Member for Lismore and Tweed City Council remain strongly opposed to "NSW Government's ill-advised proposal to close four Murwillumbah public schools and replace them with a mega campus"

It seems that less than ten months out from a state election the NSW Perrottet Government is still not listening to local communities in the Northern Rivers region.....

NSW Labor Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin, media release, 9 June 2022:

Janelle Saffin MP has reaffirmed her 'rock solid' opposition to the NSW Government's ill-advised proposal to close four Murwillumbah public schools and replace them with a mega campus. Tweed Shire Council is also opposed.

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin remains ‘rock solid’ in her support to maintain Murwilumbah’s four public schools.

The NSW Government’s plans to close these schools and replace them with a mega school campus is nothing but a cost-cutting exercise, Ms Saffin says.

“They (the Government) have not demonstrated any educational benefit to students and to boot will sack 20 teachers and four support staff.”

Ms Saffin further reaffirmed NSW Labor’s commitment to keep Murwillumbah East Public School, Wollumbin High School, Murwillumbah Public School and Murwillumbah High School open for the community into the future.

Ms Saffin said Tweed Shire Council’s damning submission and formal objection to the Murwillumbah Education Campus development application, combined with the school communities’ concerns, should be enough for NSW Education Minister Sarah Mitchell to scrap the Government’s ill-advised plan and heavily invest in existing schools instead.

“My position has not changed; if anything, my opposition to this proposal — which is half-baked at best, silly at worst, does not contain a performing arts centre as touted from the original announcement all the way along, is vague on assessing flood impacts and is generally lacking in detail — has solidified,” Ms Saffin said.

“Some issues identified by Council include inadequate playing fields; indoor halls too small to be used as shared community spaces; a lack of shading for students; a 90-space shortfall in car parking spaces (which would put serious pressure on surrounding streets); and an incomplete bushfire management plan.

“It all adds up to a half-baked plan which sells the local community short, prompting Tweed Mayor Cr Chris Cherry to say the State Government should be a ‘model applicant, but is flouting all of our requirements and at this stage is being anything but’.”

Ms Saffin noted NSW Teachers Federation Deputy President Henry Rajendra’s call for the NSW Government to immediately halt its merger plan, and engage with local parents and teachers to permanently protect the staffing entitlement for existing schools.

In Education Quarterly Online, Mr Rajendra said: “The issues raised by Council are in addition to the staffing cuts that will result when the schools are amalgamated. Primary school provision will, at a minimum, lose a classroom teacher, up to two assistant principal positions, a principal position and a reduction in teacher-librarian staffing.

“The situation is far worse for high school staffing. It is predicted that at least 16 positions – 20 per cent of the teaching staffing entitlement – will be cut, including classroom, head teacher, teacher-librarian, careers adviser and principal positions,” Mr Rajendra said.

NSW Government DPI lease on its existing cattle tick inspection & treatment facility at Kirra in South East Queensland is currently suspended - Saffin calls for facility to remain in operation and a long-term plan to be developed to protect North Coast cattle industry

 

MICK VEITCH MLC
SHADOW MINISTER FOR AGRICULTURE
SHADOW MINISTER FOR REGIONAL NSW

JANELLE SAFFIN MP
MEMBER FOR LISMORE

NSW LABOR CALL FOR ADVISORY GROUP ON NORTH COAST TICK FACILITY

NSW Labor are calling for a regional stakeholder advisory group to be urgently formed to help develop a path forward to tackle the threat of cattle tick infestation on NSW North Coast farms.

NSW Shadow Minister for Agriculture Mick Veitch and Lismore MP Janelle Saffin are making this joint call as the NSW Government lease on the existing tick facility at Kirra in South East Queensland is currently suspended.

Mr Veitch and Ms Saffin insist until a long-term plan is agreed upon by the government to mitigate this issue, the Kirra facility must remain open and operational.

The State’s successful cattle tick program was established in 1920 in recognition of the grave threat of tick infestation for the NSW cattle industry. To not have a current management plan in place neglects the needs of many farmers on the NSW North Coast.

Mr Veitch said, “The NSW Government’s consultation on this has been woeful.

“NSW Agriculture Minister Adam Marshall needs to step in and sort out a long-term solution to an issue which puts many local farmers’ livelihoods at risk.

