“I really appreciated the opportunity to have a frank dialogue with Nationals, farmers and locals in Gunnedah,” said Ms Rhiannon.

“It was a wide ranging discussion with most of the questions directed to the Greens on issues such as preferences, climate change, estate taxes and rural transport issues.

“I spoke on key regional Greens campaigns, such as saving rural rail branch lines and protecting prime agricultural land from mining damage.

“Some of the stereotypes that still exist about the Greens were combatted today. 

“I explained that the Greens estate tax policy includes a provision to protect the family farm, the family home and small businesses.

"I also cleared up a misunderstanding amongst the crowd about the Greens’ carbon tax proposal, explaining that agriculture will be exempt from the Greens' carbon tax.

“If we don’t put a price on carbon and invest that revenue in renewable energy, the cost to farming communities will be much greater.

“The Greens are proposing a carbon tax so future generations are able to continue to farm the land and provide food security to Australia.

“The Greens would quarantine some of the carbon tax revenue for a land stewardship program to assist farmers who are already working on best practice in tillage, feedstock and water management to address climate change.

“I look forward to the prospect of working with regional and rural communities and taking their voices to Canberra if I am elected to the Senate,” said Ms Rhiannon.

Lee's notes for her speech at the debate

Thanks to Ag Quip for hosting this debate.

We appreciate opportunity to put on the record Greens policies and campaigns that have advanced the interests of regional NSW, and the protection of farming land and associated water resources.

One of the things I value about my years as a Greens NSW MP is the opportunities I have had to travel to regional and rural areas, to meet with community groups and farming communities to support their campaigns to maintain local services and protect the environment.  Support for the Greens has grown in recent years, and part of that growth has been in regional areas. 

In 2004 the NSW Farmers Assoc invited me to join their campaign to save rural rail branch lines and we did have a win, though there is a lot more to do.

Last month I was in Orange with Senator Bob Brown meeting with apple farmers concerned about biosecurity. And as mining spokesperson for the Greens I have had the opportunity to work farmers with whom we share a commitment to protect farming land from coal mining.

The Greens have worked broadly to improve public services – transport, health and education.

Freight on rail is one of our state wide campaigns. We have strongly criticised federal Labor’s transport budget that favours inner city motorways, and favours rail projects that move coal over a modern integrated freight and commuter rail service.

Our work with rural communities on retaining hospital and aged care facilities has also had some wins. When I was in the NSW parliament we worked with the Hunter community at Wallsend and the Riverina community in Carramar to save their aged care facilities. The Nationals supported our action. Wallsend Aged Care is no longer slated for closure.

I mention this as I would ask you to judge the Greens on our record working with rural and regional communities not on what others say about us.

Yes there are areas of difference, but we share many concerns, and public co-operation between farmers and regional communities and the Greens can help deliver solutions.

The Greens approach to farming issues is that Australia needs a food security plan. Men and women on the land should be appropriately rewarded for producing food. Land and water should be treated as strategic resources.

I acknowledge that food security issues are coming onto the agenda of Labor and the Coalition parties but in the main it is about consumers and prices. It has to be about keeping farmers on the land and preserving our agricultural land.

Farmgate prices are often too low. I know sometimes farmers are forced to grow food below the cost of production. And then there are the cheap imports, the result of so called free trade agreements.

The Greens address issues that make it hard for farmers to stay on the land and for young farmers to buy in.  In the Senate, Greens Senator Christine Milne sits on the Regional and Rural Senate Committee.  She campaigns for a better price for the food farmers produce, works to raise consumer awareness of the supermarkets duopoly in Australia and its negative impact on farmers.

There is tremendous support for farmers in our cities and towns. People want fresh, local, seasonal food and they want to support our farmers to produce it.

The Greens recognise that a major problem is that farmers often do not receive a decent return for the food they grow. Fair prices vanish under pressure from cheap overseas imports and the Coles and Woolworths duopoly.

It is tough or impossible to negotiate a decent price when you are up against powerful processors and supermarkets.

We need to change the World Trade Organisation rules that are currently stacked against Australian farmers because farmers in other countries can subsidise their products with low wages and poor environmental standards. It is disappointing that the Nationals in the federal parliament have not joined with the Greens in challenging free trade agreements, a mechanism that dogs farming life every day.

And now the price of land is being driven up by 100 per cent tax deductions for managed investment schemes. These schemes are designed by the city for the city and it is time the government and the opposition parties put in place the required restrictions.

These policies are leading to more foreign interests coming in and buying Australian land and water rights.

It is time the Foreign Investment Review Board actually took an oversight of who's already bought up the land and water because in the long term this is about making sure we grow food for ourselves as well as to export.

We need a national register of foreign purchases of land and water in rural Australia.  It was pleasing to see that when Senator Bob Brown called for this register a few weeks back the Opposition's spokesman on agriculture and food security, John Cobb, backed his call.

