Parliamentary Report 16: February - April 2002

Lee Rhiannon, Greens MLC
Parliament House
Macquarie Street
SYDNEY NSW 2OOO
Ph: 9230 3551 Fax: 9230 3550
Email: lee.rhiannon@parliament.nsw.gov.au

HIGHLIGHTS SINCE THE LAST SDC

If you would like to discuss any aspect of this report with me prior to the SDC please contact me - phone and email details above.
ALP responds to Greens demands on political party donations
After years of campaigning for reform of the laws governing donations to political parties, the Greens scored a major victory this week when the ALP announced they will back restrictions on corporate donations. This issue came to a head after it was revealed that the NSW Labor Cabinet was organising a $3300 a head dinner for their corporate friends. The Greens received considerable media coverage when we revealed how these type of events allow parties to launder donations. Under federal legislation donations over $1500 must be declared, but dinners and other fund raising events fall in a murky area that the big parties have been exploiting. The week culminated in a protest of Greens, Wilderness Society and Animal Welfare activists at what the ALP were calling an "intimate dinner". After a week of bad publicity and guests being outed by journalists as they arrived ALP NSW Secretary Eric Roozendaal conceded that large donations from companies could create a perception that corporate power brokers were buying political influence.

Major parties spring clean for 2003 election

On Macquarie Street the state election campaign has begun with the major parties going in for a bit of spring-cleaning. The Liberal's change of leadership and the quick exit of the Police Commissioner Ryan had the similar intention of telling the electorate that both majors have fresh teams to take on the 2003 election. But as I travel around NSW the feeling amongst much of the electorate is similar to what it was coming into the federal election. People are looking for integrity in politics and are recognising that the Greens Party does stand by their beliefs and policies. The coming year will be crucial for the Greens - we need to ensure we have a team for the state elections that can strengthen the enormous goodwill that we have generated in the past months.

International Peace Mission - investigates US war on terror

At the end of March I was invited to join an International Peace Mission, organised by a number of Philippine groups, to investigate the plans of the US administration to open up a second front against the war on terror in that country. The US has about 1000 troops on Mindinao and Basilan, the base of the Abu Sayyaf group that the Bush administration has accused of having links to the Al Qaeda. Our Mission found strong evidence that the Philippine military is committing human rights violations, including numerous cases of arrest without warrants, imprisonment of minors and a pregnant woman, and allegations of extrajudicial execution and of torture via electric shock. These cases need to be fully investigated and the perpetrators punished. Philippine government sources said there was no evidence of collaboration between Al Qaeda and the Abu Sayyaf beyond 1995. The Mission condemned the atrocities committed by the Abu Sayyaf. Mission members became increasingly concerned that escalated US deployment, under cover of training, is creating an infringement of sovereignty and that the US could be planning a long-term presence in the Philippines as a way to dominate the Asia-Pacific region.

IN PARLIAMENT

Since the last SDC parliament has sat nine days. The government's legislative program is quite lacklustre at the moment. But there are still lots of controversy around.

Parliament home to the homeless

I have been meeting regularly with some of the homeless who bed down each evening under parliament's balconies. About a month ago parliamentary staff were ordered to make changes to the gardens and lighting arrangements. While the authorities denied any ill intent a number of the homeless people clearly thought the agenda was to move them on. Although their numbers are down as a result of the changes, the homeless people are still there. I have now met with the presiding officers of the Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly and the Manager of Building Services to ensure that homeless people are not displaced and the area can be made safe for pedestrians.

Game Bill looking shaky

After months of protests and lobbying the Game Bill is still being held at bay. This obnoxious piece of legislation that will legalise gross forms of animal cruelty to wild animals. Greens, animal welfare and environment groups and growing numbers of concerned people have unleashed their voices of concern on a Labor government that is more intent on delivering for the shooting lobby rather than working for the environment and animal protection. It is hard to believe that it was the Carr government that ended duck shooting when it was first elected in the mid 1990s.

