E-BRIEF
As parliament gets ready to go back, estimates committees will dominate the first two weeks of sittings. I'll blog them as they go.
I'll be sitting in on Local Government, Fair Trading, Western Sydney, Housing, Education & Training, Treasury, Infrastructure, Community Services, Transport, Tourism and Women.
Congratulations to Cheryl Baume (Dulwich Hill Branch), Bob McKillop (Willoughby/Castlecrag Branch) and George Symes (Sapphire Coast Branch), each of whom won a McKell Award for service to the Labor Party.
Regards
Penny
On the Blog - HIV/AIDS --- the importance of bipartisanship
Last night I attended the 21st Anniversary for ACON (AIDS Council of NSW). It was an evening of both reflection and celebration.
Reflection that in 25 years the HIV/AIDS epidemic has infected 70 million people worldwide and claimed 30 million lives. In Australia we have lost 6500 people, 3600 of them in NSW.
Celebration of how communities, and in the Australian context the GLBT community, can build a strong and dedicated community organisation that was prepared to fight the crisis unfolding around them...
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Government Round Up
- Want to know what the government is doing with water?
- Review of the Mental Health Act by the Department of Health. A discussion paper is here (PDF).
- Minister for Education and Training, Carmel Tebbutt gave a speech to the annual conference of the Federation of P&C Associations that outlines some of the government achievements and future plans for education in NSW. The full text which is well worth reading is available here.
- Want to know more about the States proposal for the Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme?
- John Della Bosca, the NSW Minister for Industrial Relations is getting into the electronic age with his e - newsletter Labourline. Labourline lets you know what the NSW Government is doing to protect workers.
Coalition Corner
The Liberal state candidate for Balmain thought he could pull of a stunt by beating the buses to Wynyard. They beat him---twice.
Take Action
- Read the AMWU's report on temporary skilled migration (PDF).
- Care about Climate Change? Join Anthony Albanese MP and the Labor Environmental Activist Network (LEAN) for a special screening of An Inconvenient Truth. Download the pamphlet here which contains the contact details and more information.
- Support of the MUA's campaign to have East Darling Harbour renamed 'The Hungry Mile'. Read the poem here and then email thepremier@www.nsw.gov.au
- Support the AMWU workers being sued by their own employer. The 40 workers are in court on August 29. Email a message of support to amwuwa@amwu.asn.au
NSW Youth Advisory Council
2007 NSW Youth Advisory Council applications are now open. The NSW Youth Advisory Council (YAC) was established in 1989, to ensure that young people participate in the development of Government policies and programs which concern them.
The Council provides a direct line of communication between the young people of NSW and the NSW Government. Appointments will be for an initial period of 12 months. Applications close 29 September. More details at http://www.youth.nsw.gov.au/yac.
Quote of the Week
Last night was the 14th anniversary of the Ernies. The annual award for sexist comments hosted by the President of the Upper House, Meredith Burgmann. See here for a full list of the winners.
The Political Silver "Ernie" was won by the Federal Senator Bill Heffernan for saying of Julia Gillard, "I mean, anyone who chooses to deliberately remain barren...they've got no idea what life's about. We've got a few on our side as well."
Penny Sharpe MLC
Parliament House
Macquarie St
Sydney NSW 2000
www.pennysharpe.com
Phone: 9230 2741
Fax: 9230 2589
Email: Penny.Sharpe@parliament.nsw.gov.au