There are reports of increased interest from private and institutional investors from UK and US in quality strategic rural properties in NSW. Chinese interests are buying farms at Watermark, the  Qatar Investment Authority  (a Middle East property developer) has purchased $40 million sheep properties in Queensland and Victoria.  In WA an Indian Government backed company is building a fertilizer plant which will send 90% of its production back to India.

Now some say it is ok to allow foreign companies to buy up our land as no one else is interested. I am sure there are many locals interested in buying Australian farms but high land prices make it impossible for many, particularly young farmers.

The Greens think we need to look at a range of ways to assist farmers - low interest rates to enable people to actually start up on the land; and we need long-term leasehold arrangements.

I know some of you also have concerns about the estate tax and I am happy to take questions.

The Greens position on climate change has also been misrepresented. We need to rein in human induced climate change. Failing to deal with this challenge will have enormous impacts and costs on farming communities.

Bringing in policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions does not have to be a cost burden on farming communities.

Surprising that the Nationals have failed to provide leadership by backing renewable energy targets that would bring clean energy to rural areas and provide opportunities for farmers to become even more self sufficient and in many cases provide a means to develop a supplementary income.

A key aspect of the Greens climate change policy is for a planned transition away from a reliance on coal fired power. This is not about closing down coal mines. It is about not opening up new coal mines and switching government support from coal fired power to renewables, energy efficiency and smart grids.

This form of energy delivery holds great potential for rural communities as energy creation and delivery can be decentralised and offers enormous opportunities for farmers to supplement their income.

Our commitment to protecting farms has been well demonstrated in our work in NSW to protect farming land from mining

When the federal Labor government introduced the Water Bill in November 2008 Senator Bob Brown moved amendments that once adopted would have required the protection of aquifers. This held enormous significance for the Breeza Plain and the plans of mining giants to explore for coal. With the support of the Nationals and the Liberals the Greens amendment was passed.

But to our shock the next day Senator Fiona Nash announced that the Nationals had decided they had made a mistake and the amendment was recommitted and the vote was lost with the Nationals receiving support from the Liberals and Labor to overturn this protection. This change of heart was music to the ears of the mining industry. Mitch Hooke from the Australian Minerals Council was reported to have met with Nationals MPs to lobby for this reversal.

Similarly in the NSW parliament we had an opportunity to defeat the Land Access Bill outright if the Nationals had voted with the Greens.

This Bill was one of the last dirty deeds of the former mineral resources minister Ian Macdonald. When the Liverpool Plains farmers won their Supreme Court case to stop coal exploration on the prime agricultural land of the Liverpool Plains, the minister tried to rush through legislation overturning the decision in one day. The Coalition, the Greens and the other cross benchers voted together to stop this push.

We clearly had the numbers to defeat this bill. So it was disappointing that the Nationals worked on a few amendments and then allowed the legislation to pass.

These two examples demonstrate an unsavoury aspect of National Party actions when the interests of their two key constituencies – farmers and miners – they go with the mining multinationals.

Farming land. We can’t afford to lose prime agricultural land to mining and development.

Food security should be a top priority of all governments and protecting farming land is critical.

We are ready to work with Nationals when their policies work for farming communities. When the Greens put up legislation in NSW to protect prime agricultural land we voted together. When we lost that bill by one vote the Nationals said that they would bring forward their own legislation. That bill is now more than six months overdue and I urge the Nationals to bring it forward to the state parliament before the end of the year.

What do Greens bring to the table and the farmgate when we consider issues that impact on the life of farming communities?

We bring a commitment to work with farming groups and other political parties on the critical issues of food security and protection of farming land.

The Greens have representatives in local government and state and federal parliaments already taking up these issues. We will continue to do this. 

And we bring links with city folk who want to break down the divide between city and country. Farmers’ markets are booming across our city suburbs. People want produce that is fresh and seasonal. These people are shocked when they hear that there is no legal protection for farming land. 

There is growing awareness that farmers deserve a fair income, which in some parts of this country is not possible on the land.  The Greens recognise the need for Land Stewardship where farmers are rewarded for sustainable management of land for food and fibre.

What we eat and much of what we wear is entwined with the land. We have to get this relationship right. I think Greens policies can make a significant contribution.

If I become a Senator I will continue to travel into regional and rural NSW, and where we can work together I will take your voices into the federal parliament on key issues like protecting agricultural land and water resources and regional public services.

My time in the NSW parliament has come to an end, but my colleagues will carry on my work.  Jeremy Buckingham is the Greens candidate for the NSW Upper House in the March 2011 state election.  He is a stonemason from Orange, has been the Greens NSW Rural and Regional spokesperson for many years, and he will be a strong voice for farmers and regional NSW.

I thank you again for this opportunity and I hope that you will come away from today with a broader appreciation for the values and the work of the Greens.

Transcript

KERRY O'BRIEN, PRESENTER: When bank receivers moved in and closed down a meatworks at Young, in rural New South Wales, the loss of the area's biggest employer left the town facing an uncertain future.

But locals were shocked still further when they discovered that millions of dollars worth of unsold stock, workers' entitlements and superannuation money had gone missing. Millions more are owed to the abattoir's local suppliers and businesses.

