In Their Own Words (Political)

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Friday June 24, 2005

Baker to push for clearly visible and uniform country of origin food labelling

To protect the right of consumers to make informed choices, all produce sold in Australia should be required to have clearly visible and uniform country of origin labelling, the Federal Member for Braddon, Mark Baker MP, said today.

At the same time, Mr Baker said it needed to be recognised that the state and territory governments are responsible for enforcing existing labelling laws but are failing to do so.

Mr Baker said he shared the view with many in the community who believe that they should not have to look at the fine print of a packet of frozen peas to see where they were grown.

“Australians should be readily able to tell whether the produce they are buying is locally grown or imported,” he said.

“While there is a temporary standard in place requiring country of origin labelling, I am of the view that we need a uniform standard across Australia for food labelling to ensure consumers can clearly identify where a product was grown.

“I am proud to say that the Australian Government has ruled out supporting a recommendation to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) that the existing temporary standards be watered down.

“I believe the community would expect that we go one step further, however, and set in stone guidelines requiring prominent country of origin labelling on locally grown and imported produce.

“There would need to be consultation with farmers, industry, and consumer groups before determining the format of any mandatory labelling, but, in principle, country of origin labelling should be clearly visible and uniform across Australia and across brands.

“And I do not see, for example, why such guidelines could not also apply to the packaging of McDonalds’ French fries.”

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Mr Baker said he intended to pursue the issue with his Parliamentary colleagues, particularly the chair of FSANZ, the Hon. Christopher Pyne, Tasmanian Liberal Senator and the Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry, the Hon. Richard Colbeck, and relevant Government Ministers.

“It remains the responsibility of the state and territory governments to enforce existing food labelling laws – a role in which the Tasmanian Labor Government is certainly failing,” he said.

“The Lennon Government needs to demonstrate to Tasmanian producers that it is serious about enforcing the existing laws for their protection.

“While the Australian Government has been working hard to assist Tasmania’s vital primary industries, we need more than lip-service from the State Labor Government.”

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Nick McKim MHA

Friday, 24 JUNE 2005
HUTCHINS GOES PLASTIC BAG FREE
Students Lead the Way in Calico Bag Initiative
The Tasmanian Greens today congratulated the students and staff of the Hutchins School for declaring Hutchins a Plastic Bag Free Zone, and for designing and producing a calico bag to replace plastic bags on school grounds.
Greens Opposition Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MHA said that SRC Environment Portfolio holders Hamish Saul and James Hume had conceived of the initiative, utilising designs by year 2 student Thomas Sonneveld and year 6 student Nicholas de Lacey, based on the theme “Hutchins: we care”.
“This is a fantastic example of a school showing leadership on an issue which is of concern to the broader community,” Mr McKim said.
“This exciting initiative has been driven by students who have demonstrated a willingness to work hard to make a positive difference to their environment and their community.”
“Congratulations must be extended to Senior students Hamish and James, as well as design winners, Thomas and Nicholas, for transforming a great idea into practical action.”
“It’s great that young Tasmanians are showing leadership by taking action to solve waste problems, as future generations will unfortunately be left to tidy up the mess we are making today.”
“Supporting the students’ initiative supports minimising waste and supports the environment.”
“Coles Bay became the first town in Australia to ban plastic bags which has been welcomed widely amongst the community.”

