Red Leather #97

On the eve of the Federal Budget I can confirm that the O'Farrell government will deliver the NSW State Budget on Tuesday 12 June.

I'll be looking closely at Transport and will do a special NSW budget edition of Red Leather.  

Keeping up with what is happening in parliament beyond the day to day reporting of question time can be difficult. For those of you who want to know what's happening, the Legislative Council produces a newsletter called the House in Review that can keep you up to date.

While parliament has not been sitting some of the events I have participated in include:

• A childcare forum in Annandale hosted by Tanya Plibersek.
• A meeting with the editors and reporters representing the diverse multicultural media in NSW
• The launch of a petition to support public and social housing tenants in NSW
• A Community Shadow Cabinet in Penshurst.

This week I will be attending the Shine for Kids dinner. Shine for Kids supports children who have a parent in the criminal justice system. They do fantastic work and need any assistance people are able to provide. 

Blog of the week: With the handing over of Sydney Ferries to the private sector this week I came across this great little history of ferries in Sydney.

Website of the week: Go to facebook or my website. Print out my petition to the parliament that calls on the O'Farrell government to not gouge the supplement that public housing tenants will receive from the federal government. Get it filled in and mail (originals only) back to me at my office.

Video of the week: President Barack Obama slow-jams the news

Regards

Penny

Ps congratulations to Verity Firth who last week gave birth to a lovely baby girl.

What is happening in my duty electorates?

Sydney

I have launched a petition calling on the O'Farrell Government not to increase public housing rents when the Federal Government provides assistance to Centrelink recipients to help offset increased costs from the Carbon Tax.

We are hoping to have 10,000 people sign the petition. Download a copy here and return the original (not faxed or scanned) to my office.

L-R | Local resident, Joe Nale; Member for Sydney, Tanya Plibersek MP; Local resident Graham Brecht; ALP Preselection Candidate for Sydney Lord Mayor, Linda Scott; Duty MLC for Sydney Penny Sharpe; and NSW Shadow Minister for Housing Adam Searle MLC at the petition launch.
 

What has the NSW Opposition been up to?

Leader of the Opposition John Robertson said that questions remain regarding Premier Barry O'Farrell's involvement in The Star casino scandal.

NSW Shadow Environment Minister Luke Foley succeeded in having federal Environment Minister Tony Burke add koalas to the list of nationally threatened species.

NSW Labor called on the O'Farrell Government to declare support for penalty rates in the hospitality sector – following moves by NSW business groups to remove weekend penalty rates for hospitality workers.

Opposition Leader John Robertson and Labor members joined thousands of people at a rally protesting the Government's broken promise on Coal Seam Gas.

The NSW Labor Opposition revealed that tender documents for the Pacific Highway at Herons Creek included a requirement to remove contaminated waste from the site.

Shadow Attorney General, Paul Lynch MP and  Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations,  Sophie Cotsis MLC exposed the injustice of the O'Farrell Government's cap on wage rises for NSW public sector workers, revealing that Barry O'Farrell had secretly agreed to give judges higher pay rises than other public sector workers.

Following the disgraceful attack on two Chinese students on a train last week, Shadow Minister for Citizenship, Robert Furolo MP, called on the O'Farrell Government to convene an urgent meeting between students, the education sector and police over the safety concerns of international students s and address the O'Farrell Government's decision to cut the number of people providing security on our trains.

The NSW Opposition also called out Planning Minister Brad Hazzard for his extraordinary attack on farmers across NSW – claiming the Farmers Association is 'irrelevant' because of their opposition to Coal Seam Gas and his strategic land use policy.

What's happening in Transport?

Submissions on the NSW Transport Masterplan have closed, but until last Friday Gladys Berejiklian was continuing her tour of forums and making sure she gets photographed each time she catches the train.

Last week the Government announced that Sydney Ferries would be sold off to a multinational consortium; and new figures reported last week revealed overcrowding on the CityRail network has escalated out of control.

The Government promised $100 million over four years for new stations and upgrades. While this is worthy work, it's not clear how these projects have been allocated and only time will tell how many of these projects are completed.

The GLORIAs

The GLORIAs have had to be postponed.

A revamped GLORIAs will be held later in the year.

In the meantime, nominations will stay open on the GLORIAs website.

I will post details as soon as we have a new date for this event.

Take Action

Sydney Labor 2012 Annual Dinner

The Sydney Federal Electorate Council invites you to attend the Sydney Labor 2012 Annual Dinner.

Discuss Australian politics with fellow inner Sydney Labor members and supporters in the wake of the Federal Budget, and help support the 2013 campaign to re-elect Labor in Sydney.
 
When: 7 for 7.30pm, Friday 25 May
Where: The Athenian Restaurant, 11 Barrack St Sydney CBD.

Price: $70 / $45 unwaged*

RSVP: tanya4sydney@gmail.com or
PO Box 1184 Broadway 2007.

Click here to access the booking form or invitation.

For more information, contact Michael Vaughan on 0413 473 773.

* Drinks can be ordered at bar prices on the night.

Ever thought about becomming a foster carer?

The Benevolent Society's Fostering Young Lives Program is hosting an Information Evening for gay and lesbian couples and singles to find out more about fostering.

When: Thursday 17 May 2012, from 7.00pm to 9.00pm

Where: Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, cnr Church and Market Street Parramatta, NSW 2150

RSVP: Email: fosteringevents@bensoc.org.au by 7 May 2012| More info here |

Annual General Meeting of Labor for Refugees (NSW)

When: Tuesday 8 May, 6pm - 8pm

Where: Unions NSW, Training Room 1, 377 Sussex St Sydney (entrance via Labor Council building)

Speacial Guest: Graham Thom, Amnesty International Australia's Refugee Coordinator

| More info here |