Even so, it might have been just another case of an Australian business going bust leaving behind unanswered questions, unpaid bills and a devastated local community.

But tonight a ‘7:30 Report’ investigation can reveal the confidential and disreputable past, or the secret and disreputable past, of the couple who owned and operated the meatworks. It was a past that if known would have rung loud alarm bells for anyone either working for, or, doing business with the pair.

The revelations also raise serious questions about the role played by one of Australia's biggest banks.

Nick Grimm reports.

PETER FOWLIE, FORMER ABATTOIR WORKER: They went under in a big way, left everybody in the lurch. Left them with nothin’. People are going home and just sittin' there like a stunned mullet.

FEMALE REPORTER, WIN TV NEWS (FEBRUARY): The devastating news that Young's biggest employer has gone into receivership left its 300 workers shaking their heads.

PETER FOWLIE: Everyone expressin’ the same feelin’ as everyone else mate, you know. You know they were basically mongrels for doing what they did, mate.

NICK GRIMM, REPORTER: Young, in south west New South Wales, is still feeling the impact after the town's abattoir abruptly shut down in February throwing more than 300 locals out of work.

MARIA SANDERSON, FORMER ABATTOIR WORKER: It was a real kick in the guts and, yeah, I was walkin' around for a week not knowing what I was gonna do. I was just like a zombie too.

NICK GRIMM: But what's deepened the town shock has been a string of unanswered questions that have emerged in the wake of the collapse; including the disappearance of crucial records.

What do you make of it all?

STUART FREUDENSTEIN, MAYOR, YOUNG SHIRE COUNCIL: Well, it's on the nose, that's for sure. But I, as I said, I hope the authorities get a result.

NICK GRIMM: How did you feel on the day the receivers moved in and shut the abattoir?

GRANT EDMONDS, FORMER ABATTOIR OWNER: Well I still couldn't believe it. I was totally devastated, really.

NICK GRIMM: Now the man who for years was Young's biggest employer is reviled for leaving his workers and the rest of Young in the lurch.

Grant Edmonds owned the abattoir with his girlfriend Kim Noble, who was also the company's financial controller.

GRANT EDMONDS: The situation looked a bit grim but we'd always got out of it in the past. All of a sudden there's a change of attitude, a change of people at the banks, all of a sudden it was like a person non gratis.

NICK GRIMM: But while Grant Edmonds blames his bank for pulling the plug on his business prematurely this list of company creditors shows Burrangong Meat Processors owes money all over town and in a lot of other places too.

MARK OSBOURNE, CREDITOR: Oh, well they hurt a lot of people you know. A lot of people owed money. Not only me, you know, yeah, a hell of a lot of people.

NICK GRIMM: When receivers and a liquidator moved in the search began for assets that could be recovered from the collapsed business to help repay its debts. They discovered that the cupboard was virtually bare.

TIM HEESH, LIQUIDATOR: These are areas that we need to review, in due course, as to determine whether those liabilities were in fact excessive, unrealistic, unreasonable, at the time, or leading up to the time, of the liquidation.

NICK GRIMM: For a start, up to $2 million of workers' entitlements was missing, a debt that has since been passed on to taxpayers because entitlements are guaranteed by the Commonwealth in the event of business collapse.

Employees' superannuation is also missing. In many cases super hadn't been paid in more than a year.

ROSE MOLIN, FORMER ABATTOIR WORKER: For all that money that we've put into, we've worked for all these years, it just gets taken away from us.

NICK GRIMM: Worse still for some employees their voluntary superannuation contributions have also disappeared.

How do you feel about the fact that your employees lost their entitlements and their superannuation?

GRANT EDMONDS: We, we, we ... Not all of them did, and there's only a few of them, not all had it, didn't have, we. We were trying to keep it up to date as we could with the payments and doing our cash flows to keep everything intact and not we were gradually getting them done, getting them paid.

They weren't all not paid. Some were behind, but we were getting them up to date, and with the sale going through there's ample surplus there to clear everybody up to date and have the whole thing done.

NICK GRIMM: I've spoken to people though who say their superannuation hadn't been paid in more than a year.

GRANT EDMONDS: No, that's not true. I don't believe that's true. We never, ever, grant, never not, it was always intended to, you know, be paid and we were working towards that. We had it done, virtually.

NICK GRIMM: But that's not all that's missing from the now quiet abattoir premises.

So as a receiver and a liquidator picked through the entrails of this business, one of the perplexing questions they've been trying to find an answer to is: what happened to millions of dollars worth of meat that were expecting to find hanging up on meat hooks in chiller rooms like this one?

We're told that there should have been enough unsold stock here to have paid out all of the employees' unpaid superannuation entitlements.

MARIA SANDERSON: I had a lot of stock in the actual freezer to be taken out of the blast freezers, everything the next day, and now I know that it just all went and it makes you cranky because, you know, all that hard work's just gone down the tube.

GRANT EDMONDS: Well, I don't believe there's any missing meat at all. I mean, as far as I'm aware, the stock was there and, certainly, I don't believe there was any substantial stock missing.

