessment of the impacts of the Government's policies on country communities. Only today they voted against Public Sector Employment Management Amendment (Ethanol-blended Fuel) Bill, which would have been fantastic support for country communities. Indeed, on 30 November 2005 they voted against debate on the ethanol bill being given priority. On 19 October last year Labor members voted against a priority debate about the Pacific Highway upgrade and in particular the Bonville deviation. On 22 September last year they opposed debating an urgent motion relating to the Government's purchase of Yanga Station, which is killing jobs and the local economy in the Balranald-Hay area.
On 23 June last year they voted for legislation that locked up the Brigalow Belt region and the sustainable forestry industry in the Pilliga region, which has killed jobs throughout those country communities. On 22 May last year they voted against an urgent motion about the Brigalow Forest lock-up. On 23 February last year they voted against debating the Government's rip-off on Crown land enclosure rentals. On 18 November 2004 they voted against debating an urgent motion about country police numbers, which have been slashed since the 2003 election. On 16 November 2004 they voted for the Threatened Species Amendment Bill, which has made life difficult for farmers as they try to make a living off the land. I could go on and on; I have a long list. Country Labor members voted against debating law and order in Dubbo, regional infrastructure, a review of the clubs tax, and a motion seeking retention of the Casino to Murwillumbah rail line. So they are big men in their electorates but wimps in Macquarie Street.
I could go on. Labor members voted against debating branch rail line maintenance, grain rail lines and forced local government amalgamations, yet they voted for the Native Vegetation Act and legislation that locked up forests on the North Coast. The second reason members of the Labor Party in country areas are so disillusioned with the current regime is the dirty deal that has been done by Sussex Street with the Independents. That was confirmed by the honourable member for Murray-Darling. In a debate on 9 December 2004 I said that the honourable member had written:
Dawn Fardell won the seat of Dubbo following the death of a good friend Tony McGrane. I would like to believe I had a small role in this result.
In the same debate the honourable member for Murray-Darling said:
Who had the best tactics? Labor did not stand a candidate because it knew it could not win the seat …
We chose not to stand a candidate in Dubbo, and the tactic worked …
Country Labor holds eight seats, which is not bad. The Independents hold four seats, which is not bad. Incidentally, for the benefit of The Nationals, counting the number of Country Labor seats requires two hands; eight plus four equals two times six, which is 12.
Clearly, Country Labor is counting the Independents as part of the Country Labor faction. However, the Country Labor vote has collapsed as a result of that strategy. In Northern Tablelands the Labor Party vote was 9.17 per cent in 1999; it was 4.74 per cent in 2003. In Port Macquarie the Labor vote was 26.97 per cent in 1999; it was 8.41 per cent in 2003.
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): Order! There is too much noise on the Government benches.
Mr ANDREW STONER: In Tamworth the Labor Party vote was 12.38 per cent in 1999; it was 11.92 per cent in 2003. Madam Acting-Speaker, can you call members opposite to order?
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): I have just done that.
Mr ANDREW STONER: In Dubbo the Labor Party vote was 20.26 per cent in 1999; it was down to 15.06 per cent in 2003 and zero in 2004. So from an average vote of 17.2 per cent in those country seats in 1999, the Labor vote had gone down to 10 per cent in 2003.
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): Order! I call the honourable member for Murray-Darling to order.
Mr ANDREW STONER: We have seen Labor's vote collapse. ALP members of those branches have been told that either they cannot stand or they must run dead. Why would they want to belong to the ALP? It is not good for democracy that Sussex Street, in its pursuit of this dirty little deal with the Independents, is treating loyal ALP members with contempt. It is no wonder branches of the Labor Party such as Kempsey are disillusioned with this whole Country Labor gimmick. Clearly, they are disillusioned with the current regime, which is being driven by Sussex Street and the city-dominated Labor Party in Sydney. They are disillusioned that their so-called representatives are not voting for their interests.
Labor members have never once crossed the floor; they have consistently voted against measures that would have provided great benefits to country New South Wales. I have a list—I have given just a few examples—and I will circulate that list later. ALP members are also disillusioned with the Independents strategy, with local members being told, "No, you can't participate. You can never stand. If you do stand we want you to go away somewhere while the election campaign is on." These people are concerned. The Labor Party vote is diving at an alarming rate and people are dropping out. That is not good for democracy. I support the call of the Kempsey Branch of the Labor Party, and it is appropriate that the matter be debated here today.