Mr McKim said that Australia uses 6 billion plastic shopping bags every year, with only 1% being re-used by Australian households.
“Plastic bags are lethal to whales, birds and turtles, with over 100 000 of these creatures killed worldwide by plastic bags every year.”
Mr McKim took the opportunity to place an order for a number of calico bags, and encouraged other schools to follow the example set by schools like Hutchins and the Tasman District School, which launched its own calico bag initiative in 2003.
“I urge any Hutchins family, and also the broader community, to get in behind this great initiative, reject that next plastic bag and instead purchase a calico bag produced by the student body.”
“This is the type of leadership and commitment from younger Tasmanians which must be encouraged, and I look forward to the results of the current Hutchins school wheelie bin design competition which seeks to draw attention to the problem of litter and appropriate waste disposal,” Mr McKim said.
Background Information to the Hutchins School Plastic Bag Free Zone Initiative
• The concept originated with 2 Senior Students of the Student Representative Committee (SRC): Hamish Saul and James Hume, who hold the Environment portfolio.
• The impetus behind the students idea to go plastic bag free is that plastic bags are used widely on the school campus for sport, carrying library books & lunches.
• Boys were then offered the chance to design a logo for the school’s calico bag on the theme “Hutchins, we care”. Every boy in the Junior and Early Learning section of the school entered a design from which 2 were selected: Thomas Sonneveld from Year 2, and Nicholas de Lacey from year 6.
• The idea is to cover the costs of the calico bag but not make a profit. Approximately half of the printed calico bags have already been sold, but the School is now calling on families to help support the Students’ initiative.
• The staff co-ordinator assisting the students is Ms Trish Knight, contactable at The Hutchins School on 6221 4200.
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JEREMY ROCKLIFF, MHA
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment
Friday June 24, 2005

Is the State Government enforcing country of origin labelling laws?

Shadow Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff today called on the State Labor Government to explain what action it is taking to ensure food labelling laws are being adhered to in Tasmania.

Unpackaged imported foods, such as imported fruit and vegetables, must be clearly identified as imported under current Australian laws. Responsibility for policing and enforcing these laws lies within the jurisdiction of the States.

Mr Rockliff said that in light of current community concerns surrounding cheap fruit and vegetable imports, the Lennon Labor Government should have stepped up its policing of these laws.

“The State Labor Government should explain whether it has taken any additional action to increase enforcement of country of origin labelling laws in Tasmania in recent months, and whether any breaches have been detected,” Mr Rockliff said.

“If no additional checks by Consumer Affairs or other relevant departments have been instigated, the State Labor Government should explain why not.

“And the Lennon Government should come clean on whether any prosecutions have occurred where breaches have been detected.

“Given the crisis facing the Tasmanian vegetable industry, and the heightened community concerns surrounding imported produce, it is paramount that existing country of origin labelling laws are enforced.

“Tasmanians would be appalled if State Labor Government incompetence resulted in another fiasco like that involving imported salmon where serious breaches of State laws were detected, but no prosecutions resulted.”

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Peter Gutwein, MHA
Shadow Minister for Police & Public Safety
Friday June 24, 2005

Lennon Government must release
details of other speed camera errors

Shadow Minister for Police & Public Safety, Peter Gutwein, today called on the Lennon Labor Government to disclose full details of any other speed camera errors and subsequent investigations, following the full admission by police of 214 drivers being improperly fined by a speed camera operating on the Bass Highway in May.

Mr Gutwein said that the public had completely lost confidence in the State Labor Government’s attitude to road safety and enforcement believing that its major focus was on revenue raising through speed cameras rather than sensible road safety policies to make our roads safer.

“Yesterday’s admission by police that the Bass Highway speed camera had improperly fined 214 drivers over three separate days appears to demonstrate that revenue raising comes before sensible enforcement of road rules,” Mr Gutwein said.

“However, it seems that the State Labor Government attempted to keep this speed camera mistake secret before being shamed by the State Liberals into making an admission yesterday.

“Not surprisingly, this admission of speed camera errors is not the first time that the State Labor Government has got it wrong on speed cameras.

“Earlier this year, admissions of problems in the identification of licence plate numbers were revealed, whilst last year Tasmanians were outraged by the placement of multiple speed cameras on the same street and others being placed on downhill slopes.

“Police Minister, David Llewellyn, must today release details of any other speed camera errors that he or the police are aware of, rather than hiding behind a veil of secrecy and losing the public’s confidence.

“Quite simply, this State Labor Government has become addicted to speed camera revenue.

“The State Liberals and the general community aren’t opposed to the sensible operation of speed cameras and believe that they are one element of improving road safety in Tasmania. But they should not be seen as a way of this State Labor Government filling up its coffers.

“I would point Minister Llewellyn to the State Liberals’ policy of making speed camera placement more accountable so that it focuses more on road safety rather than revenue raising.