Treasurer dodges question on Labor homophobia

I have the Treasurer two questions about how the ALP is playing conservative "wedge" politics in rural areas on gay issues. The leader of Country Labor, Tony Kelly, has put out a media release highlighting the new leader of the Opposition John Brogden's support for equal age of consent for gay males, and information on this issue has been faxed out from ALP offices to rural and regional media outlets across NSW. With the Treasurer unable to give a straight answer on this question the ALP clearly wants to parade to the pink vote in Sydney but use reactionary agenda outside of this city.

Drink Container Deposits - campaign donations before jobs & the environment

Our office has been working closely with the Waste Crisis Network to pressure the State Government to mandate 10-cent refundable deposits on all beverage containers sold in NSW. Public release of the Institute for Sustainable Futures report on Container Deposit Legislation (CDL) was secured after the Greens threatened to subpoena it using the Legislative Council standing orders. The report conclusively establishes the massive economic, environmental and employment benefits of CDL, yet the state government, which receives huge campaign donations from beverage manufacturers and other opponents of CDL, continues to stone wall. Our office met with the Environment Minister's advisers and will now work to take the campaign Australia-wide.

New Education Minister looses gloss - cave in to wealthy private school lobby

The long awaited Grimshaw Review into the funding and regulation of private schools was partly released to howls of derision from parents, teachers and the Greens. Not only was the report on funding issues conveniently withheld due to a supposed lack of data but also the accountability models proposed in the report are a farce. Minister Watkins' "nice guy" reputation has now been badly tarnished. Our office will continue to campaign for an end to the funding for the wealthy elite private schools and for genuine accountability for all private schools.

Greens and unions take on Labor over workers compensation

After the capitulation to the insurance industry and employers by the Carr government last year when it decided that injured workers would be better off with smaller settlements, we decided to try to remove some of the worst aspects of the government's workers' compensation scheme. In parliament we moved to stop two regulations - one makes it nearly impossible for workers who suffer a psychological injury from gaining fair compensation, and the other caps legal fees at a level that would effectively eliminate lawyers from taking on most cases. We lost both but the Labor government certainly felt the heat.

For more details on any of these bills (including copies of amendments or transcripts of debate) ring The Greens parliamentary office or check out the parliament's website at www.parliament.nsw.gov.au

MEDIA SUMMARY - February 24 to April 12 2002

Issue Outlet Date Origin
TV
RFA impact in NSW Prime TV - News 15 March release
Prison promotions inquiry ABC TV news 22 March media conference
Inter Peace Mission Channel NewsAsia 31 March elisia yeo arranged
Lucas Heights ABC TV - News (late) 5 April rally
Workers Comp ABC TV - News 8 April press conference

RADIO
Greens SDC meeting ABC Wollongong - News 25 Feb local release
Governor General Nova 96.9 - News 26 Feb release
Governor General 2SM - Drive 26 Feb release
Mogo charcoal plant ABC Sth East Bfast show 27 Feb rally/prior coverage
Privatising schools 2BL - News 2 March release
International Women's Day SBS Radio - Greek 7 March event
Phuong Ngo meeting 2UE - News 7 March event
Land clearing 2WEB - morning show 11 March issue coverage
Game Bill 2BL - News 12 March TEC release
Ancient Forests Charter Triple J - News 13 March Greenpeace release
Ancient Forests Charter ABC Radio - News 13 March Greenpeace release
Game Bill 2SER C'AFFS 18 March launch
Game Bill Nova 96.9 - News 19 March release
Game Bill 2BL - News 19 March release
Game Bill 2GB - News 20 March release
Game Bill 2WS - News 20 March release
Game Bill Newcastle FM - News 20 March release
Inter Peace Mission ABC - Morning AM 27 March release
Inter Peace Mission Radio Australia 27 March release
Inter Peace Mission Radio Singapore Internat 31 March arranged by elisia yeo
Basilan 2SER C'AFFS 4 April? release
Hand guns 2DAY/Triple M - News 4 April release
Political donations 2BL - News 7 April release off article
Political donations 2SM - News 7 April release off article
Political donations 2UE - News 7 April release off article
Political donations 2GB - News 7 April release off article
Political donations 2SER C'AFFS 7 April release off article
Resignation of Police Comm 2WS - News 9 April release