Mr GERARD MARTIN (Bathurst) [11.46 a.m.]: As the Parliamentary leader of the Country Labor group, I have never had such a great free kick. To see why The Nationals are in decline one need only look at the calibre of their leadership. I remind honourable members that not long ago, when the honourable member for Lachlan was the Leader of the National Party, they had 20 members in the House. Talk about vote collapsing! What has happened to The Nationals? The number of members of The Nationals is down to a cricket team, and more will go. The Leader of The Nationals referred to the Independents. Labor is supposedly losing votes to the Independents. Let us look at the seats held by the Independents in this place, and perhaps my colleagues can help me in terms of who previously held those seats.
Were the seats of Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Northern Tablelands and Monaro once held by the National Party? The jewel in the crown, Dubbo, had never been held by anyone but The Nationals for 100 years. All those seats are held by Independents, and The Nationals have no chance of winning them back. In terms of Country Labor, I can understand the horror, disdain and worry of members of the Kempsey Branch of the Australian Labor Party at being mistaken for members of The Nationals. I cannot think of a greater insult politically than being compared to the current members of The Nationals. I might add that the number of Nationals has declined as they become irrelevant to people in country New South Wales. The figures for the Federal Government are the same. The Nationals in the Federal Government are a great embarrassment as they dwindle away while trying to hang on to tradition.
Everybody knows that during the development of politics in New South Wales and in this Parliament the Labor Party led from the bush. Going back to before the Second World War, the Labor Party has a great tradition of representing country people, and that continues today. We are doing that perhaps in a more formalised way in the Parliament with our Country Labor group, which is an effective lobby group. The Leader of The Nationals, among his scurrilous list of lies, talked about ethanol. This morning we voted against his wishy-washy bill. We have already done what he was proposing. We have already lobbied the Government in terms of State contracts. Contrast that with The Nationals in Canberra, where they got rolled in Cabinet. A senate inquiry recommended that ethanol be mandated—ethanol was one of the four pillars on which Barnaby Jones intended to campaign—but The Nationals were rolled in Cabinet. The Prime Minister said "No, we will encourage people to use it." That is the sort of cut and thrust one gets from The Nationals.
The Leader of The Nationals talked about cutting services. When The Nationals were last in government I lost count of how many railway lines they closed. That is how well they represented the bush and why their numbers have reduced from more than 20 to 12. The Leader of The Nationals needs to take note of this. At least 13 or 14 lines—perhaps 18—were closed. How many country hospitals went down the gurgler under The Nationals? Probably about 30. Thanks to Country Labor, five country hospitals in my electorate have been rebuilt in the seven years I have been a member of this place, and an investment of $95 million has just been announced for work to start on Bathurst Base Hospital. The Government has rebuilt country hospital after country hospital across New South Wales and provided those wonderful multipurpose service centres.
One of our greatest supporters has been Ian Sinclair. I wonder how fervent he is about his much-faded Country Party. The new brains trust, which spends most of its time in the eastern suburbs drinking martinis with the Leader of the Opposition, got rid of the word "Country". They were The Nationals! They did not want any direct association with the country. This motion is a great embarrassment to them. I do not know how often the Leader of The Nationals wants to shoot himself in the foot, but he must be getting pretty short on toes.
The Leader of The Nationals spoke about police numbers. Four new police started in my electorate last week. Under the Government police numbers, particularly in country areas, are at record levels. All the members opposite do is rubbish coppers. We on this side of the House support them. Police numbers have never been better. We are out there representing the people on other issues, such as electricity. The recent changes to the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme, the reduction from 200 to 100, came about following direct representation and lobbying by Country Labor of the Premier and the Minister for Health. We had been working on that for two years. The Nationals came in on the gravy train after the decision was made.
It is ridiculous for members opposite to claim that Country Labor is insignificant. The once- proud Country Party has had its numbers in this place decimated. In the other place The Nationals have been able to cobble together four members. This week Country Labor has six members in the upper House—a 50 per cent increase on the The Nationals numbers. The Nationals are going down the gurgler. Those numbers are ample evidence of the fading star of the Country Party. One of the reasons its numbers are dropping is the lack of leadership. The party jettisoned the honourable member for Lachlan, the last of the real Country Party men, for the Hon. George Souris, another eastern suburbs partygoer. Now the leader is the honourable member for Oxley.