Ms Saffin, who has been in close consultation with Tweed Shire graziers’ regarding their concerns said, “The Government’s priority must be ensuring the community that our multi-million-dollar cattle industry is protected from threats such as this”

DATE: WEDNESDAY, 8 SEPTEMBER 2021

Copy of NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Amendment (No 10) Order 2021 under the Public Health Act 2010, courtesy of the Member for Lismore

Office of the NSW Labor MLA for Lismore, Janelle Saffin, media release, 21 July 2021:

Seeking COVID clarity for business, workers & residents

LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin this week sought clarity from the Office of the Minister for Health on the NSW Government’s working from home direction in regional New South Wales and other related COVID-19 issues.

Ms Saffin said she had raised local businesses’ concerns after Public Health Orders had mistakenly lumped in regional NSW with Greater Sydney, where employers were REQUIRED to direct employees to work from home where reasonably practicable.

“Thankfully, those Public Health Orders were quickly amended and the advice is that employers in regional NSW must ALLOW people to work from home where reasonably practicable,” Ms Saffin said.

“There is a difference in these working from home directions as they apply to Greater Sydney and to here, so hopefully this will clear up any confusion for employers and employees.”

The amended Public Health Orders are attached.

Ms Saffin said she had also sought clarification as to whether anyone, including tradies, could leave the lockdown areas of Greater Sydney to travel to regional NSW for essential work.

“Locals are contacting me concerned that people are coming here from Greater Sydney,” Ms Saffin said.

Here is the Office of the Minister for Health’s response:

For residents of Greater Sydney (other than those living in the Fairfield, Canterbury Bankstown and Liverpool Local Government Areas who are not exempted workers), it is a reasonable excuse to leave your residence for work – but only when it is not practicable to work from home.

People who travel more than 50km outside Greater Sydney for work they are unable to do from home must not enter a premises for work unless they have been tested for COVID-19 in the preceding seven days. Workers must have evidence of the test available for inspection on request by an employer, occupier of the premises, or the police.

We note that any person whose place of residence or usual place of work is in Greater Sydney must still follow the stay at home rules while they are outside Greater Sydney – that is, they should not go to a restaurant or a pub or go shopping for anything other than essential goods. They should only spend time at work and their accommodation while working in regional NSW.

Ms Saffin said she had also expressed the concerns of the local community that we don’t know where the close contacts of the COVID-positive removalists from Chinderah Service Centre and the Coffs Harbour locations went after they were exposed to COVID-19.

“I asked for an update on the contact tracing that has occurred,” Ms Saffin said.

Office of the Minister for Health’s response:

For privacy reasons, NSW Health does not disclose details about venues unless there is a public health reason.

When a confirmed COVID-19 case attends a venue while possibly infectious, NSW Health carries out a risk assessment on that venue to determine whether other people may have been exposed and whether there is a public health risk.

Risk assessments may be re-evaluated as new evidence emerges, for example evidence of transmission of COVID-19 in a specific venue after further contact tracing has occurred.

Further to this, where contact tracing has allowed NSW Health to get in touch with every possible contact at a venue, and it is determined there is no public health risk, a venue will cease to be listed as a venue of concern on the NSW Health site (if it was even listed in the first place).

Mindful that Minister Hazzard is extremely busy dealing with COVID outbreaks, Ms Saffin has requested that he brief all regional and rural MPs on what is being done to keep regional communities safe.

ATTACHMENT

Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Amendment (No 10) Order 2021 under the Public Health Act 2010

NSW Government Gazette, 20 July 2021, Number 331 "Health and Education" by clarencegirl on Scribd

ENDS

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NSW Public Health (COVID-19 Temporary Movement and Gathering Restrictions) Order 2021_210720_10.44am by clarencegirl on Scribd

North East NSW tells it like it is to the Legislative Council Inquiry Into Health Outcomes And Access To Health And Hospital Services In Rural, Regional And Remote New South Wales in Lismore on 17 June 2021

 

Ryan Park MLC

Janelle Saffin MLC

NSW Shadow Minister For Health Ryan Park and Labor Member For Lismore Janelle Saffin deserve the region's thanks for both their efforts to spread the word that the state’s north-east would have a chance to speak directly to the NSW Legislative Council Inquiry Into Health Outcomes And Access To Health And Hospital Services In Rural, Regional And Remote New South WalesHealth Outcomes And Access To Health And Hospital Services In Rural, Regional And Remote New South Wales in Lismore on 17 June 2021, for lobbying to have a webcast of this public hearing and for their attendance on the day.