“And as a further measure of gaining public confidence and support, Minister Llewellyn should follow the State Liberals’ policy lead and direct every cent raised from speed camera revenue to road safety initiatives,” Mr Gutwein said.

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SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
Friday June 24, 2005

Shameful treatment of health worker must be investigated: Little wonder vacancies are rife in health if this case is anything to go by

Shadow Health Minister Sue Napier today slammed the State Labor Government over its shameful treatment of a health department employee, and said it was little wonder there was such a high vacancy rate in health if this was the way workers were treated.

Mrs Napier said she was at a loss to understand how the State Labor Government could possibly condone the way former disability services worker Leon King was treated before he resigned two weeks ago.

“I hear some pretty disturbing stories about the way the health department operates under this incompetent Lennon Labor Government, but this one really goes beyong the pale,” Mrs Napier said.

“If this case is symptomatic of the way workers at the coalface of the public health system are treated, it is no wonder we have such an appalling rate of vacancies.”

Two years ago, Mr King was redeployed to patient transport services at the Launceston General Hospital, because he had just lost a kidney to cancer and was unable to continue his work in Disability Services where he had been employed for the previous three years on a full-time permanent basis.

This was on the advice of doctors, as disability services could at times be a violent workplace, and Mr King could not risk receiving a blow to his remaining kidney.

Mr King was put on the redeployment list, and swiftly moved to detailing cars in the Patient Transport Department at the Launceston General Hospital.

But even though he had been a full-time worker, Mr King was put on a three-month short term contract.

This was renewed every three months, but Mr King had no job certainty beyond that.

Mr King tried unsuccessfully a number of times to seek permanency, or to at least be put on contracts longer than three months.

During this time, Mr King also completed ambulance certificate training so that he could transport patients.

He became involved in transporting patients from the three acute public hospitals on a regular basis sometimes working all week and sometimes all weekend, often spending up to 14 hours continuously driving, which is beyond the safe working levels of any profession.

The State Government ensures truck drivers, and even its own Ministerial drivers, work safe hours but it didn’t seem to matter for this driver transporting patients,” Mrs Napier said.

“On top of this, Mr King was refused annual leave three times in that two year period. I had to intervene once on his behalf just to get him a weekend off.

“After once again seeking in vain to have some permanency in his position, Mr King tendered his resignation a two weeks ago.

“In the ultimate insult, Mr King’s immediate supervisor refused to accept the resignation, resulting in him finishing up work on June 10 without his entitlements, which included 280 hours of accrued leave. He has just received these today.

“Mr King was forced out of his job because untenable hours, no leave and no long term job security from a job in the public health system, which is critically understaffed,” Mrs Napier said.

“This is an unacceptable state of affairs.

“Mr King has been treated in the most appalling manner by the State Labor Government.

“The Health Minister David Llewellyn needs to investigate the treatment of Mr King, and ensure that other workers, particularly in patient transport, are not spending an unsafe amount of time on the roads.

“There should be a regular review of driver log books to ensure that demands for overtime and extra trips don’t exceed the safety levels for both driver and patient.

“To treat workers like Mr King with such contempt at a time when vacancies in the health department are so rife is just another example of the State Labor Government’s complete mismanagement of Health.”
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SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Health Minister
Friday June 24, 2005

Llewellyn must commit to implementing Coroner’s recommendations

Shadow Health Minister Sue Napier today called on the Health Minister David Llewellyn to immediately commit to implementing the recommendations of the Coroner’s report arising from the suicide of Launceston woman last year.

Mrs Napier said the death of Mary Cooper was tragic and it was important that processes were put in place to ensure that all appropriate action was taken to ensure such an incident did not happen again.

Ms Cooper was brought into the LGH after it was feared that she had overdosed on medication to treat depression, and despite admitting she had tried to kill herself, was allowed to leave the hospital, subsequently committing suicide.

“While I accept the Coroner’s recommendations that the medical officer who assessed Ms Cooper carried out his assessment in a thorough and satisfactory manner, and that his findings were properly reported, it is obviously a concern that this was his first such assessment, and that he had only started at the psychiatry department the previous day.