NICK GRIMM: The answers might have been found in the abattoir's business records but a couple of days before receivers moved in there was a mysterious burglary at the abattoir.

Security cameras turned off and the alarm deactivated. The thief was able to enter and remove computer hard drives containing the business computer records.

TIM HEESH: Clearly it's not what a liquidator wants to see, is that, the removal of essential records just prior to our appointment.

NICK GRIMM: Why would somebody steal those hard drives?

GRANT EDMONDS: I've got no idea, only to do me harm as I can see it, and I've got no idea who would do it.

NICK GRIMM: Certainly there is resentment back in Young that Grant Edmonds and Kim Noble live in a luxurious, two story, penthouse in this apartment building overlooking Sydney Harbour. It's currently listed for sale with an asking price for $3.5 million but Grant Edmonds says he'll end up with nothing once his mortgage is paid out.

GRANT EDMONDS: I risk bankruptcy. I finish up with nothing after 25 years. So, I won't be better off, I won't be living in any flash house, don't worry about that.

NICK GRIMM: The '7:30 Report' understands the apartment is a private asset and there's no suggestion its purchase was funded through the abattoir business.

TIM HEESH: I'm aware of that particular asset. I'm not aware of what might be being done with that particular asset at this point in time and, on the face of it, no, I have no immediate ability to take or receive any of the proceeds from any of the assets of the directors.

NICK GRIMM: Grant Edmonds, would you describe yourself as an honest person?

GRANT EDMONDS: Absolutely.

BRUCE FORD, BANKING ANALYST: My first reaction of hearing of the activities in Young bought a disappointed smile to my face because it didn't surprise me. I thought 'here we go again.'

NICK GRIMM: In their business lives Grant Edmonds and Kim Noble modelled themselves as paragons of financial rectitude and boasted of the experience they'd gained working for the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney.

So it's obviously been a pretty detailed investigation?

BRUCE FORD: It has. You've got 180 pages there of various activities.

NICK GRIMM: Enter Bruce Ford who's build a career around helping people he believes have been ripped off by their banks.

10 years ago he tabled this internal Commonwealth Bank investigation at a Senate inquiry into the banking industry.

BRUCE FORD: The purpose of tabling that document was to identify to the parliament that the Commonwealth Bank had been involved in dishonesty and, you know, to identify and highlight the impact on customers affected by those events.

NICK GRIMM: Can I ask you what your response is to the findings of that report?

GRANT EDMONDS: I don't know what, what the report is about, what is it about?

NICK GRIMM: Do you recognise that report?

GRANT EDMONDS: No, I don't, no.

GE (ACTOR): Thank you.

NICK GRIMM: Back in the mid '80s Grant Edmonds was a 41 year old Commonwealth Bank manager and Kim Noble was a 23 year old bank clerk.

There are few reminders of the small suburban branch at North Auburn in Sydney's west where the pair once worked together. Shut down by the bank years ago it became a rug shop, now even that's gone.

But 25 years ago the North Auburn branch of the Commonwealth Bank was a hive of activity.

It was also the focus of a major internal investigation which described it as 'a branch running out of control' with financial practices described as 'disgraceful.'

LEE RHIANNON, NSW GREENS MLC: Seemed as though it was just operating without any checks and balances.

NICK GRIMM: Do you see any conflict of interest as you have money invested?

GE (ACTOR): Business economics there was no...

NICK GRIMM: According to the CBA's report into the matter the investigation uncovered a series of dodgy accounts an loans many involving companies in which Grant Edmonds held an undeclared personal interest.


Investigators described...

VOICEOVER: An intricate web of transactions with investments by Mr Edmonds in a number of companies, or firms, banking at North Auburn on which unsecured, unreported excesses have been allowed.

The conflict of interest arising is obvious.

GE (ACTOR): Oh, I didn't think there was any case that I did, didn't think there was any conflict of interest.

The 7:30 Report has recreated Grant Edmonds interrogation by bank investigators based on the transcript included in their report. While he rejected acting the corruptly, the investigation found he'd been 'deceptive and dishonest.'. It was, the investigator said,

VOICEOVER: A total abuse of his position and complete abdication of his management responsibilities.

NICK GRIMM: The Commonwealth Bank concluded that you had been falsifying loan applications?

GRANT EDMONDS: That is not true.

NICK GRIMM: Approving risky loans, overvaluing assets.

GRANT EDMONDS: That is not true. It was never proven.

NICK GRIMM: You were complicit in the use of fake company seals.

GRANT EDMONDS: That is a lie, that is an absolute lie and I will guarantee I never used a fake in my life and that is an absolute lie. That is, I know why that came from, it was certainly not me and that is a lie, an absolute lie.

NICK GRIMM: You were forging signatures.

GRANT EDMONDS: That is a lie too.

NICK GRIMM: And that you operated fake bank accounts.

GRANT EDMONDS: That is not true.