The fortunes of The Nationals are going down and down. It is not us who elect Independents to these rural seats, it is the electorate that has deserted The Nationals. Time after time we hear personal denigration of the Independents. I am not here to defend the Independents; I do not need to because they are all capable of defending themselves. Most of the Independents I know have a great background in local government, as I have, as the honourable member for Murray-Darling has and as four or five Country Labor members have. All we hear is personal denigration by the Leader of The Nationals of those members. We know what members of The Nationals are like at muckraking and spreading sordid stories; they are past masters at it. They should judge the Independents fairly, and only on policy.
I am pleased to have the opportunity to say, on behalf of Kempsey members of the Labor Party that I agree that it would be an abominable embarrassment to be mistaken for a person from The Nationals. That would be just about the ultimate insult. In numerous urgency debates we have called on members opposite to go with us to Canberra to talk to John Howard and Peter Costello to get a fair go for country people on a range of issues. They sat there like stone-faced planks; they do not have the guts to stand up for country people.
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): Order! There is far too much noise in the Chamber. The honourable member for Bathurst is the only member with the call.
Mr GERARD MARTIN: It is outrageous of them to slander me and other Country Labor members, but we have thick hides and can take anything The Nationals dish out. Members opposite should go back and look at the statistics. They are going down the gurgler. They should explain to us why they had 20 members in this place in 1988 and now they have only 12. What hope do they have? During the Dubbo by-election a member of The Nationals, the tactical genius from Coffs Harbour, took a week off from Parliament, where he was supposed to be representing his people, and was sent to Dubbo to win back the seat for The Nationals. We all know what happened. The current member secured a healthy swing. That campaign orchestrated by The Nationals to win back one of the jewels in their Crown was an absolute failure.
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): Order! There is far too much noise in the Chamber. Hansard is having trouble hearing the honourable member for Bathurst.
Mr GERARD MARTIN: The Nationals will be condemned to dwindling numbers.
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): Order! I call the honourable member for Clarence to order.
Mr GERARD MARTIN: One only has to look at the calibre of the people entering this place representing The Nationals to know that their downward spiral, which is occurring in every Parliament in Australia and particularly in this Parliament, will continue because they are irrelevant. They do not stand up to the Liberal Party at a State or national level. They do not represent country New South Wales. We on this side of the House do, and we will continue to do so vigorously.
Mr THOMAS GEORGE (Lismore) [11.56 a.m.]: I support the motion moved by the Leader of The Nationals. It was brought about by members of the Kempsey branch of the Labor Party calling for a review of the term "Country Labor." It is all very well for the big bear to mouth off and then disappear, but who are Country Labor? Who do they stand for? They do not stand for country people. Which way have they voted on issues such as native vegetation and ethanol? How did they vote this morning on ethanol? The honourable member for Murray-Darling did not even speak on the bill. They purport to support country people, but where were they on the Brigalow issue? Where were they on the national parks issue? They did not vote for country people. If they did, their votes were recorded in the wrong place.
What about the cross-border commission? The honourable member for Tweed is a member of Country Labor. How did he vote on the Cross-border Commission Bill, the greatest bill presented to this House in support of all members with electorates on State borders? Country Labor voted against it. What about the country town water and sewerage program? Have members of Country Labor supported that?
Mr Steve Whan: Yes, I have.
Mr THOMAS GEORGE: Yes, I know the honourable member for Monaro has, and he would need to with his ability. What has Country Labor done about the timber bridges replacement program? In the run-up to the election it will be reintroduced. It will be like the vendor duty. What has the honourable member for Tweed done for the Tweed? With all the fanfare in the world the Government has now said that it has wiped another tax. They do not say the Government introduced that tax last year and took $60 million vendor tax in one year from the people of this State. It is a disgrace that Country Labor did not vote against the introduction of that tax.
Country Labor did not even speak in the House on the Protection of Agricultural Production (Right to Farm) Bill. Country Labor members sit in the House today, but they were not in the House for the debate on that bill. Where was Country Labor on the closure of the Casino to Murwillumbah rail line? Nowhere. The honourable member for Tweed was not even in the House on a couple of occasions the matter was debated. There is sufficient record of their stand on the Snowy Hydro scheme. Then there is rural crime and rural impact statements. Country Labor was not seen when it came to the vote on rural impact statements. They did not have to cross the floor, but they did not have to oppose it.