“The Coroner has asserted that that the officer had no previous training or experience in the assessment of persons suffering from mental illness, most notably depression.

“It is just not on that someone so inexperienced could be put in the position whereby they are required to make such a critical assessment one which we know can be a matter of life or death.

“It is unsafe for both the doctor and the patient.

“Of course, recommendations relating to assessment and supervision have also been made in relation to the Department of Psychological Medicine in Hobart in recent months too.

“The community needs to have faith that the State Labor Government takes reports such as yesterday’s from the Coroner seriously and takes seriously its responsibility to ensuring tragedies like this don’t happen again.

“This is why it needs to publicly commit today to implementing the recommendations from the report that was handed down yesterday.”

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Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER

Friday, 24 JUNE 2005
CULTURAL INTEGRITY MUST BE ENTALLY PRIORITY
Ensure National Trust Has Role
The Tasmanian Greens today stressed that the protection and enhancement of the heritage values of Entally House must be the paramount consideration as the State government moves to lease the property to Tasmania’s major corporation Gunns Ltd.
Greens Opposition Leader and Heritage spokesperson Peg Putt MHA said the Greens would want to be assured that heritage matters were paramount and the historic property did not become some sort of ‘theme-park’ to promote Gunns Ltd.
Ms Putt also stressed that the National Trust should still be enabled to play a strong role in relation to Entally, and that the viability of the National Trust and the ability for its members and volunteers to remain involved in the management of the heritage property were key considerations.
“Our concern is to ensure that Entally House is managed to protect and promote its heritage values and does not become a theme park to promote Gunns Ltd instead,” Ms Putt said.
“The National Trust needs to be assured that they will have an ongoing role in relation to the property and that their involvement has not somehow been curtailed by this arrangement between the government and Gunns.”
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Nick McKim MHA

Thursday, 23 JUNE 2005
FEDERAL MINISTER ADVISED TO LIST PEDDER GALAXIAS AS “EXTINCT IN THE WILD”
The Tasmanian Greens today revealed that on the 24th of May the Federal Environment Minister had classified the Pedder Galaxias (Galaxias pedderensis) as “extinct in the wild” due to habitat degradation subsequent to the flooding of Lake Pedder.
Greens Opposition Environment spokesperson Nick McKim MHA said that although two translocated populations of the species exist, only one of which is successfully breeding, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) had stated that “…no areas of previously occupied habitat are suitable for reintroduction of the species.”
“This is part of the ongoing tragedy of the appalling decision to flood Lake Pedder in 1972, and is a lesson which should inform future planning decisions,” Mr McKim said.
“The State Government should have had the courage to announce this sad news last month, rather than keeping quiet and hoping it would go under the radar.”
“It is an ecological tragedy that an endemic species has had its original habitat so degraded through poor planning decisions that it now is condemned to an existence as a translocated species at best.”
“This species occurs nowhere else in the world and expert scientific advice has confirmed that there is no hope of Pedder Galaxias being reintroduced into its original habitat.”
“The State Government has shown that it is not prepared to learn from past mistakes of this nature, including the continuation of plans to construct the Heemskirk windfarm on the migratory path of the threatened Orange Bellied Parrot.”
Mr McKim said that the reclassification increased the necessity for extra resources to be allocated to furthering the aims of the recovery plan, including management of the two translocated populations.
ATTACHED: Extinct in the Wild listing, Commonwealth of Australia, 24 May 2005 (3 pages).
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Nick McKim MHA

Drivers unfairly nabbed and
penalised by speed camera

Shadow Minister for Police & Public Safety, Peter Gutwein today said that potentially hundreds of drivers have been penalised by a speed camera that the police admits was operating improperly.

“From information supplied to me, it seems that many Tasmanian and interstate drivers have been unfairly penalised and it is possible that some, due to demerit points accrual, have shockingly lost their licence,” Mr Gutwein said.

Mr Gutwein said that he had been made aware that on Friday, 13 May this year, a speed camera was set up on the Bass Highway in the vicinity of the Parramatta Creek (near Sassafras) roadworks. A roadworks speed limit of 60km/h had been set whilst workmen were operating, but this was set at 80km/h when the workmen finished at the end of the day and during their lunch breaks.