ABC North Coast, 17 June 2021:

A state parliamentary inquiry has heard some rural residents in northern New South Wales are being left "stranded" outside hospitals late at night with no way of getting home.

The NSW Upper House inquiry is examining the challenges people face in seeking medical care in remote, rural and regional areas.

Bonalbo pharmacist Sharon Bird told the inquiry some residents with chronic and complex illnesses are travelling more than 100 kilometres to access health services with virtually no public transport.

She said many residents "give up" on seeing a doctor because "it all gets too difficult".

"Many of my customers have had negative experiences when accessing healthcare in the referral centres," Mrs Bird said.

"Like being abandoned in Lismore in their pyjamas after an emergency ambulance trip with no way to get home again.

"[Many] are reluctant to seek help or call an ambulance again."

Northern NSW Local Health District chief executive Wayne Jones said steps had been taken to ensure such incidents did not happen again.

"Unfortunately we have failed in several of those occasions, but I can tell you it is not the standard of what we have tried to achieve," he told the inquiry.

"We have put memos out to staff reminding them we've increased our own patient transport vehicles locally, we have community transport contracts and we have a clear position that particularly after 8:00pm if people can't find a way home we need to find accommodation for them."

Residents need to 'schedule their accidents'

The inquiry heard the towns of Bonalbo and Coraki had struggled to attract general practitioners, often leaving residents with limited or no access to doctors.

Mrs Bird said Bonalbo had an X-ray machine but no staff to operate it and only one radiographer for two hours a fortnight, so residents would need to "schedule their accidents for that day".

The chair of the Ballina Cancer Advocacy Network Maureen Fletcher also gave evidence, talking about the dire need for increased funding for cancer care coordinators in the region.

She said many patients had "suffered needlessly" because they did not know what services were available before, during and after cancer treatment.

Ms Fletcher said there was one man who lost half his nose after melanoma surgery and felt socially isolated.

"He only found out that a prosthetic nose was available when a fellow patient in hospital asked why he didn't have it," she said.

Flow-on effects

The inquiry also heard from residents who spoke about the difficulties that arose from the region's reliance on south-east Queensland for specialist care.

Andre Othenin-Girard said he suffered on and off from atrial fibrillations and had been waiting almost three years to see a cardiologist on the Gold Coast, which was complicated by the Queensland border closure.

He said he had been hospitalised five times at Lismore Base Hospital while he waited.

The committee has been warned that the access to and availability of medical services could deter highly skilled people and businesses from moving to regional NSW.

Veterinarian Florian Roeber told the hearing he had to make at least 15 trips to the Gold Coast after being diagnosed with a neurological condition.

He said he moved to the state's north from Melbourne and believed he would have had better access to care if he had stayed in the city.

"I kind of regretted my decision to move to regional NSW because it led to a potentially worse outcome for me," Dr Roeber said…...

Problems are not confined to just the Northern NSW Local Health District. At Taree on the Mid-North Coast on 16 June the Inquiry heard the following.....

The Sydney Morning Herald, 17 June 2021:

A NSW hospital serving nearly 100,000 people has been relying on cleaners to look after dementia patients due to severe staffing shortages, a parliamentary inquiry heard.

Doctors, nurses and patients lined up to vent their frustration and despair as the inquiry into regional health travelled to Taree and Lismore for public hearings on Wednesday.

The inquiry heard that at Tamworth, "ghost" operating theatres are being used for storage and for staff to make quiet phone calls because the hospital is struggling to find specialists to use them.

Tamworth has the busiest non-metropolitan emergency department in NSW.

Three senior doctors delivered a scathing assessment of the state of affairs in Taree on the state's mid-north coast, which is serviced by Manning Base Hospital.

"Houston we have got a problem and the problem I'd like to talk to you about is workforce," said Dr Simon Holliday, a rural GP with three decades' experience and a staff specialist at Manning Base Hospital.

He said less than 5 per cent of Australian-trained doctors were choosing to practise in rural areas which was a "disaster" for people living outside capital cities.

Dr Holliday said overseas-trained doctors from developing countries were stepping in to fill the void which was tantamount to "reverse foreign aid".