BRUCE FORD: Staff were actually instructed to make up the numbers on loan applications and use fictitious amounts on loan applications and omit liabilities on the balance sheets of the application.

NICK GRIMM: Investigators also reported that Kim Noble helped Grant Edmonds to open and use a joint bank account using fake names. They concluded that:

VOICEOVER: ...a case presently exists for prosecution of Miss noble for fraudulent withdrawal of funds

NICK GRIMM: When Grant Edmonds was confronted with evidence he admitted using the account.

(Dramatisation)

INVESTIGATOR 1: Did you sign the withdrawal for $9,000 on the account?

GRANT EDMONDS: I did. I am totally involved.

INVESTIGATOR 2: It is a fictitious account?

GRANT EDMONDS: Yes.

(End dramatisation)

NICK GRIMM: According to the investigation you admitted that you opened a bank account using fictitious names?

GRANT EDMONDS: I don't believe I did.

NICK GRIMM: There is a transcript of an interview with you included in that investigation where you admit that you are operating a bank account opened with fictitious names?

GRANT EDMONDS: I don't believe...if I knew I certainly have no recollection of it now. But that was a long, long time ago. How long ago are we talking about now? 25 years,30 years ago.

NICK GRIMM: The mid '80s, yes,

GRANT EDMONDS: Yeah, 30, oh, you know, I don't believe, if everyone had bank accounts in fictitious names in that day. Now whether I had one or not I don't remember, but, I mean, if I said I did, I probably did, but I mean as far as I'm aware there was nothing in it.

NICK GRIMM: 25 years ago investigators admitted their inquiries had only skimmed the surface but they were confident they had learned enough to justify further action.

This handwritten note of one of the investigators assesses the prospect of the fraud squad taking a close interest in Edmonds if the matter was referred to the police. They also acknowledged the bank could be facing rather large and embarrassing claims of fraud.

BRUCE FORD: I would question whether the Commonwealth Bank referred the activities at the North Auburn branch to the fraud squad and if not why not.

NICK GRIMM: NSW Greens MP Lee Rhiannon has seen a copy of the investigation, she believes the bank had a responsibility to report the goings on at North Auburn to police. But that instead the bank allowed Grant Edmonds to quietly submit this letter of resignation and leave the bank without scandal.

LEE RHIANNON: From what it appears this report by the Commonwealth Bank was buried.

NICK GRIMM: Did the bank take any action against you or Kim Noble?

GRANT EDMONDS: No.

NICK GRIMM: What happened?

GRANT EDMONDS: Nothing. It was a big beat up. It was a big beat up, I'm telling you.

I was running a very successful branch and I got promoted out of that branch and, how many, was I charged? No. Did I lose me pension? No. Did I lose me entitlements? No.

NICK GRIMM: The 7:30 Report requested an interview with a representative of the Commonwealth Bank instead we received this statement.

FEMALE VOICE OVER: The Commonwealth Bank takes very seriously allegations of inappropriate or fraudulent activity.

In the matter of the allegations raised by the '7.30 Report', these occurred 25 years ago. Commonwealth Bank cannot comment on specific staff or ex-staff for privacy and confidentiality reasons.

NICK GRIMM: According to the report Grant Edmonds and Kim Noble didn't leave the bank empty handed.

The CBA investigation also revealed that money that had been channelled through dodgy bank accounts had helped with the purchase of a new business, an abattoir at Young.

LEE RHIANNON: The people of Young have every right to feel quite angry because they've been left high and dry because the Commonwealth Bank didn't take action. So it's understandable that Mr Edmonds and Ms Noble, having worked in the Commonwealth Bank, could go to a country town and boast that they've got good credentials.

NICK GRIMM: The question now for Young is: does it want Grant Edmonds and Kim Noble back again?

When the 7:30 Report spoke to Grant Edmonds he confirmed that he's trying to buy the abattoir back from a receiver who's reluctant to accept his offer.

What's your understanding? Does the receiver have to sell the abattoir to you if you're the highest bidder?

GRANT EDMONDS: I believe so. I believe that's the law.

NICK GRIMM: If he's successful, Grant Edmonds would regain control of the business, free of his collapsed company's multimillion dollar debts to the bank, other creditors and to former staff.

So, would the abattoir's former owner be welcomed back in town?

STUART FREUDENSTEIN: I prefer to answer that by saying that I'm hopeful that a new owner will take it on, be more community minded.

PETER FOWLIE: The whole affair was kind of seedy. I mean, just all of the cloak and dagger business behind the whole affair just, you know, it's just poor form. You've got so many people livelihoods at stake.

Just gotta keep goin'. It's happened whether we like it or not so, in a way, we've just gotta cop it on the chin and just, yeah, keep goin'.

"These heritage projects will create jobs and help safeguard many key heritage sites," Ms Rhiannon said.  

"The $13.7 million for NSW is part of the $400m local green jobs package that the Greens senators successfully negotiated with the
federal government.

"It was put forward as a way to improve the $42 billion stimulus package.