It is believed that on this day, the 60km/h speed limit signs were covered up during the lunch break, but the speed camera operator was not notified. This meant all drivers passing through this area at the signed limit of 80km/h, were nabbed by the speed camera which was still set at the 60km/h maximum limit.

“I have been informed that one driver, after misplacing her speeding fine notice, contacted the police and, in the ensuing conversation, police bizarrely informed her that there had been a mistake made and that she was no longer liable for the payment of the $110 fine.

“It seems only this bit of luck has allowed this driver to become aware of this serious speed camera error. It is not known whether any other drivers, incorrectly penalised for travelling at the signed speed limit, have also been informed of the possibility of a refund or fine withdrawal.

“The admission by police of this serious speed camera error at Parramatta Creek raises many questions. How many drivers, travelling at the signed speed limit of 80km/h, were falsely booked during this lunch period? And did it occur on any other days or times?

“And, significantly, how many drivers have lost their licence due to accrual of demerit points following being improperly nabbed by this speed camera?

“This is yet another in a long line of serious mistakes in the operation of speed cameras by this money hungry State Labor Government.

“Earlier this year, problems in the identification of licence plate numbers were revealed and last year Tasmanians were outraged by the placement of multiple speed cameras on the same street and others being placed on downhill slopes.

“The State Labor Government was also severely embarrassed over revelations of police being issued with speeding fine quotas.

“This admission by police of yet another mistake with speed cameras will only further stoke cynicism in the Tasmanian community about the Lennon Labor Government’s speed camera revenue raising regime.

“Police Minister, David Llewellyn, must today order an investigation into this speed camera error and ensure that all drivers incorrectly penalised are sent letters of apology and have their penalties withdrawn and/or refunded.

Mr Gutwein said the Minister continued to arrogantly ignore community concerns about the State Labor Government’s flawed road safety strategy and speed camera regime. The State Government appears more concerned with filling their coffers than developing a holistic road safety strategy that will assist in the reduction of our road toll.

“Minister Llewellyn should be implementing the State Liberals’ sensible policies of making speed camera placement more accountable so that it focuses more on road safety rather than revenue raising and putting every cent raised from speed camera revenue into road safety,” Mr Gutwein said.

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Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER

Wednesday, 22 JUNE 2005
DAMNING REPORT REVEALS TT LINE BOARD WAS NOT IN CONTROL
And Ministers Asleep at the Helm
The Tasmanian Greens today labelled the Auditor-General’s Review of TT Line Governance as ‘damning’, revealing a Board which was not in control and previous TT Line Ministers Ken Bacon and Paul Lennon ‘asleep at the helm’.
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA said that the report validated the concerns of the Greens and others regarding the basis of decision-making over Spirit III and would have demanded a no-confidence motion had Parliament been sitting and the former TT Line Minister still been in Parliament.
Ms Putt stressed that Paul Lennon’s management capability was now under serious question, as he had been TT Line minister until just over a year ago, and this raised big concerns over his managerial competence as Premier responsible for oversight of all government activity, as he had presided over such woeful processes at the TT Line without apparent concern.
“This damning review reveals a Board which was not in control of the TT Line, and the responsible Ministers Ken Bacon and Paul Lennon as having been asleep at the helm,” Ms Putt said.
“Our concerns that the Board seemed to be taking key strategic decisions such as over Spirit III in an ill-informed manner are now validated, as we discover that the Board failed to take independent advice and were also only given proposals and information relating to key decisions on the same day a decision was required.”
“Major organisational and managerial flaws within the TT Line are also revealed.”
“This shocking report would have demanded a no confidence motion had Parliament been sitting and had the former TT Line Minister who presided over these enormous deficiencies still been a member of Parliament.”