He said there was an epidemic of burnout among the foreign-trained doctors, who were having a "horrific time" as they were used as "cannon fodder" in understaffed facilities.

Dr Holliday was critical of the Australian Medical Association for refusing to endorse medical conscription, where doctors are made to serve in regional and rural areas.

"Australia needs to start providing Australian-trained workforce for rural areas," he told the upper house committee.

"Today you've heard about the pain and anguish in our community, as in many other regions' communities, and you have the weight of our expectations on your shoulders."

Dr Seshasayee Narasimhan said chronic underfunding had rendered Manning Base an “exhausted and severely downgraded hospital” that was “not appealing for new recruits”.

“No one wants to come here,” he said.

The Taree region has only one cardiologist serving a population of nearly 100,000 people and the worst cardiovascular outcomes of anywhere in regional Australia.....

President of the Manning Great Lakes Community Health Action Group Eddie Wood said the hospital's dementia ward had been shuttered without any consultation with the community.

"The cleaners on the ward have been asked to monitor and sit with the dementia patients," he said. "Dementia patients deserve the same level of care as anyone else ... it's horrendous."

Marion Hosking OAM later told the inquiry her son had been present at the hospital when the gardener was brought in to sit beside a troubled dementia patient.

But Mr Wood said assurances from the hospital administrators and local health district that there was no staffing problem further incensed the community.

“You say that to the ... first year graduate nurse who is put in charge of a ward,” Mr Wood said.

Mr Wood said only half of the 18 beds in the emergency department were funded and staffed......

“When you see your hospital and your staff demoralised and leaving, it’s atrocious,” he said.....

State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is encouraging Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands residents to nominate local champions for the 2021 Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW and the ACT

 

Office of NSW Labor MLA for Lismore Janelle Saffin, media release,

10 Jun 2021:

Bring out your best Northern Rivers, Northern Tablelands!

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is encouraging Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands residents to nominate local champions for the 2021 Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW and the ACT.

“Everyone knows of someone who really puts in for their local community but for whatever reason may not have received the public attention or accolades for their volunteer service,” Ms Saffin said.

“This year’s Community Achievement Awards are a chance to recognise, celebrate and thank our unsung heroes as we have faced off challenges such as drought, bushfires, floods and the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Nominations can be made in the following categories:

• Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Individual Excellence in Crown Land Management Award

• Department of Planning, Industry and Environment Crown Land Manager Excellence Award

• Ricoh Australia Customer Service Award

• TransGrid Leadership Award

• Awards Australia Connecting Communities Award

There are prizes for each of the category winners, who will also be presented on stage with a trophy. Every nomination receives a certificate of achievement.

To submit a nomination, simply go online to https://awardsaustralia.com/community-achievement-awards/nsw and select ‘Nominate Now’. Alternatively, make the process that much easier by calling us on 1300 735 445 and passing on their details.

Nominations close Wednesday 11 August, 2021. For assistance, call the Awards Office on 1300 735 445 or email nswactraca@awardsaustralia.com.

Lismore electorate community groups receive $300,000 to keep bringing people together in their towns and villages

 

Office of the Labor Member for Lismore, 23 November 2020:

TABLE TENNIS ANYONE?: Lismore MP Janelle Saffin recently visited the Far North Coast Table Tennis Club’s Jim Armstrong Centre where she was hosted by President Peter McGrath, Manager-Coach Graeme Townsend and other active members. The club is one of this year’s grant recipients.

Local communities will benefit from 25 worthy projects worth $300,000 announced by State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin under the NSW Government’s 2020 Community Building Partnership Program today (Monday, 23 November 2020).

Ms Saffin said phoning representatives of community groups to notify them of their success in this extremely popular small grants program was one of the more pleasurable tasks she had to perform each year.

However, Ms Saffin repeated her calls for the NSW Government to at least double the CBPP allocation for each electorate from $300,000 to $600,000 or $1 million to fund more community infrastructure projects as the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m sure all MPs struggle with the assessment process when they have to rank a large number of very worthwhile projects for an available funding pool which is over-subscribed. An independent panel also assesses all applications against strict criteria.

“I am looking forward to inspecting all of the 2020 projects as they are completed across my electorate and I will publicise the 2021 program when applications open early next year.”

