Mr CHRIS SPENCE: My question is directed to the Premier. What progress has the Government made in delivering changes to the police death and disability scheme and other reforms during the first parliamentary term?

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: The House will understand that, as I outlined during question time earlier this week, the Auditor-General's findings on the police death and disability scheme made clear that it was financially unstable and we were determined to press ahead with our reforms. Hansard shows that while I was speaking the Leader of the Opposition interjected, "And you can't land the deal." I am delighted to say that that package passed the upper House last night and passed through this Chamber before lunchtime, which means that the changes being made to the death and disability scheme that are so desperately needed to ensure its ongoing sustainability have been made.

That means instead of having police officers thrown on the scrap heap with a big payout we can encourage them to seek rehabilitation and get them back on the job where they want to be, and where frankly they belong. We can also bring the costs of the scheme under control. As the Auditor-General said in the report on Tuesday, the cost has increased by 147 per cent to $284 million over the past four years. We said we would fix the scheme and that is precisely what we are doing. In our first parliamentary year we have paved the way for the lease of Port Botany, the lease of the desalination plant and the sale of the electricity generators. It is an enormous achievement by any standard. We have also taken important steps to bring the budget under control. Our public service wages decision—

Ms Tania Mihailuk: Show me the money, Barry.

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: I ask the Leader of the Opposition: Will the Leader of the Opposition reverse the police death and disability changes?

The SPEAKER: Order! That question will not be answered.

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: We heard speech after speech from Labor members today, but did they put it on the line? Did they commit themselves to repeal the legislation? No—hypocrisy thy name is Labor.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members will stop arguing across the table. The Premier has the call.

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: We have taken important decisions under the leadership of the Treasurer to bring the budget under control.

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

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: Our public service wages decision will save almost $2 billion over the next four years. It is a decision that the Minister for Transport shows can be acceptable to public sector workers. It is not the unconscionable policy of those opposite, which paid over and above inflation for assumed productivity gains but productivity gains were not made. It is about realisable productivity gains and rewarding good behaviour. We have abolished Labor's public service unattached list, a system that allowed public servants without a permanent job to stay on the payroll—in one case, a public servant who had not had a permanent job since 1995. That is for a start.

We have started work on the North West Rail Link to ensure it is underway by the end of this term. We have reduced fares for periodic rail travellers and cleaned up the lobbying industry. We have scrapped Labor's homebuyers' tax. We have eliminated Labor's revenue-raising speed cameras and have given police greater powers to deal with drugs and louts. We have scrapped Labor's contemptible and corrupting part 3A and planning laws. We have started the process of providing 10,000 new homes. Under the leadership of the Minister for Tourism, Major Events, Hospitality and Racing, and Minister for the Arts we have introduced a new "three strikes and you're out" law for licensed premises.

We have introduced payroll tax rebates for companies that are employing people and we have committed $62 billion in our budget to a new infrastructure spend. We inherited a mess from Labor—$5.2 billion—but that has not stopped us getting on with the job of delivering on our promises to the people of this State. Yet what we have seen from the bloke who said he would be the most hardworking and constructive Opposition leader in the State's history—a bloke who is never seen when Parliament is not sitting, a bloke who is yet to show any constructiveness in his job—is simply opposition for the sake of opposition. Is it any wonder that his popularity percentage is in the low teens? Is it any wonder he tries to pretend—and this will come as a shock to the member for Clarence—that the 28 per cent Labor vote in Clarence was allegedly a victory?

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

Mr BARRY O'FARRELL: After seven months in government and following this session of Parliament we will have done more than those opposite did in 16 years.