"These job rich heritage projects will mean a lot to regional and
rural NSW as well as many Sydney communities," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information – 0427 861 568

Funding for New South Wales heritage projects

Alstonville Community Research Centre
Alstonville, NSW
$181,818
Repairs to community research centre and construction of an archive building.

Blacktown CBD Heritage Trail
Blacktown, NSW
$90,220
Promote the history of Blacktown CBD through interpretive signs.

Boys' Town Heritage Butchery and Bakery Buildings Restoration
Engadine, NSW
$150,000
Refurbishment of two heritage buildings and repairs to a third
historic building.

Broken Hill Rabbi Residential Renewal
Broken Hill, NSW
$62,000
Restoration and repair of the Rabbi's residence of the old Broken Hill
Synagogue.

Camden Aerodrome History Hut
Camden, NSW
$71,500
Restoration and preservation of barracks on Camden Airport.

Carcoar Court House Conservation
Carcoar, NSW
$198,100
Preservation work at Carcoar Court House.

Carisbrook House Repointing of external stonework and painting
Lane Cove, NSW
$44,857
Repointing of stonework at Carisbrook House.

Conserve the Stone Icons of Rylstone
Rylstone, NSW
$397,000
Conservation of: c1871 Bridge View Inn complex; 1875 Catholic Church;
1858 Anglican Church; and 1884 Uniting Church; including roofing
repairs, guttering, improving drainage, replacing deteriorated stones
and mortar, improving ventilation, removing termite damage, improving
toilet facilities, enhancing disabled access, and installing
interpretative signage.

Coonamble Railway Station Restoration
Coonamble, NSW
$131,045
Protection and conservation of Coonamble Railway Station building.

Cootamundra Early Lebanese Graves Conservation Project
Cootamundra, NSW
$50,000
Conservation and landscaping works on 13 grave sites of early Lebanese
and Syrian immigrants at Cootamundra cemetery.

Everglades Garden Stage 2 – Creating an Interactive Venue and Destination
Leura, NSW
$1,385,000
Improve and upgrade the property’s facilities including conservation
works on the significant gardens and buildings, establishing a new
visitor entry facility, and providing improved onsite café/restaurant
facilities incorporating new visitor amenities.

Forbes Historical Society
Forbes, NSW
$56,241
Repair and renovation work at Museum.

Ganmain and Ardlethan Community Halls Improvements Project
Ganmain, Ardlethan, NSW
$89,701
Conservation work at Ganmain and Ardlethan community Hall.

Gondwana Rainforest of Australia: Green Cauldron Walking Tracks
Richmond, NSW
$917,200
Improvement of walking tracks within the national park, improving
public accessibility and the protection of natural and cultural
heritage.

Gore Hill Summer House & Robing Room Restoration
Gore Hill, NSW
$54,000
Restoration, repair on Summer House and Robing Room.

Great North Road Conservation – Ramsay’s Leap and Thompson’s Bridge
Bucketty/Laguna, NSW
$779,000
Conservation of the major convict built structures on the central
section of the Great North Road to prevent further deterioration due
to traffic loading and vegetation build-up.

Gundagai Gaol Restoration
Gundagai, NSW
$90,909
Restoration and preservation of the Old Gundagai Gaol Complex.

Gunning Courthouse Restoration
Gunning, NSW
$88,579
Repairs and restoration work to the Gunning Court House.

Henry Lawson Museum
Gulgong/Mudgee, NSW
$86,818
Improvements to access, including disabled, and display area.

Laurieton School Of Arts Research Facility and Museum Display
Laurieton, NSW
$32,559
Enhance research facilities and display ability of Camden Haven
Historical Society's Museum.

McLeay Valley Arts Centre Oldfellows Hall Restoration
West Kempsey, NSW
$50,000
Repairs and restoration of Old Fellows Hall.

Millhorpe Good Remplar's Hall Conservation
Millthorpe, NSW
$21,240
Repainting the heritage building.

Mitchell House, St Mary's Towers Conservation of the Stonework
Douglas Park, NSW
$86,364
Stone conservation works.

Molong Museum Building
Molong, NSW
$74,545
Repair work at Molong Museum, including some structural repairs.

Moruya Museum Upgrade
Moruya/Bateman's Bay, NSW
$83,103
Repairs and improvements to upgrade the working and display facilities
of the museum.

Moruya Quarry Precinct Granite Lathe Relocation
Moruya, NSW
$35,909
Re-location (from Parkes) of a granite lathe including the
reconstruction of the existing structure that houses the lathe.

Northern Rivers Conservatorium Arts Centre Root Barrier Construction
Lismore, NSW
$91,907
Building of trench barrier around building to protect against soil
subsidence caused by tree roots.

Nutcote Museum (May Gibb's House)
Neutral Bay, NSW
$45,455
Painting and external repairs.

Old Glen Innes Hospital Land of the Beardies History House Museum Roof Renewal
Glen Innes, NSW
$93,450
Reroofing of the museum building which is the original Glen Innes Hospital.