“Very real concerns about Paul Lennon’s managerial capability now arise, because he was the TT Line Minister for most of the years covered by the review but did not pick up on the problems, so now we have to question his capacity as Premier to take managerial responsibility for oversight of all government activity.”
“It is hard to see how the government can continue with the current CEO if they intend to adopt the recommendations, given the deficiencies which are highlighted within the organisation and the fact that he is not satisfied with all the recommendations made by the Auditor-General.”
“The government must outline the action they intend to take,” Ms Putt said.
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RENE HIDDING, MHA
Leader of the State Opposition
Thursday June 23, 2005

Auditor General terms of reference should have included role played by Labor stakeholder Ministers in the TT Line

Opposition Leader Rene Hidding today criticised the State Labor Government for deliberately excluding the role its own Ministers played in relation to decision making processes at the TT Line from the terms of reference of the Auditor General’s inquiry.

Mr Hidding said it was typical of the arrogant Lennon Labor Government’s lack of accountability and disregard for the notion of Ministerial responsibility. Mr Hidding said Labor was clearly trying to buckpass complete responsibility to the TT Line Board, and former chairman Nick Evers, and in a case of de ja vu, Rod Scott was being used as the henchman again.

Mr Hidding reiterated the State Liberals position that while we have well-documented concerns about the way the State Labor Government went about the purchase of Spirit III, now that we have this important tourism asset, it must be given every chance to succeed and crack the lucrative Sydney market.

Spirit III is now an important component of our tourism strategy to tap into this market, and increase visitation to Tasmania, particularly to our regional communities and Spirit III must be made to work.

The Auditor General’s report, handed down yesterday, revealed serious shortcomings in governance issues and business practices at the TT Line.

But the Auditor General was unable to probe the dealings of the State Labor Government, and the stakeholder Ministers, in relation to issues such as the response to falling passenger numbers on all three ferries, because this was not included in the terms of reference.

Mr Blake confirmed this in a briefing with Tasmanian MPs in Hobart yesterday.

Mr Hidding said the State Liberals would this week seek to refer the outstanding matters which the Auditor General was precluded from investigating in relation to the Ministers’ responsibility, to the Public Accounts Committee for inquiry.

Meanwhile, to ensure the future success of Spirit III, the Auditor General’s recommendations need to be implemented swiftly, and then the Board and Management must be allowed to get on with their jobs of running this business.

Despite the Auditor General not being able to look at the performance of the stakeholder Ministers in the operation of Spirit III, these Ministers also have a fundamental obligation to lift their game in response to monitoring and responding to issues at the TT Line.

“Mr Evers’ claims that Labor’s apparent overriding interest in the TT Line was media in photo opportunities are damning, as are the implications that his resignation due to ill health was manipulated by the State Labor Government to make it appear that Labor had no responsibility in the performance of Spirit III.

“This is totally unacceptable and the Ministers must ensure that their primary interest is in maximising the performance of the three Spirits, not their own photo opportunities.”

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Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER

“Very real concerns about Paul Lennon’s managerial capability now arise, because he was the TT Line Minister for most of the years covered by the review but did not pick up on the problems, so now we have to question his capacity as Premier to take managerial responsibility for oversight of all government activity.”
“It is hard to see how the government can continue with the current CEO if they intend to adopt the recommendations, given the deficiencies which are highlighted within the organisation and the fact that he is not satisfied with all the recommendations made by the Auditor-General.”
“The government must outline the action they intend to take,” Ms Putt said.
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BRIAN HARRADINE – CONSCIENCE OF THE NATION SAYS SENATOR GUY BARNETT – A VALEDICTORY

Wednesday 22 June 2005

Senator Guy Barnett has paid tribute to retiring veteran Senator Brian Harradine, dubbing him the “conscience of the nation” during his 30 years in Federal politics.

“We want to acknowledge his significant contribution to Tasmania. We have heard about the previous part sales of Telstra, and, of course, Tasmania did benefit. It was the Howard government that delivered, but Senator Harradine had the balance of power,” Senator Barnett told the Senate during valedictory speeches for Senator Harradine.

“He has been regarded with so much warmth and affection in his own state of Tasmania. He is a giant in political terms: ready to mix it with the Prime Minister, the Treasurer and others, but always motivated to support the disadvantaged, the needy and the downtrodden.

“He has been the conscience of the nation, in many respects—a man of great moral and ethical fibre, known to all for his Christian and Catholic values,” Senator Barnett said.