Mr Gerard Martin: Is this your maiden speech?
Mr THOMAS GEORGE: You ought to talk, Bundy. As to the law and order issue, Country Labor members should have a look at the regional commands in their electorates to see what has happened to police numbers in country areas. What has Country Labor done to help country people on the issues of workers compensation, occupational health and safety and WorkCover? This list goes on. They are the greatest mob of hypocrites.
Madam ACTING-SPEAKER (Ms Marie Andrews): Order! I remind the honourable member for Lismore that he should direct his remarks to the Chair, not to the members opposite.
Mr THOMAS GEORGE: I will do that, so long as the ruling is applied to both sides. If Country Labor members devoted as much energy to representing country people as they do to criticising The Nationals, their electorates would be better off. The people in country and regional areas of this State would benefit from proper representation in this House by the Country Labor members. The needs of country people are continually overlooked in this House because we have a so-called Country Labor faction representing country people. That is the greatest furphy I have heard in this House. People in country and regional New South Wales are a wake-up to them. I compliment the Leader of The Nationals for his comments on Kempsey branch members of the Labor Party.
Mr STEVE WHAN (Monaro) [12.01 p.m.]: I speak on behalf of the thousands of proud Country Labor members from rural New South Wales. They are proud because they have seen the way that Country Labor represents country New South Wales. I will put The Nationals out of their misery. The party has declined badly over the past decade or so. Under their current appalling leadership, The Nationals are down from 20 representatives in this House in 1988 to 12 at present. In the upper House there are six Country Labor members and only four Nationals. That is because they have sold out country New South Wales over and over again. Only yesterday Country Labor members raised in this place an important motion on the cost of petrol in country New South Wales, an expense that is breaking the budgets of country families. The Nationals did not even come into the Chamber to contribute to the debate. They left it to two city Liberals.
We have seen a constant record of failure from them. The Leader of The Nationals went through a list of seats that the Independents have taken over, as if he were proud of it. The Independents should be proud, but I do not know why the Leader of The Nationals would be proud. I am a member in this place because at the last two elections there has been a 21 per cent swing in Monaro against The Nationals. The voters have rejected their do-nothing, whingeing approach to rural New South Wales. I am here because The Nationals whinged and whined but failed to deliver on Queanbeyan ambulance station, Queanbeyan hospital, Bombala hospital, the Adaminaby water supply, the Dalgety water supply and Cooma North school.
When The Nationals represented Monaro there were 30 fewer police in the local command. They closed the Cooma railway line. They failed to get secondary education in Jindabyne. They failed to upgrade Cooma TAFE and they sacked 2,000 teachers. I am here because I have delivered on all those issues. All those capital projects are happening or have already happened in Monaro since I was elected. Not only did the Government replace teachers, we employed more. We have employed more police. Country Labor is about delivering for country communities.
The Nationals have gone back into history to try to recreate their glory days. For a while they had a few representatives. As I said in an earlier debate today, they formed a long time after Labor started representing country New South Wales. Bruxner, who was their first leader, set the tone for the National party. When Labor started driving irrigation projects through New South Wales, they opposed the construction of the Burrinjuck dam. They were against the upgrade of the dam and the hydroelectric power station when McKell took it on. They were against the Soil Conservation Service. They refused packages to help farmers who went broke before the Second World War. They were not in support of that at all. No wonder they have a history of selling out and not representing country New South Wales. That attitude has carried on through the 1990s and into this century.
The Nationals have refused to back Country Labor as we have fought the Federal Government on the crippling petrol prices that are faced by people in rural New South Wales. Over and over again they have refused to back us on Telstra. They have refused to back us on so many issues where Country Labor is at the forefront. Today we saw another stunt from them where they have followed Labor on ethanol. Once again they took points of order and made silly interjections when I raised the important issue for country people of climate change. Country farmers are the people most affected by climate change. Yet that is another issue where The Nationals, the once great Country Party, have sold out their constituents.
