“Ebay is no way to run New South Wales”

Victor P Taffa

Hunter residents’ filled Newcastle Leagues Club auditorium on Wednesday October 8 2009 and key speakers called upon the Rees Government to start listening or face the consequences at the 2011 State election. Among the assembled were local Government and State Government representatives including Greg Piper Lake Macquarie MP, Matthew Morris Charlestown MP and Sonia Hornery Wallsend MP.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Greens Cessnock City Councillor James Ryan opened proceedings and welcomed 7 speakers from the community to address the gathering about key Hunter Valley concerns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brad O’Dell, Islington Residents Action Group is incensed at the apparent inaction by authorities on street prostitution in Islington. “Prostitutes are operating in Islington and why is an illegal activity operating?” Brad demanded to know. “It is a disgraceful situation” Brad added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Dawson, Lower Hunter Save Our Rail says that “everyone knows Newcastle needs to be fixed and Save Our Rail is not opposed to development.” Joan also added “there are more pressing needs than spending $650 million to pull out rail.” Joan believes that “Infrastructure is already there, it needs enhancing and it is better to put lifts in at Waratah, Victoria Street and Cardiff railway stations and build the Glendale Interchange.” Joan went onto say “Wickham is not convenient for a bus interchange.” Furthermore Joan accepts “that there are social, environmental and looming peak oil concerns” and demands to keep the rail and “Save Our Rail is not here to attack the State Government but lobby our politicians.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Louise Howell, Wallsend Aged Care Facility calls for the Specialist Wallsend Aged Care Facility to be saved from Privatisation. “It has 103 beds of which there are 20 people with varying disabilities such as dementia that takes people some other facilities “don’t want.” Louise went onto say that residents at Wallsend currently do not pay accommodation bonds and as they move on or pass away the beds will become not for profit organisation beds. In 1988 the Greiner Government took away Wallsend Public Hospital following a march of 20,000 residents and a picket line that lasted 18 months. An agreement was signed that ensured that a nursing home would remain in public hands. This agreement has been forgotten. Wallsend is unique, belongs to the community and residents under the Aged Care Act 1997 have human rights that are not being adhered to.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carol Pasemow, No Tillegra Dam Group is calling for the Tillegra Dam to be stopped and made reference to the following: 450 megalitre dam will inundate the Williams River, threatens the future of Dungog and the dam will cover 21 km of River and 2,000km of prime agricultural land. Water consumption for 2007/08 was recorded as the lowest in 40 years for the Hunter Valley. The Tillegra Dam is costed at $477 million and rising to be funded by water levy increases. While there is a 1:250 year chance by 2025 for the Hunter to have drought restrictions. Originally the dam was promoted to ensure water supplies for the Central Coast and the dam will now ensure water supplies for the Hunter that has 98% water capacity as nearby Chichester Dam supplies 38% of Lower Hunter water. Carol along with many people believed that the Tillegra Dam was announced “as a diversion” from the scandal surrounding then Swansea MP Milton Orkopoulos. “Tillegra Dam is a convenient cash cow for the State Government.” and Carol keeps asking as to why water recycling and rainwater harvesting cannot occur rather than a dam that no one wants and the community does not need. Carol and her family “stands to lose everything” if the Tillegra Dam goes ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Les Macalister, Hunter Power worker who opposes electricity privatisation has “worked in the industry for 30 years and believes that operations are as lean as they can be.” Les went onto say: “The Government thought that it could make money out of the power stations or retail arms and this Government has no mandate for privatisation which won’t even go to Parliament.” “If the industry goes private business, consumers and people will suffer, plan A and B failed now plan C is a trade model.” “We have support from Liberals, Nationals, Greens and all other parties.” Les concluded with “Ebay is no way to run New South Wales.”

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Renee Lemarceny, NO to Prison privatisation has been through a vigorous campaign against the Government is not relaxing in spite of assurances that prison privatisation was not going to proceed. “We marched the streets and went to Parliament.” Furthermore Renee also said: Family ties to Cessnock go back many generations in Corrective Services. The options were redundancy, transfer or a new career with no ideas on working conditions for workers. Overtime was reportedly costing the Department too much money but the Government would not employ more correctional officers as the Government ripped out 120 prisoners without their personal belongings or knowledge. The Government has done a back flip on privatisation but the Jail is only half full. Parklea has been handed over to private contractors even though privatising important public services does not work. Renee concluded with “the Government is not being honest.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Keynote Speaker Dr. Richard Denniss is Executive Director of think tank, The Australia Institute also lectured in Economics at the University of Newcastle, originally hails from Dora Creek. In his address Dr. Denniss “did think that when the Government held a community cabinet meeting that it would result in a united community.” Dr. Denniss went onto make mention: “You can achieve far more collectively, that there is good policy and good politics.” “In the last 3 years Australia’s G.D.P has grown by $83 billion and there is no money for health, education or transport.” Dr. Denniss told his captivated audience that “people should ask simple questions and demand simple answers and you have to hold people to account and by consulting, which means consulting before a decision is made.” “Investing in transport and health services that you want while Governments do not want to invest in assets but rather sell them. If you want to get rich, you need to invest.” “The Hunter community wants investment in assets at the same time as Governments are selling them and now the Government wants to spend $477 million and then looks you in the eye and says that it has no more money for your other problems, so if there’re short of cash don’t build the dam.” Dr. Denniss concluded by mentioning that the State Government spends $62 Billion annually.

 

 

Following the meeting comments were made by the State Members of Parliament in attendance. All 3 Members of Parliament announced their opposition to Electricity Privatisation.

Greg Piper MP is opposed to the Transport Administration Amendment (Rail Trails) Bill 2009 and said that “This piece of legislation is evil and represents a Government out of touch, this Bill is not about selling assets per se but the vision that politicians and bureaucrats had.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew Morris MP also discussed the Rail Trails bill and was “very concerned about the bill although the principle of the bill is fine but gives the Minister too much power.” Matthew Morris added “Caucus supports the bill and I will monitor the implementation of the bill.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sonia Hornery MP was more forthright on other key issues. “The State Government talks about disability access being a priority at stations and we should have looked at lifts for Cardiff (station) a long time ago.” Sonia Hornery also mentioned that the Glendale interchange should have been built 10 years ago following original correspondence received with my office.” When asked about the Rail Trails bill “My concern about the bill is about the line at Newcastle and the need to reintroduce train tracks to Northern New South Wales. The devil is always in the detail.” Sonia Hornery added.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The meeting concluded triumphantly and the public resolved to continue to take the fight up to the Government on these issues.