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Wednesday June 22, 2005

Baker announces $500,000 grant to Big hART for innovative North-West crime prevention project

Big hART will receive $500,000 for a three-year Community Partnership crime prevention project in the North-West under the second round of grants awarded through the Australian Government’s National Community Crime Prevention Program (NCCPP), the Federal Member for Braddon, Mark Baker MP, announced today.

“The innovative project will work with three groups in the North-West: at-risk teenage women with children, the elderly living in fear of crime, and young men at risk of violence and self harm,” Mr Baker said.

“Focusing on each of these groups for one year through a series of creative workshops with high profile artists, the project will result in them telling their stories in their community.

“Big hART had its beginnings in Tasmania, and it is great to see that while the award-winning non-profit organisation is now running projects throughout Australia, it is continuing its great work in our State and particularly in our region.

“I am proud that the Australian Government has been able to provide the financial support to make much of Big hART’s work possible.”

Mr Baker said the project was one of 13 from across Australia sharing in more than $4.5m in funding through the second round of grants under the NCCPP.

“The successful projects all embody the core principles of the NCCPP grants program. They are all great examples of communities working together to reduce crime and the fear of crime in their local areas,” he said.

The Australian Government has committed $58m to the National Community Crime Prevention Program, which provides funding for community-based crime prevention projects through three streams: the Community Partnerships Stream, the Indigenous Community Safety Stream and the Community Safety Stream.

Recipients of grants under the Indigenous Community Safety Stream were announced on May 20, 2005, while the Community Safety Stream will be announced in the near future.

For more information on the NCCPP, visit: www.crimeprevention.gov.au
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RENE HIDDING, MHA
Leader of the State Opposition
Wednesday June 22, 2005

Decisive action needed on Auditor General’s report

Opposition Leader Rene Hidding today called on the State Labor Government to take responsibility for the circumstances outlined in the Auditor General’s governance review of the TT Line and to take decisive action to address his recommendations.

This includes taking immediate steps to relocate the entire Melbourne office of the TT Line, including the management team, onto Tasmanian soil at Devonport.

Mr Hidding said it was clear that the report was not before time, given some of the concerns outlined in relation to governance issues and business practices in such a significant State owned company where so much taxpayers money is at stake.

Mr Hidding said that while the new appointments to the TT Line board appeared to have the appropriate skills, the report should also provide the trigger for the State Labor Government to immediately cease its policy of unprecedented political appointments such as those of political candidates Heather Butler and Trevor Cordwell, since removed from the Board. He said the Auditor General’s comments relating to the “mismatch of director skills to the scale of the enterprise and the market risks involved” should force the State Government to appoint people to important board positions on the basis of merit, not their Labor party connections, as it has done in the past.

“I welcome the release of this report, and trust that it will form the basis for the TT Line to implement changes in terms of management structure and style that will set this important Tasmanian company up for a strong and profitable future,” Mr Hidding said.

“It should be noted there are many positives in this report, and most of the recommendations relate to modern business practices and channels of communication. TT Line, like any other company in a competitive business environment, has to move with the times and I am confident this report will provide the foundation for that to occur.

“The State Labor Government needs now to commit to implementing the Auditor General’s recommendations, from relocating the TT Line management team to Devonport, to making sure directors have the information they need to make vital decisions, the conducting of a comprehensive and strategic risk assessment, and ensuring the schedule of board meetings is set to allow for a timely review of financial results by the Board.

“This will ensure the TT Line is given every chance of making Spirits I, II and III the success all Tasmanians want them to be and know that they can be in terms of bringing tourists and freight to and from Tasmania and the mainland, and being a major contributor to our State’s economic growth.”

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Wednesday June 22, 2005

Bass Highway upgrade designs to go on public display

North-West residents and road users will get their first glimpse of plans for duplicating the final section of the Bass Highway between Burnie and Devonport at Ulverstone from Friday, the Federal Member for Braddon, Mark Baker, said today.