I have talked to many former Country Party members in the Monaro electorate. A lot of them voted for me at the last election because they were so dispirited with The Nationals. They have said to me, "The National Country Party has never been the same since it lost its name." That is right. The loss of "Country" from its name was not only a great symbolic occasion, it reflected their attitude in policy and in real life, that is, shedding the country and their representation of country people. I am sure the honourable member for Tweed will talk about the failure of The Nationals to stand up for funding for the upgrade of the Pacific Highway in the recent Federal budget. The honourable member for Burrinjuck has failed over many years to lobby for the upgrade of the Barton Highway. Again, that project has been given a pittance, not enough to start work on the Barton Highway. That is another sell-out from The Nationals. It is no wonder I heard not so long ago the comment from a radio commentator in the Central West, "What is the difference between a Tarago and The Nationals? The Tarago has more seats."
Ms KATRINA HODGKINSON (Burrinjuck) [12.06 p.m.]: I look forward to The Nationals resuming representation in the electorate of Monaro, following that paltry performance from the current member. This motion was first moved nearly three years ago. It is as relevant today to the people of Kempsey as it was when it was moved on 3 July 2003 because any Nationals member would be extremely offended to think that a Labor Party member was being mistaken for one of them. The Nationals are the true representatives of rural and regional New South Wales. We fight day after day in this place for a better service for country people. As has been said by the Leader of The Nationals and the honourable member for Lismore, we see time and again the paltry record on voting in this place by so-called Country Labor, which, I believe, is not really a faction of the Labor Party.
Country Labor members have voted against important legislation on native vegetation and the Brigalow belt bioregion. This morning they voted against the Public Sector Employment and Management (Ethanol-blended Fuel) Bill, which is a sensible piece of legislation that was moved by the Leader of The Nationals. The bill relates to the blending of ethanol with regular fuels. It is not only a sensible move for business and the creation of job opportunities in New South Wales, it is also relevant to the pricing of fuel. Once again we see Country Labor vote against an important issue. They have voted to increase wilderness sizes, which is a plug to get Green preferences.
On two occasions, from memory, they have voted against the important Cross-border Commission Bill, which is a vital piece of legislation for communities that border other States or the Australian Capital Territory, as does the electorate of the honourable member for Monaro. The honourable member for Monaro has continued to vote against that bill and the establishment of a cross-border commission. His actions are hypocritical because he is not acting in accordance with the wishes of his core constituency. Two very important and significant issues affecting all country areas are the Country Town Water Supply and Sewerage Program and the Timber Bridges Replacement program, both of which have had funding stripped time and again by Country Labor and the Australian Labor Party [ALP]. Of course, the right to farm bill, a very important piece of legislation proposed by the Opposition, was rejected by honourable members opposite. Country Labor members were there, thick as thieves, with the rest of the Labor Party voting against the interests of rural and regional New South Wales.
I was interested to note the honourable member for Monaro's comments about CountryLink services. Along with members of The Nationals and members of the Country Women's Association I circulated a petition around New South Wales condemning the reduction in rail services. A huge number of services have been stripped from the Queanbeyan area by this Government and the locals are very upset with the local member and his lack of representation in this regard. I have raised in this place the need for more disability and mental services this week. We have sporting grounds that are as hard as a rock and chronic water restrictions.
The honourable member for Hornsby has raised the case of Judy Jones with me. Ms Jones lives in Thornleigh and over two weeks she witnessed about 40,000 litres of water being wasted because of a broken pipe. That is an absolute disgrace. Honourable members can imagine how many showers people in Goulburn could have had with that water. What has the Minister for Natural Resources said? Nothing. He hides this in his burrow. What has Country Labor had to say? Absolutely nothing. They know they are in the thick of it with the rest of the ALP when it comes to Sydney Water and water wastage in Sydney. The Government has failed to upgrade infrastructure in metropolitan and rural New South Wales. It has failed miserably. We have seen failure after failure statewide. David Madew, the incoming member for Monaro after the next election, has established www.savesnowyhydro.com, an electronic petition. I urge everyone to sign and submit it because across New South Wales people are disgusted about Labor's laziness in selling— [Time expired.]