Successful projects for 2020 include:

• Gungyah Ngallingnee Aboriginal Corporation, near Tabulam – Jubullum Jarjums children’s and family play area, $37,124.

• Lismore Tennis Club Incorporated – Court lighting and electrical upgrade, $20,999.

• Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC) Lismore – Sports hall lighting replacement/upgrade, $20,072.

• Murwillumbah Showground Land Manager – Refurbish 100-year-old main food venue at Murwillumbah Showground, $20,000.

• Lismore Basketball Association Incorporated – Retaining wall to secure stadium, $16,257.

• Sunnyside Hall Management Committee Incorporated, Tenterfield Shire – Amenities upgrade, $15,000.

• Murwillumbah Rural Fire Brigade – Electronic sign for bushfire warnings and other essential information, $15,000.

• Murwillumbah Community Centre Incorporated – Repair and expansion of the Murwillumbah Community Food HUB, $14,241.

• Mallanganee Memorial Hall – Provide trades services for completion of kitchen renovation, $14,000.

• Murwillumbah Theatre Company Incorporated – Painting; electrical work; construction/installation of workbenches and props/costume storage, $14,000.

• Murwillumbah Rowing Club Incorporated – Renovate club bathroom facilities, $12,400.

• Urbenville & District Bowling Club Limited – Cool comfort for everyone, $11,750.

• St John Ambulance Australia (NSW) – St John Ambulance Lismore stretcher, $11,499.

• Tyalgum District Community Association Incorporated – Enhancement of Tyalgum’s social tennis court to support community participation, $11,284.

• Northern NSW Helicopter Rescue Service Limited – Engineering work stands, $10,249.

• Far North Coast NSW Table Tennis Association Incorporated – Facility enhancement for aged and disabled participants, $10,108.

• Tenterfield Poultry Club Incorporated – Replace damaged building stumps, $10,000.

• Tweed Valley Mountain Bike Riders – Towards establishing a mountain bike facility, $7500.

• Kyogle Bowling Club Limited – Install new electricity board, $6463.

• Uki Sport and Recreation Club Incorporated – Storage area, $5000.

• The Corporate Trustees of the Diocese of Armidale for Tenterfield Shire project – Torrington All Saints Church restoration, $4582.

• St Vincent de Paul Society NSW – Solar panels for Gunellabah clothes sorting centre, $4255.

• Jiggi School of Arts Incorporated – Refurbishment of hall toilets to NSW and Australian standards, $3100.

• Friends of the Pound (Tweed) Incorporated – Air-conditioning installation at its Murwillumbah South facility, $2617.

• Riding for the Disabled Association NSW – Defibrillator for Riding for the Disabled Tweed Valley, $2500.

The Community Building Partnership Program has funded more than 15,000 community projects since it was established by the then Labor State Government in 2009.

Applications for the 2021 Program open in early 2021.

For more information about the NSW Government’s Community Building Partnership Program, visit www.nsw.gov.au/cbp

While the Northern NSW Nationals posture in the media about Queensland border restrictions and moves to protect the state's koalas, NSW Labor Member for Lismore is doing the hard yards

While Northern NSW Nationals Chris Gulaptis, Geoff Provest and Ben Franklin run to mainstream media outlets to huff and puff about Queensland's border restrictions and, Gulaptis in particular cries that the sky will fall if New South Wales koalas receive the protection they deserve, the NSW Labor Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin just gets on with the job of representing her electorate.

Office of the Member for Lismore, media release, 25 September 2020:

Saffin pushes for immediate and strategic support of regional economy

LISMORE MP Janelle Saffin is calling on the Berejeklian-Barilaro Government to deliver urgent financial support to businesses on the Northern Rivers and Northern Tablelands and to strategically establish a Special Activation Precinct to turbo charge the regional economy.

It will help our region climb out of COVID. We have projects ready, the collaboration and the will, but we need our share of New South Wales’ available resources, including the $1.75 billion owed to regional and rural NSW from Restart NSW, Ms Saffin said.

Ms Saffin has used a series of Notices of Motion to NSW Parliament to focus the Government’s attention on the Electorate of Lismore, still recovering from 2017’s major flood, drought, last year’s bushfires, this year’s COVID-19 lockdown and the Queensland-NSW border closure.

