Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance. Did the Minister know when he met Rolando Atienza and agreed to use his influence to have funding reinstated for the Philippine-Australian Society for Senior Citizens that the organisation failed to meet any of the department's criteria for funding, as revealed by this leaked document?

Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: The suggestions that came from the Leader of the Opposition in this House yesterday of extraordinary pressure on the Minister for Ageing are completely and utterly misleading. If writing a letter is extraordinary pressure—

[Interruption]

I wrote a letter, yes. I did write a letter, as I would for any community organisation in my electorate—and as would any member in this Chamber for any community organisation in their electorate.

The SPEAKER: Order! The House will come to order. Members will listen to the Minister's response in silence. The Minister has the call.

Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: On 22 May this year I received representations from the Philippine-Australian Society for Senior Citizens for help in relation to the continuation of its funding by the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. On 5 June 2009 I wrote to the Minister for Ageing in my capacity as the member for Fairfield, with a copy of the society's submission attached. I stated:

I request the concerns presented on behalf of this organisation be considered when assessing their request for continued funding under the Ageing Grants Program.

What a crime! In making any decision in relation to this organisation's request for funding—

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for Wollongong will come to order.

Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: —it actually considers the representations of that organisation. What a crime! Is there any member in this Chamber who would not have done exactly the same thing in those circumstances? Not one. But the Leader of the Opposition is on his little mission and it is going to blow up in his face. In a letter dated 19 May the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care advised the president of the society that funding had been approved, and enclosed the funding agreement package. In other words, the department had approved the funding days before I met with the society and weeks before I sent representations to the Minister for Ageing. On 30 July—

The SPEAKER: Order! Government members will come to order.

Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: That is what I have been advised. I am happy to have it tested. On 30 July the Minister for Ageing replied, stating that the society was allocated funding for a multipurpose centre for a fixed term, effective from 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010. I made representations on behalf of, and for the benefit of, a society that I am advised has about 260 members—not for any individual and not for any Labor mates, as the Leader of the Opposition has suggested. I made representations on behalf of the Philippine-Australian Society with its 260-odd members, and on behalf of the Filipino community that is strongly present in my electorate. I would do it once again. I will not apologise for representing communities in my electorate, and I will not have the Leader of the Opposition politicising the needs of that community for his political benefit. It is a disgrace!

The SPEAKER: Order! I call the member for Goulburn to order. I call the member for Goulburn to order for the second time.

Mr JOSEPH TRIPODI: The facts show the suggestion by the Leader of the Opposition that I intervened or used extraordinary pressure on Minister Lynch to override his department are utterly without foundation. Writing a letter is not using extraordinary pressure. The Members Handbook, published by the New South Wales Parliament, makes it clear that members of the Legislative Assembly work locally for their constituents, deal with requests for assistance, and "also attend to the concerns and problems of local organisations and businesses". The role of a member of the lower House is to represent his or her constituents.

Opposition members would have the public believe that my actions and, by extension, the actions of all members of Parliament working every day for their communities, are somehow improper. That is complete and utter rubbish. I am proud to work for my local community. It is a sad indictment on the Leader of the Opposition, who asked two misleading questions in this House yesterday attacking my character, for making representations to the relevant Minister on behalf of a needy community of senior citizens in the Fairfield electorate. It is an utter disgrace and a beat-up—no surprises coming from Opposition members.