Old Hawkesbury Hospital Morgue Conservation and Interpretation
Windsor, NSW
$200,000
Restore the fabric of the building and interpret the history of the
hospital and morgue.

Old Military Hospital and Fort Street School Site Conservation and Refurbishment
Sydney, NSW
$1,200,000
Conservation and refurbishment works including sandstone, timberwork
and brickwork, addressing deficiencies in interpretation and
way-finding of the precinct, as well as upgrading and streamlining the
entrances, offices and function spaces to better utilise and interpret
these spaces.

Pardy's Mill Veranda Restoration
Temora, NSW
$22,727
Rebuilding of veranda to Pardy's Mill.

Quaama Hall Restoration
Quaama, NSW
$56,500
Restoration of Quaama Hall.

Queanbeyan Heritage Buildings Replacement of Asbestos Roof Tiles
Queanbeyan, NSW
$95,270
Replace the asbestos roof tiles at the Former Fire Station (now the
Queanbeyan Visitors Centre).

Queanbeyan Museum Interpretation, Adaptation and Protection Works
Queanbeyan, NSW
$49,585
Conservation, adaptation and interpretive work Old Police Sergeants
Residence which houses the Queanbeyan Historical Museum.

RAHS Refurbishment of Auditorium and Related Works
Sydney, NSW
$150,591
Refurbishment of auditorium and related work.

Ramsay Graveyard and Vault Restoration
Haberfield, NSW
$20,839
Restoration and repairs to the Ramsay Graveyard and Vault.

Richmond Villa -Landscaping Improvement
Campbelltown, NSW
$73,000
Landscaping works to improve the presentation of the heritage site.

Sandstone Wall Restoration
Merriwa, NSW
$53,823
Rebuild the stand stone wall supporting the veranda.

Singleton Showground Pavilion
Singleton, NSW
$56,591
Restoration of sheep/poultry pavilion (1868).

Stage 1 Upgrade to the Historic Audley Precinct in Royal National Park
Audley, NSW
$1,000,000
Upgrading the precinct’s roads, car parks, toilets picnic shelters,
barbeque facilities, signage, boat and bicycle leasing facilities,
pedestrian linkages and access, prepare and implement the
interpretation strategy, and re-use and refurbish the Audley Dance
Hall to provide an improved kiosk/café facility and a visitor centre.

St Francis Xavier Catholic Church Berrima Conservation, Restoration and Repair
Berrima, NSW
$106,200
Repairs to stonework and landscaping to improve building conservation
and presentation.

St George Anglican Church Hall, Stanwell Park Conservation,
Restoration and Protection
Stanwell Park, NSW
$50,455
Replacement of roof, internal wall and installation of disabled access.

St Jerome's Caldor Conservation Works
Camden, NSW
$32,727
Conservation work on St Jerome's Anglican Church including Cawdor Hall.

St John's Camden Conservation Works
Camden, NSW
$114,545
Conservation work on St John's Anglican Church hall at Camden.

St Luke's Anglican Church, Brownsville Repointing Brickwork
Brownsville, NSW
$42,781
Repointing of brickwork and repairs to roof leaks.

St Mary's Maitland Building Stabilisation
Maitland, NSW
$183,095
Remedial work to stabilise St Mary's Church - extensive rising damp
and other water entry within the fabric of the building.

St Peter's Cemetery Fence
Campbelltown, NSW
$44,068
Installation of new fencing at historic site to improve security and
presentation.

St Stephens Newtown Restoration of Spire Stonework
Newtown, NSW
$582,000
Restoration of the stonework of the spire.

Walgett Museum Redevelopment Project
Walgett, NSW
76,741
Restoration and conservation of Walgett Museum.

Wentworth Falls Holy Trinity Church Repainting and Upgrade of Car park
Wentworth Falls, NSW
$47,374
Repaint and repair hall and building incorporating original church.

Wesleyan Chapel Restoration and Beautification
Wiseman's Ferry, NSW
$25,388
Restoration of damaged stonework at Wesleyan chapel.

West Wing of Former Governor Macquarie’s Female Orphan School
Conservation and Adaptation
Parramatta, NSW
$909,000
Repair and restoration work including: removal of lead-based paint and
repainting; floor repairs; masonry wall repairs; restoration of
plasterwork; and provision of electrical and fire services.

Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area Human Fossil Trackway Interpretation
NSW
$852,700
Development and installation of an interactive interpretation of
Willandra Lakes World Heritage Values.

Wilcannia Council Chambers Conservation and Adaptation
Wilcannia
$464,136
Conservation for the heritage Council’s Chambers building including
render repairs, re-guttering, structural repairs to the veranda,
cleaning and re-pointing of stonework, repainting, repairing wall
cracks, installation of air conditioning, recarpeting, and roof and
ceiling repairs.

Wollombi Courthouse
Wollombi, NSW
$31,250
Repointing of stonework and rewiring.

Wongalea School - Repair and Restoration
Parkes, NSW
$27,500
Repair and restoration of Wongalea School.