Ms Saffin said that while she had successfully lobbied for the Border Bubble to include the Lismore City, Byron Shire, Ballina Shire, Richmond Valley and Glen Innes Local Government Areas, many businesses were still hurting economically.

“NSW Business Northern Rivers estimates that businesses have been losing an average of $10,500 a week in revenue so there is still an urgent need for the Government to come good with a rescue package like the $45-million one it offered to NSW businesses near the Victorian border,” Ms Saffin said.

“I thought it was important for me to advocate for our region through a combination of Notices of Motion, Questions on Notice to Ministers and direct reps to Ministers, and at next week’s meeting with Regional Development Australia-Northern Rivers, we can flesh this out in more detail.

“Having a Special Activation Precinct here on the Northern Rivers, and all of the extra government support that comes with these precincts, would give real teeth to my earlier calls for a Regional Jobs Plan.

“Another major issue is that the NSW Government has introduced a Whole of Government Procurement Policy for collecting waste from Health, TAFE and caravan parks on Crown reserves, squeezing out our local regional companies in favour of the big multinationals, and killing off local jobs.”

Ms Saffin has moved Notices of Motion on the need to develop and fund a Regional Jobs Plan; expanding Special Activation Precincts to the region; supporting small businesses impacted by the Queensland-NSW border closure; unlocking Restart NSW funding; and fairer Procurement Policies.

On a Regional Jobs (Employment Development) Plan, Ms Saffin moved that the Lower House:

1. Notes the Regional Development Australia’s Remplan Report estimates 15,471 jobs have vanished from the Northern Rivers regional economy between February and May 2020, with accommodation/hospitality and retail sectors hardest hit.

2. Notes job losses are similar in the New England North West Region.

3. Notes the Government needs to develop and fund a Regional Jobs Plan, coordinated by the NSW Department of Regional Development and enlisting the expertise of Regional Development Australia, Business NSW, local chambers of commerce, local government councils through joint organisations, business leaders, trade unions and all local Members.

On Special Activation Precincts, Ms Saffin moved that the Lower House:

1. Notes the Government established Special Activation Precincts in Parkes, Wagga Wagga, Snowy Mountains, Moree and Williamtown to turbo charge these regional locations to become thriving business hubs through infrastructure investment, Government-led studies, Government-led development and business concierge services.

2. Recognises the need to expand the network of Special to the Northern Rivers region, home to many cutting-edge entrepreneurs in its stated range of industries, including freight and logistics, defence, advanced manufacturing, renewable energy and tourism.

On Queensland-NSW Border Closure – Small Business Support, Ms Saffin  moved that the Lower House:

1. Notes the Government moved quickly to provide a $45-million rescue package for New South Wales small businesses adversely impacted by its decision to close the NSW-Victorian border to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

2. Notes there is an urgent need for the Government to extend a similarly generous grant program to all local small businesses in Northern NSW, which, having endured drought and bushfires, are now really struggling to cope with the Queensland-NSW border closure.

On Restart NSW Funding, Ms Saffin moved that the Lower House:

1. Notes the Government has failed to deliver the legislated commitment to allocate 30 per cent of Restart NSW funds to regional and rural New South Wales in any year since its inception, delivering only 18.9 per cent of $3 billion instead of $4.75 billion from 2012 to 2019.

2. Calls upon the Premier and the Deputy Premier to deliver the promises Restart NSW funding of 30 per cent each year and to pay the debt of $1.75 billion owing to the people of regional and rural New South Wales.

On Procurement Policies, Ms Saffin moved that the Lower House:

1. Notes the Government’s Expression of Interest (EOI) for NSW Whole of Government Waste Management for Health, TAFE and caravan parks on Crown Reserves favours large operators and squeezes out small and medium size Australian-owned regional companies because the EOI effectively makes redundant the Government’s Small and Medium Enterprise and Regional Procurement Policy.

2. Recognises the need for an urgent review of these procurement policies and consultation with small and medium size regional companies to ensure that they still have a seat at the tendering table and are not disenfranchised to the point that their revenue streams can be reduced by a third, leading to job losses in Northern NSW during an economic recession.