Mr NEVILLE NEWELL (Tweed—Parliamentary Secretary) [12.12 p.m.]: I join my colleagues the honourable members for Bathurst and Monaro in rejecting this motion. It is a piece of nonsense. I sympathise with the members of the Kempsey branch of the Australian Labor Party in their embarrassment at being mistaken for Nationals members. I will detail the many successes of Country Labor in this place. I ask honourable members to cast their minds back to the Roads and Traffic Authority compulsory competitive tendering process that would have decimated country councils. Country Labor took up that issue and was very successful. Country Labor also played a leading role in retaining State ownership of State Forests in contrast to what The Nationals have been able to achieve in getting the Federal Government to respond to our calls about Telstra. Everyone in the bush knows what is going happen with Telstra and how services will be downgraded. Where are The Nationals? They are invisible and have not been effective in ensuring public ownership of Telstra.
Our country constituents feel very strongly about the single-desk sales arrangement, particularly for rice. The Nationals are going along with Howard and Costello with regard to the national competition policy while this Government is fighting all the way. Where were The Nationals when we debated the Howard Government's WorkChoices industrial relations legislation in this House? Where were honourable members opposite when we debated the effect of that legislation on Cowra workers? The Nationals boycotted the vote on that issue in this place. The honourable member for Orange was not even in the House at the time.
Where were The Nationals during dairy deregulation? They joined with the Federal Government and did not stick up for the dairy industry and the consequences for that industry have been devastating. That has happened because The Nationals will not stand up to their Federal mates. Country Labor has had enormous success with decentralisation. The State Debt Recovery Office was moved to Lithgow and 200 jobs were created in the area; the Office of Co-operative Services has been moved to Bathurst; the Department of Local Government has been moved to Nowra and as a result 70 jobs have been created; the Infringement Processing Bureau has been moved to the electorate of the honourable member for Maitland; the Mineral Resources office has also been moved to Maitland; and the Firearms Registry has been moved to Murwillumbah and 70 jobs have been created in my electorate, and they are very welcome.
Probably one of our greatest wins was mentioned by the honourable member for Bathurst. I am also happy to mention it because it has a particular impact on my electorate. Along with other Country Labor members I took up the cudgels with regard to the Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Service. My constituents who need to see specialists in Brisbane will benefit from the reduction from 200 kilometres to 100 kilometres. If anything highlights The Nationals' inadequacy, particularly on the North Coast, it is the latest Costello budget and the $10 billion surplus. The Federal Treasurer has allocated an extra $160 million to upgrade the Pacific Highway, but he has allocated $800 million to upgrade the Hume Highway. That is five to one. The inadequacy of The Nationals' representations on the Pacific Highway have been picked up by many commentators.
Honourable members opposite should hang their heads in shame. Why have we missed out? Who represents the electorates along the Hume Highway? They all have Liberal Party representation. Who represents the electorates on the North Coast? The Nationals. They lost out; they were ignored. The accident and fatality rate on the Pacific Highway is twice that of the Hume Highway, but honourable members opposite could not get two bob from Costello; they got a pittance. The Nationals members were not even here to vote on the legislation dealing with country fuel prices yesterday. They could not care about the $270 million that is going to be plucked from the country and put into Costello's pocket. That is probably part of the $800 million that he is spending on the Hume Highway. Honourable members opposite lose out all the time because they do not have the guts to stand up to their Liberal Party masters. That is why they will always come second. [Time expired.]
Mr RICHARD TORBAY: I seek leave to make a contribution to this debate.
Leave not granted.
Mr RICHARD TORBAY: I ask that it be noted that the Leader of The Nationals, having attacked Independents, is gagging a right of reply.
Mr DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Order! Leave has been denied.
Mr ANDREW STONER (Oxley—Leader of The Nationals) [12.16 p.m.], in reply: I thank the honourable members for Bathurst, Monaro, Tweed, Lismore and Burrinjuck for their contributions. I know that the honourable member for Northern Tablelands wanted to contribute to this debate, but because it is about the Labor Party I did not grant him leave.
Mr Richard Torbay: Point of order: The Leader of The Nationals is misleading the House. His attack was against Independents and I seek a right of reply in that regard.
Mr DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Order! There is no point of order. The Leader of The Nationals is not misleading the House.
Mr ANDREW STONER: The honourable member for Bathurst gave a blathering, incoherent response, sprinkled liberally with the nastiness we have come to expect from him. He crowed about the number of Independents in the Parliament, and in so doing treated his country-based members of the Labor Party with contempt. He proved my earlier point that local members of Labor Party branches are disillusioned about the deal that has been done between Sussex Street, the headquarters of the Labor Party, and the Independents at the expense of loyal and faithful members of local branches.
