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- 18 October 2005
Consideration of Urgent Motions
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Page: 18770
Rice Industry
Mr PETER BLACK (Murray-Darling) [7.30 p.m.]: Last night and this morning have been most unsettling for our rice industry because of a decision that was made yesterday. We are refusing to cop the $26 million fine that has been established by the Commonwealth Government if we continue to support the vesting arrangements. I remind the House that in previous debates we have recognised that the rice industry in the electorates of Murray-Darling and Murrumbidgee provides 8,000 jobs and an annual turnover of $800 million. Those two electorates provide 98 per cent of Australia's rice crop. The Commonwealth Government now says—and this is a decision made by the New South Wales Cabinet yesterday—that if we continue to support the vesting arrangements it will fine us $20 million. Nothing could be more urgent today than this matter. I challenge The Nationals to vote with the Government to bring this matter on and properly discuss it.
We have seen the persistent failure of successive Nationals Ministers for Agriculture to address this matter. We have seen the persistent failure of the honourable member for Murrumbidgee—Australopithecus Murrumbidgee Encephalitis—to support us in this matter: a $26 million fine, on which the Federal Liberal Party is supporting The Nationals. This morning the rice industry approached the following Federal members—and, by the way, not one of them was a Liberal—Nick Minchin, who has already been down to the Riverina; Peter McGauran; Kay Hull, who was a magnificent member for Riverina, and it is a pity some of her colleagues did not stand up for the rice industry in the same way she has—and that is coming from me; and Mark Vaile, whom I knew in another time as the shadow Minister for Roads. In my view, Kay Hull is one of the few decent Federal Nats in this State, probably because she was the deputy mayor of Wagga Wagga—she had a background in local government.
This matter is urgent because, despite all the toing and froing today and yesterday, on 1 September I had the pleasure of taking our new Premier down to Deniliquin. We toured the rice mill, where we had a presentation and said we would support the rice industry at the State level. Nothing has come from the State or Federal Nationals, with the exception of Kay Hull, who I remind the House crossed the floor on the subject of Telstra and who also, ironically, supported me on the issue of exceptional circumstances drought assistance for rice growers and got into trouble with the infamous John Cobb because of it.
The rice industry has had enough of the drought, and now, apparently after the drought, it is the Commonwealth Government's turn. We have said no to a fine of $26 million. It is up to The Nationals to do something about this. The National Party used to be the regulators and they are voting for the abolition of a single desk, which the entire rice industry has voted to maintain. They have seen the vertical integration of the rice industry, which has been most important. This has all been sold down the river today by the Federal Nationals, who do not care, and a State Nationals member who will not stand up for his own people. That is why this matter is urgent. We have the most efficient rice industry in the world standing up to heavily subsidised crops in places like Thailand and California. This motion is urgent because the New South Wales Government decided yesterday not to cop the $26 million fine, and as of this morning we still do not have a decision from the Commonwealth Government or The Nationals as to what they are going to do about our support for the single desk.
Respite Care Services
Mr PETER DEBNAM (Vaucluse—Leader of the Opposition) [7.35 p.m.]: Let us talk about something that is urgent. I gave notice of a motion this afternoon which states:
That this House condemns the Iemma Government for cutting funds and betraying families who depend on respite care for the profoundly disabled.
This motion is urgent because this week is Carers Week. The Government has sold down the drain any sense of compassion or care. Honourable members opposite should understand what the Government is doing. This motion is urgent because of the Premier's words on 2 August:
My light on the hill, my long-term ambition, my point of passion and conviction is to commit myself to making progress on three special areas of social policy—public and affordable housing, mental health and the care and assistance for the disabled. These are matters of simple decency.
Those were the words of the Premier on 2 August. The motion is urgent because of what the Minister for Disability Services, John Della Bosca, said in the upper House on 13 September. He stated:
The important thing to understand in respect to the provision of respite services is that they are in fact a critical means of preventing people requiring eventual full-time accommodation services because of family burnout and fatigue, and that the inability to get respite eventually means people will need more permanent accommodation.
Last Friday, when he was sprung for betraying families, he said:
The closure of respite services at Greystanes will be delayed until the end of February next year.
That was a Government press release on 14 October. We should listen to what families want the Government to talk about. What is Greystanes? Why is it urgent?
Mr Gerard Martin: I know all about Greystanes. I have been at meetings with them all week while you've been on your yacht, Commodore Peter.
Mr PETER DEBNAM: the honourable member for Bathurst should know about it but he does do not; he has betrayed them. Greystanes has provided a number of different services for the past 30 years. It is currently home to 30 profoundly disabled young people, who live there permanently. There are rooms allocated for respite care, for families who need to drop off their child to have a break for a day or two. There is also a day care service where the young people go to have fun, paint, listen to music and do other activities. The Government's plan is that by 21 October—Friday of this week—the 30 permanent residents will move into seven group homes in the community, the respite service will close and day care will be the only service left. At present only three people have been offered respite care at Marsden, near Ryde. People from Bathurst, Dubbo and Orange have not yet been offered anything.
Many are convinced that the only way to get any help after 21 October is if they abandon their child at Greystanes or another institution to force the Government's hand. Two families have already done this. The honourable member for Bathurst has betrayed families and profoundly disabled kids. That is not surprising because the Government is doing this day after day. That is why my motion is urgent and why Labor is under such pressure in the community. The community just cannot stand to think of Labor having another four years in government.
If honourable members opposite did not watch Stateline on Friday or Saturday, they should get a copy of the tape and have a look at the damage caused by the Premier and the Minister, not only to the people of New South Wales but to the reputation of the Australian Labor Party. They should talk to Catherine Murray, Sally Mannering and also John Ryan, the shadow Minister, who has pursued this issue while Government members have been asleep. The point he made is that the Government's hollow promises on Friday actually gave hope to a lot of people who, in fact, will get none under this Government.
Question—That the motion for urgent consideration of the honourable member for Murray-Darling be proceeded with—put.
The House divided.
Ayes, 45
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 Corrigan
Mr Crittenden
Mr Daley
Mr Gaudry | Mr Gibson
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
Ms Nori
Mrs Paluzzano | Mr Pearce
Mrs Perry
Ms Saliba
Mr Sartor
Mr Stewart
Ms Tebbutt
Mr Tripodi
Mr Watkins
Mr West
Mr Whan
Mr Yeadon
Tellers,
Mr Ashton
Mr Martin |
Noes, 28
Mr Aplin
Mr Armstrong
Mr Barr
Mr Constance
Mr Debnam
Mr Draper
Mrs Fardell
Mr Fraser
Mrs Hancock
Ms Hodgkinson | Mrs Hopwood
Mr Humpherson
Mr Kerr
Mr Merton
Ms Moore
Mr Oakeshott
Mr O'Farrell
Mr Page
Mr Pringle
Mr Richardson | Mr Roberts
Mrs Skinner
Mr Slack-Smith
Mr Stoner
Mr J. H. Turner
Mr R. W. Turner
Tellers,
Mr George
Mr Maguire |
Pair
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Last modified 05/12/2007 16:31:24 : Update this page