Ministerial Overseas Travel

Mr ADRIAN PICCOLI: My question is directed to the Premier. With the House about to rise for a three-month winter recess, will the Premier confirm that the real reason he will not recall Parliament to sort out the problems in New South Wales is so that his ministry can continue its love affair with extravagant travel, as proven in the documents I have that show that since the election his team has spent close to $800,000 visiting destinations from Italy to India?

The SPEAKER: Order! The House will come to order.

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: When I attempted a few weeks ago to inform members about the travel arrangements of the Leader of The Nationals and the shadow health Minister, I was prevented from doing so. As question time is about to end I would be more than happy to detain the House and go through all the travel arrangements and trips of members in the shadow ministry and of backbench members, in particular, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of the Nationals. His inspections of roads all over this State are well known. It is interesting that the member for Murrumbidgee decided to refer today to parliamentary sittings after today's press release about the Parliament—

The SPEAKER: Order! I place the Leader of the Nationals on three calls to order.

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: The member for Murrumbidgee cannot make up his mind which way he wants to vote when the Parliament is sitting, yet today he is talking about having more sittings. The Liberal-Nationals Coalition needs the Auditor-General to tell them which way to vote on the most important issue facing New South Wales—that is, the electricity supply.

Mr Barry O'Farrell: Point of order—

The SPEAKER: Order! Members—including the Minister for Planning and the Leader of the Opposition—will come to order. All members on calls to order are now deemed to be on three calls. I remind members that this could be the last sitting day of the session.

Mr Barry O'Farrell: My point of order relates to Standing Order 129. Not even Phil Costa can stop you on that own goal, Morris.

The SPEAKER: Order! That is not a point of order.

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: Talking about trips, in mid-2005 the Deputy Leader of the Opposition spent three weeks touring England and Europe, at taxpayers' expense, studying transport in Milan.

[Interruption]

No, she did not go to the San Siro; she attended meetings in France, England and Italy. As education spokesperson at the time she was unable to visit any schools because they were closed for summer holidays. She said, "I learned so much. You cannot get that by a surf on the Internet." This stunt, just like yesterday's stunt, really shows just what Opposition members are about. They have no policies—it is a policy-free zone—and we are still waiting for their health policy. How will they run the hospitals and the transport system better? Opposition members do not have any policies.

Mr Adrian Piccoli: Point of order: I refer to Standing Order 129. This is a serious question about Ministers visiting the French Riviera while Beechwood Homes—

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Murrumbidgee will resume his seat. That is not a point of order. Has the Premier concluded his answer?

Mr MORRIS IEMMA: Yes.