Red Leather #55 - 3 April 2009

This evening I am on my way to Tamworth as part of the Building a Modern Labor Party committee consultations. Labor's structure has changed little in the past hundred years. This structure has served us well but to keep being relevant in the future we must look at some new ways of working. The easiest way is to make a submission to the inquiry via our online survey. Labor is strongest when we have the most diverse group of people working together to change the world for the better.  If you are not in the Labor Party - I want to hear from you too. Tell me what would make you consider joining.

If you can get through the G20 and Bikie saturation in the media, in the past fortnight the Rees government has delivered on a number of key issues. The Government has:

• set out our key activities arising from the Jobs Summit
• signed the contract that will deliver 267,000 laptops to school students across NSW
• Responded to the Garling Inquiry with Caring Together: The Health Action Plan for NSW which includes an additional $485 million over the next 4 years
• Passed the Wood Commission in to Child Protection legislation. This provides an additional $230 million to protect kids.

You might be interested in the latest research papers from the Parliamentary Library on Homelessness and Sustainable Development.

Mick Veitch did a wonderful adjournment speech recognising unionist and Country Labor activist Mick Lawler.

Regards

Penny

Ps Hope you enjoy this video that is just for fun. Outbreaks of dancing in public places.

Government in Action

Deputy Premier, Minister for the Environment and Climate Change and Minister for Commerce, Carmel Tebbutt inspected the i MiEV - Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle - and announced a trial of the car through StateFleet.

The Deputy Premier also announced that the NSW Government was recruiting small businesses across NSW to participate in a $15 million program to help lower power bills and carbon pollution.

At an event to celebrate International Children's Book Day, Minister for Education Verity Firth urged parents to start reading to their children from birth.

As the State Government declared the Mid North Coast floods a natural disaster, Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan and SES Director General Murray Kear visited the region, inspecting damage and thanking emergency services for their hard work. The Minister for Community Services Linda Burney also thanked staff from the Department of Community Services and volunteers for their tireless efforts helping flood-affected residents in the Mid-North Coast.

Community Services Minister Linda Burney also launched a new user-friendly resource to help people working with Aboriginal communities, and on Youth Homelessness Matters Day (1 April), reiterated the NSW Government's commitment to tackling youth homelessness.

Minister for Transport David Campbell announced that RailCorp has submitted its formal response to the 40 recommendations made by ICAC; said the Government had finalised the contract for the delivery of an additional 72 OSCAR carriages for the CityRail network; said major CCTV upgrades were completed at 40 stations, and launched the tender process for the CBD metro.

The Minister also advised commuters that a three week closedown on the Cronulla line would take place during April to allow for critical work on upgrades.

Attorney General John Hatzistergos announced new laws to be introduced to NSW Parliament which will mean that spouses will automatically inherit the estates of their partners.

Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said that the popular name and shame website of food law offences has become even more accessible with the addition of multiple search functions.

Planning Minister Kristina Keneally announced an extension to the public exhibition period for the Wollongong Local Environment Plan.

Opposition Watch

Minister for Transport David Campbell said the Opposition's plan to axe metros in favour of heavy rail in Sydney was ill-conceived, lacked detail and did not add up and called on Barry O'Farrell to tell the people of NSW how he'll pay for it.

Penny in Parliament

As we were finishing up in the Legislative Council at 1.15am this morning, I spoke about Women in Local Government, I also gave the second reading and speech in reply for the Government's Child Protection legislation.

The previous sitting week I spoke on the Government's Parking Space Levy Bill 2009, as well as the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Amendment Bill 2009 and the Barangaroo Delivery Authority Bill 2009.

Committees wanting to hear from you

• Inquiry into Sustainable Procurement, closes 3 April.
• Inquiry into Proposed amendments to the Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988, closes 15 April.
• Inquiry into Managing Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity, closes 24 April.
• Inquiry into Second Review of the Lifetime Care and Support Authority, closes 6 May.
• Inquiry into 2008 local government elections, closes 13 May.

Take Action

Crunchtime

Be part of the first major conference of Australia's leading progressive think tanks.

Wednesday 22nd April and Thursday 23rd April
Trades Hall Auditorium, 4 Goulburn Street Sydney
Cost: $150 (both days) Concession/One day: $80 

Our Human Rights - Be Part of the Discussion

Come along to a Human Rights consultation hosted by Tanya Plibersek on Monday 6 April, 6pm, at the Tom Mann Theatre, 136 Chalmers St, Surry Hills. 

Robin Banks, director of the Public Interest and Advocacy Centre (PIAC) will outline Australia's current human rights protection framework and the choices ahead of us. Mary Kostakidis - journalist, long standing community activist, and member of the Human Rights Consultation Committee, will be part of the forum.

Pyrmont Ultimo Fundraiser

Pyrmont Ultimo Branch is conducting a monster guessing competition to raise funds for the Branch and assist the Ultimo Primary School "High School Scholarship Fund" which helps families of disadvantaged kids meet the costs of first year High School.

The Guessing Competition will be drawn during the "PIG ON THE SPIT LUNCH FUNCTION"

WHERE: DUNKIRK HOTEL, Cnr Harris St & Pyrmont Bridge Rd, PYRMONT.
WHEN: Sunday, 26 April 2009. Start time from 12.30pm. All welcome.

Quote of the week

Please continue to pray for Mr Moyes, that he will be delivered from the narcissistic spirit which is controlling his actions and find God's Will for his future.

--- Fred Nile, on his new best enemy Rev Gordon Moyes, and the political break-up of the year