Ms. Saffin gave notice of the aforementioned motions in the NSW Legislative Assembly on the following dates:

17/10/2019 RESTART NSW FUNDING 
15/09/2020 QUEENSLAND-NEW SOUTH WALES BORDER CLOSURE - SMALL BUSINESS SUPPORT 
17/09/2020 REGIONAL EMPLOYMENT DEVELOPMENT 
24/09/2020 SPECIAL ACTIVATION PRECINCTS 
24/09/2020 PROCUREMENT POLICIES 

I note that there appears to have been no motions or speeches specifically on these matters in the same timespan by either Chris Gulaptis, Geoff Provest or Ben Franklin.

NSW Labor MLA for Lismore Janelle Saffin speaks out about Nationals support of extensive coal seam gas exploration and mining in New South Wales

Janelle Saffin, Labor MLA for Lismore, media release, 4 June 2020:

Ben ‘Fracker' Franklin should pack up his Byron Bay digs and head back to Sydney: Saffin

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin today (Thursday 4 June 2020) slammed the NSW Nationals for voting against a Private Members Bill that would permanently protect the Northern Rivers from harmful Coal Seam Gas mining.

“Byron Bay-based Parliamentary Secretary for Energy and the Arts Ben Franklin and his fellow Nationals did a 360-degree turn last night hoping no one would notice and sought to turn the guns on others,” Ms Saffin said.

Ms Saffin said with the bill due to be debated in the Legislative Assembly today (June 4), she would be watching to see whether North Coast-based Nationals MPs Gurmesh Singh (Coffs Harbour), Chris Gulaptis (Clarence) and Geoff Provest (Tweed) would become turncoats as well.

“If these MPs are serious about protecting the Northern Rivers and North Coast they will vote for this bill,” Ms Saffin said.

“In 2015 at the Nationals’ State Conference, Ben Franklin seconded a motion put by Chris Gulaptis, calling for the need to recognise widespread opposition to CSG and to buy back CSG licences.

“Ben Franklin then warned that a solution was needed otherwise the Nationals could lose the seats on the Northern Rivers for a generation, and that ‘if we do not get this right the people of the Northern Rivers will not listen to us on anything else’

“You got that right Ben as you lost another seat, Lismore in 2019 and went backwards, and the people of the Northern Rivers will never listen to you or your Nationals mates again.

“You had the chance to protect the water, the farmers, the agricultural industry in the Northern Rivers and Narrabri, and you ran away from it.

“Ben ‘Fracker’ Franklin should pack up his Byron Bay digs and head back to Sydney, because he has sealed his fate by putting city interests ahead of country people.”

Ms Saffin accused the Nationals of not being serious about protecting our people, our water, our farmlands and our agricultural jobs in the Northern Rivers from the harmful effects of CSG.

“They are only serious about protecting their own jobs, whether it be the Deputy Premier spot or a seat they “claim” as theirs as of right,” Ms Saffin said.

“They only reacted to electoral loss for them -- losing the state seat of Ballina and nearly losing Lismore in 2015. It was not support and protection for us; it was ‘jobs’ protection for them.

“I stood up against Metgasco when I researched and discovered the harmful effects of CSG mining. I took it into the Federal Parliament and advocated hard to get whatever power the Federal Government had in this matter enacted to protect our water.

“I helped secure ‘water trigger’ legislation which was subsequently weakened by the Abbott Government and the Nationals.”

Ms Saffin said the Petroleum (Onshore) Amendment (Coal Seam Gas Moratorium) Bill 2019, has the following key elements:

* It imposes a moratorium on the prospecting for, or the mining of, coal seam gas across New South Wales.

* It applies no-go zones to particular areas deemed off limits, including the local government areas of the Northern Rivers region, drinking water catchments, national parks, residential areas and prime agricultural land.

The Northern Rivers is made up of Tweed Shire, Byron Shire, Ballina, Lismore City, Kyogle, Richmond Valley and Clarence Valley.

Ms Saffin said: “Farmers want the permanent protections of this bill, locals want this, anyone who cares about water wants this -- that is all of us -- the agricultural, fishing tourism sector want this.

“I have advocated for a statewide CSG moratorium to my NSW Labor colleagues and indicated that I would cross the floor of Parliament if I had to,” Ms Saffin said.

“The 2019 bill is similar to (NSW Shadow Minister for the North Coast and Shadow Minister for Climate Change) Adam Searle MLC’s 2015 bill so we (Labor) have a long history of standing up to protect the Northern Rivers.

“I also moved a motion at NSW Labor’s State Conference to create no-go zones here on the Northern Rivers.”