1870 Wolter's Cottages, Privy and Gardens Conservation and Interpretation
Tumbarumba, NSW
$105,000
Conservation of the Cottage, Kitchen and Privy buildings.

Historic Cemeteries of the Macquarie Towns Conservation
Windsor
$183,000
Conservation work undertaken on Wilberforce cemetery.

Maitland Gaol Façade Conservation, Barracks Adaptive Reuse and
Interpretation Project
Maitland
$190,000
Restorative repair work on the Main Entrance Façade of Maitland Gaol.

Painting of Three Heritage Buildings Newcastle
Newcastle
$200,000
Painting and conservation works to the former Newcastle Police
lock-up, the former Newcastle Telegraph Office (former CIB) and the
former Public Works Office (and former Newcastle Post Office).

St John’s Cathedral Complex Repair Work
Parramatta
$200,000
Repair and conservation work at St John’s Cathedral Complex, including
prevention of water damage and salt damp conservation work.

Roxy Café Restoration
Bingara
$750,000
Renovation of the original Greek art Deco café and the exiting
kitchen; relocation of the Bingara Tourist Information Centre to an
adjoining shop within the complex; and restoration of the art deco
shopfront/

"The Government is spending up big on new infrastructure projects, but

many projects are not what NSW needs," said Ms Rhiannon.

"The budget papers are opaque, and lack specific details of new

spending initiatives across regional NSW.

"New health spending is encouraging, but is directed at maintaining

current infrastructure, and has fallen short of meeting the future

health needs of our aging population.     

"In the coming years the number of residents over 60 years of age

living in the Greater Western area health service will rise

dramatically, yet there is no new infrastructure money to build

dedicated aged care facilities.

"The Government is planning to move small rural and regional hospitals

into multi-purpose service facilities to attract federal aged care

subsidies.

"But the Government should be allocating funds to build smaller

dedicated aged care facilities in rural towns so that aged people can

remain close to their family and friends.  

"Once again improved regional dental services have failed to feature in

the budget.

"Regional rail and public transport infrastructure spending barely

rates a mention, compared to the $2 billion of new public transport

infrastructure projects announced for Sydney's greater metropolitan

area, such as $580 million for the new Sydney Metro.

"There is $323 million to operate regional bus services across NSW, but

the lion's share of the $207 million for new buses is earmarked for

Sydney metropolitan services.

"The budget contains many expensive measures that will not deliver jobs

in rural and regional NSW.  The $15.7 billion energy plan will only

deliver 3,700 jobs and big ticket projects such as the Tillegra Dam

deliver only one job for every $1.7 million spent.

"The Greens plan to create new regional manufacturing jobs in public

transport and energy efficiency industries would have delivered many

times this number of jobs.

"The Rees Government should have used this year's budget to create

regional employment, deliver services and strengthen our economy," Ms

Rhiannon said.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

"The Rees government has effectively let the fox into our farmhouse, offering no protection for farmers or the rich soils which form NSW's food bowl," Ms Rhiannon said.

Ms Rhiannon's federal colleague, Greens Leader Bob Brown, is today moving in the Senate for the federal government to use its powers to stop mining exploration in the area until an independent water study is conducted (release and motion below).

"The act of China Shenhua buying up land suggests the company has been given the inside nod from the NSW government that mining approval will be granted.

"This purchasing of land underlines why the Greens bill to protect prime agricultural land from mining, voted down two weeks ago by Labor, Fred Nile and the Shooters Party, was necessary.

"The purchasing power of China Shenhua leaves the interests of local farmers in the dust.

"This company not only has massive interests in mining but also operates railways, ports and power plants," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information: 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

"This vote will not kill off the campaign to protect our best food-producing land. Local farming communities and the Greens will now redouble our efforts to protect these rich, productive soils from mining," Ms Rhiannon said.

The Safeguarding Agricultural Land and Water from Mining Bill aims to protect prime agricultural land, and the rivers and aquifers that feed that land, from mining.

"Amid fiery debate between MPs, around thirty farmers walked out of the public gallery, shouting 'Shame! Shame!' while Reverend Nile was speaking. They were responding to claims by Rev Nile that farmers have been duped by the Greens.

"The government today missed the opportunity to recognise that the best food-producing land in NSW is a public asset that should be preserved for the future by law.

"Protecting prime farming land is critical because the world is facing the prospect of increasing food insecurity and decreasing harvests as a result of climate change.  

"The road block to quarantining valuable agriculture land from mining is the NSW government which has been captured by the mining industry.

"The government pocketed $99 million from BHP Billiton and $300 million from China Shenhua to explore the Liverpool Plains areas.

"Windfalls from mining have blinded the government to the big picture issues of food security and climate change.  

"The NSW Shooters Party also deserted farmers today to support the government in opposing this bill. Only yesterday the government allowed the Shooters to introduce their private members bill to expand hunting in NSW.

"Was this a deal? We will never know," Ms Rhiannon said.

For more information - Greens MP Lee Rhiannon 9230 3551, 0427 861 568

Visit http://www.miningdirt.org.au/ for a rundown on the Greens' campaign.