PRINT MEDIA
Political donations Telegraph 12 April interview
Political donations Financial Review 12 April release
PRINT MEDIA cont
Developer bribe Manly Daily 12 April hansard
Developer bribe Telegraph 11 April hansard
Schools inquiry Sydney Morning Herald 11 April release
Political donations Telegraph on line 10 April release
Political donations Australian on line 10 April release
Workers compensation Telegraph 10 April release
Workers compensation Sydney Morning Herald 9 April release
Political donations Sun Herald 7 April interview
Workers compensation SMH on line 5 April release
Nuclear reactor SMH on line 5 April release
Charcoal plant Telegraph 4 April AAP
Liberal leadership Sydney Morning Herald 29 March release
Liberal leadership Australian 26 March release
Exhaust option Sydney Morning Herald 25 March commentary
Game Bill Telegraph 23 March letter
Homeless at parliament Sydney Morning Herald 22 March release
MP freebies Telegraph 21 March interview
Game Bill Telegraph 21 March -
Game Bill Telegraph 20 march release
Police tests Sun Herald 17 march commentary
Coalition power play Newcastle Herald 15 march hansard
Hornsby by-election Sun Herald 24 February -

SPOKE AT THE FOLLOWING EVENTS

(Note - number of events attended down on previous reports as Lee Rhiannon was away in the Philippines as part of the International Peace Mission)

· Protest against south coast charcoal plant - parliament house
· International Women Day - Greek Community Lakemba
· Launch of Greenpeace's Ancient Forest Charter
· Concert for Palestinian Human Rights - Marrickville
· Briefing by Tahmeena Fayal, from RAWA Revolutionary Association of Women of Afghanistan
· Protest at Lucas heights nuclear reactor

SOME EVENTS ATTENDED

· Warringah Council Citizenship Ceremony
· Chilout - Children Out of Detention Centres meeting
· Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
· Meeting with Brazilian Landless Workers' Movement
· rally protesting south coast charcoal plant

MEMBER OF FOLLOWING COMMITTEES, COUNCILS ETC

· Inquiry into Policing in Cabramatta (General Purpose Standing Comm - Legislative Council)
· General Purpose Standing Committee No 4 - reviewing police, industrial relations, attorney general and fair trading
· Inquiry into Senior Appointments in the Dept of Corrective Services
· Advisory Committee of the Global Concerns Research Centre (providing in-depth research on asylum seeker and refugee topics)
· Council of University of NSW
· President of the Vegan Society
· Board of the Australian Mekong Committee, Sydney University
· Steering Committee of UNSW Ecoliving Program

CONTACT WITH OUR OFFICE

Ph 9230-3551 Fax 9230-3550

John Kaye - policy adviser john.kaye@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Andrew Burke - legal adviser andrew.burke@parliament.nsw.gov.au
Dan Cass - outreach coordinator and media dan.cass@parliament.nsw.gov.au

If you have trouble reaching our office by phone we apologise. We endeavour to answer all phone calls within two days and all correspondence within two weeks. Our workload continues to increase so we very much appreciate the assistance we are receiving from a number of volunteers to manage the inquiries that we receive.

E-BRIEF

We produce a regular email bulletin providing information on our work in Parliament, a summary of Greens media, "what's on", and juicy bits of information. It's a great way to keep up to date on Greens events and views. To subscribe email to lee.rhiannon@parliament.nsw.gov.au with "E-Brief subscribe" as the subject.