Business of the House

Dr JOHN KAYE [2.31 p.m.]: I move:

That standing and sessional orders be suspended to allow a motion to be moved forthwith that Private Members' Business item No. 103 outside the Order of Precedence, relating to Central Coast powerlines, be called on forthwith.

The Hon. Tony Kelly: Point of order: My understanding is that a member can move this sort of a motion when there is no business before the House. However, the House is to consider committee reports. Therefore, I believe Dr John Kaye is out of order and must to wait to move his motion until after members have considered committee reports.

The Hon. Don Harwin: To the point of order: Committee reports are no different from Government business. In fact, members are entitled to move a motion at any time during debate on Government business. Dr John Kaye is not precluded from doing so because Government business is before the House. Therefore, the honourable member is able to move his motion.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I will allow Dr John Kaye to proceed. This is an unusual situation in that before the Clerk read the order of the day, as I requested, Dr John Kaye sought to move suspension to have an item of business outside the Order of Precedence called on forthwith. Accordingly, as there was no business immediately before the Chair at the time, the member is in order and may proceed.

Dr JOHN KAYE: This matter is urgent. It refers to the construction of 132 kilovolt powerlines above ground from Ourimbah to Terrigal on the Central Coast. This matter is urgent because each day new poles are erected. Two more poles went up this morning and two yesterday. The Government must act now if there is to be any chance of correcting the massive error that is being made on the Central Coast.

This matter is urgent because if the work is not stopped the powerlines will pass through residential areas. Only two small sections of powerlines are underground: at Wamberal and near a school. The powerlines will pass a school and houses and extend within a few metres of the playground of a childcare centre. If we do not debate this matter now children playing in the grounds of that childcare centre will be exposed to magnetic fields. This matter is urgent because residents are living in a climate of fear: they fear for their health and that of their children. They will be exposed to magnetic fields at levels that are simply unacceptable. Residents' fear is driven by uncertainty in the scientific literature. This matter is urgent because there is no consensus in the epidemiological evidence that exposure to magnetic fields does not cause childhood cancers and other long-lasting and dangerous diseases. If we do not pass this motion it will be too late to apply the precautionary principle, which states that we must not expose people to unnecessary risk. Magnetic fields certainly pose a health risk.

If we do not pass this motion it will be too late to protect the lagoons at Wamberal and Terrigal and too late to protect the wildlife at those lagoons. It will be too late to live up to our obligations under the Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement and the China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement. If we do not pass this motion powerlines will almost certainly be built past both the Wamberal and Terrigal lagoons, with devastating consequences for the wildlife at those lagoons and in contradiction of two international treaties. If we do not act now it will be too late to avert the risk of increased bushfires, increased interruptions to power supplies and more motor vehicle accidents. Only by putting the powerlines underground can we ensure the long-term safety of the residents of the Central Coast. The House must act urgently because if we do not pass this motion now, we will not send a message to the Minister for Energy to exercise his powers under section 20P of the State Owned Corporations Act 1989, which enables him to direct EnergyAustralia to underground those lines.

The urgency of this matter can be measured by the community outrage on the Central Coast. It can also be measured by the fact that it has united the local member of Parliament, the community and the Greens. It is not often that the Greens agree with the member for Terrigal on matters of policy. However, in this case he is definitely fulfilling his duty to his electorate while the Minister for the Central Coast, the Hon. John Della Bosca, is not. The Hon. John Della Bosca may believe his push to become Premier is urgent but he has failed abjectly in his responsibility to the people of the Central Coast. I urge the House to consider this matter. It is urgent because the people of the Central Coast are demanding our attention. They are demanding that we stand up for their health, their safety, their amenity and the wildlife of their area. The least the House should do is spend some time considering a matter that is causing much agony and pain on the Central Coast. There is great concern about the health risks associated with magnetic fields from powerlines and the impact on residential dwellings and educational institutions. We are very concerned about powerlines that will pass one education institution and a childcare centre that could easily increase magnetic fields. This issue could be the asbestos of the twenty-first century. I urge the House to debate the motion urgently.

Reverend the Hon. Dr GORDON MOYES [2.38 p.m.]: I support the motion. The fact is that 19 kilometres of aboveground 132- kilovolt powerlines are being erected, which is causing concern on the Central Coast. I live within a few hundred metres of the schools concerned and the childcare centre. As Dr John Kaye indicated, there is no question that local residents are up in arms. This is a matter of extreme urgency because powerlines are already starting to be installed. It is not something that might happen in the future; it is happening at this moment. I support the motion to debate this matter urgently.

The Hon. MICHAEL GALLACHER (Leader of the Opposition) [2.39 p.m.]: The Opposition supports the motion for urgency by Dr John Kaye. This is a significant issue. It is one of the most important issues for Central Coast residents that I have seen in the many years I have lived on the Central Coast. If the member for Terrigal, Chris Hartcher, were able to speak on this matter he would be able to relate the concerns that have been raised with him by his constituents that demonstrate the need for this issue to be debated urgently. On that basis, the Opposition supports the motion.

Question—That the motion be agreed to—put and resolved in the affirmative.

Motion agreed to.


Motion by Dr John Kaye agreed to:

That Private Members' Business item No. 103 outside the Order of Precedence be called on forthwith.