The honourable member for Monaro never got anywhere near the motion, which is about the disillusionment of good, faithful Australian Labor Party branch members in country towns like Kempsey. The honourable member's contribution was just another nasty attack on The Nationals. What he must realise, both in this place and his electorate, is that country people do not want cheap political shots; they want people who are prepared to work for the good of their communities. I point out that this is the man who last week voted against stopping Labor's rushed fire sale of Snowy Hydro and who today voted against legislation which would ensure that ethanol would be taken up to a greater extent, resulting in many benefits to country communities.
The honourable member for Monaro tried to rewrite political history in commenting on his election to this place in 2003. The truth is that he got in thanks to Greens preferences. He got from the Greens candidate, a person by the name of Moore, 2,081 preferences. That is how he got into this place. It is no wonder that earlier today, in his contribution on The Nationals ethanol bill, he was blathering on about climate change.
The honourable member for Tweed failed to grasp the nettle of what this motion is about, which is the disillusionment of grassroots members of the Labor Party. The honourable member for Tweed voted against a motion seeking to retain the Casino to Murwillumbah branch line in his electorate, voted against a motion and debates designed to review the property taxes introduced by the Labor Party, which are killing the industry in that part of the State, and also voted against a motion seeking a review of the club taxes, which were costing jobs in his electorate. It is therefore no wonder that people are disillusioned.
Once again I make the point that this motion is about the grassroots, loyal members of the Labor Party who are very disillusioned with the current regime. They are disillusioned for two reasons: first, the appalling voting record of the so-called Country Labor members in this place when it comes to representing their constituency; and second, Labor's secret deal with the Independents. The vote for the Labor Party is clearly dying in country New South Wales. In traditionally Labor seats such as the Northern Tablelands, for example, it was down to 4.74 per cent in 2003. In Dubbo, it was down to zero in 2004.
Mr Richard Torbay: Point of order: I seek to correct the record. The Nationals vote in the Northern Tablelands fell from 55 per cent to 14 per cent.
Mr ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr John Mills): Order! There is no point of order.
Mr ANDREW STONER: The fact is that the Labor Party lost the seat of South Coast in 2003. In Port Macquarie, Northern Tablelands, Tamworth and Dubbo the average Labor vote was down from more than 17 per cent in 1999 to just 10 per cent in 2003. That is a dramatic decline, and it is an appalling way to treat loyal and faithful Australian Labor Party branch members. [Time expired.]
Question—That the motion be agreed to—put.
The House divided.
Ayes, 26
Mr Aplin
Ms Berejiklian
Mr Cansdell
Mr Constance
Mr Fraser
Mrs Hancock
Mr Hartcher
Mr Hazzard
Ms Hodgkinson | Mrs Hopwood
Mr Humpherson
Mr Kerr
Mr Merton
Mr O'Farrell
Mr Page
Mr Piccoli
Mr Pringle
Mr Richardson | Mr Roberts
Mr Souris
Mr Stoner
Mr Tink
Mr J.H. Turner
Mr R. W. Turner
Tellers,
Mr George
Mr Maguire |
Noes, 54
Ms Allan
Mr Amery
Ms Andrews
Mr Barr
Mr Bartlett
Mr Black
Mr Brown
Ms Burney
Mr Campbell
Mr Chaytor
Mr Collier
Mr Corrigan
Mr Crittenden
Mr Daley
Ms D'Amore
Mr Debus
Mr Draper
Ms Gadiel
Mr Gaudry | Mr Gibson Mr Greene
Ms Hay
Mr Hickey
Mr Hunter
Ms Judge
Ms Keneally
Mr Lynch
Mr McBride
Mr McLeay
Mr McTaggart
Ms Meagher
Ms Megarrity
Mr Mills
Ms Moore
Mr Morris
Mr Newell
Ms Nori
Mr Oakeshott | Mr Orkopoulos Mr Pearce
Mrs Perry
Mr Price
Ms Saliba
Mr Scully
Mr Shearan
Mr Stewart
Mr Torbay
Mr Tripodi
Mr Watkins
Mr West
Mr Whan
Mr Yeadon
Tellers,
Mr Ashton
Mr Martin |
Question resolved in the negative.
Motion negatived.
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