Mr Baker said the plans for the Stage 2 duplication of the Bass Highway between Penguin and Ulverstone, including a new bridge over the Leven River, will go on display at the Central Coast Council Administration Centre at King Edward St, Ulverstone from Friday 24 June 2005 to Thursday 30 June 2005.

The display will be staffed this Friday from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.

“I urge people who will be affected by the construction of two new lanes along the Ulverstone bypass to view the display and make their views known,” Mr Baker said.

He said construction of the Stage 2 duplication would start next year.

“As well as a second bridge over the Leven River, the project includes 5.5 km of two-lane road parallel to the existing highway, duplication of the Forth Road interchange underpass and Lovett Street interchange underpass. Also included is a new roundabout at the connection between the Forth Road interchange and the local road network on the northern side of the highway, eliminating a hazardous ramp.

“The new highway lanes will be built south of the existing road,” Mr Baker said.

“The Australian Government has allocated $42 million for this work.

“Meanwhile, work is proceeding ahead of schedule on the $26.4 million duplication of the Bass Highway from west of the Leven River Bridge to connect to the existing dual carriageway near Penguin. The project includes reconstruction of the West Ulverstone Interchange at the South Road and Knights Road junction, with adjustments to ramps and adjoining infrastructure.”

Work commenced in October 2004 and is expected to be completed by mid-2006.
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SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
Wednesday June 22, 2005

Labor must clarify status of Welcome Inn project

Shadow Health Minister Sue Napier today called on the State Labor Government to clarify whether 60 additional units will still be build at the Welcome Inn site and when in light of further damaging profit forecasts affecting the private company involved.

In June last year the State Labor Government announced that national company Village Life would provide the accommodation services at the former Welcome Inn site at Kingston, as part of the State Government’s Affordable Housing Strategy.

Village Life would utilise the 20 units that existed on site, and further develop the vacant land to construct some 60 additional units, to provide affordable housing for people in need.

However, the publicly-listed company has issued three profit warnings already this year.

Yesterday, it revealed its net profit would be about one tenth of its prospectus forecast set out in 2003.

And the Financial Review has today reported: “The company has abandoned a development in Victoria’s Sydenham and is redesigning projects proposed for sites in Victoria’s Sunshine Avenue and Tasmania’s Welcome Inn2.”

Mrs Napier said the State Labor Government must come clean on whether Village Life is under contractual obligations to deliver the 60-odd additional units that were planned at the Welcome Inn site, and whether these are still on track.

She said Labor must explain what redesigning was taking place with the Welcome Inn project and how this would affect the overall project, and Labor’s public housing strategy.

“Tasmanians languishing on public housing waiting lists cannot afford a project such as this to be delayed, or even worse, run off the tracks,” Mrs Napier said.

“There are some 3200 Tasmanians still on our public housing waiting lists, and Labor has built just 441 new homes to replace the 1500 sold off or withdrawn by the Lennon Labor Government in an attempt to capitalise on the housing boom.

“In this environment, it beggars belief that the Lennon Labor Government refused to commit to funding for Stage 2 of the Affordable Housing Strategy in last month’s Budget.

“Tasmanians will be further disadvantaged if elements of Stage 1, such as the Welcome Inn project, fall over.

“The Lennon Labor Government owes it to the people of Tasmania to come clean on the status of the Village Life project at Kingston and to explain what implications the woes confronting Village Life will have on it.”

………………………………………..
WILL HODGMAN, MHA
Shadow Minister for Energy
Tuesday June 21, 2005

Gas strategy concerns

Shadow Energy Minister Will Hodgman today said it was ludicrous that a group of residents in Battery Point keen to connect to natural gas may never be given the chance, despite the project costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, and despite the fact that interested customers to date are few and far between.

Mr Hodgman said he completely understood the frustrations of residents of De Witt St, Battery Point, who have watched natural gas be rolled out around the corner from them, but have been told that if they want gas, they will have to wait until 2007 at the earliest.

De Witt St is not part of the Stage 2a roll-out, and because the State Labor Government has not yet committed to Stage 2b, these willing gas customers may never actually see natural gas.

“This is a joke,” Mr Hodgman said.

“Last week, I expressed concern that so far, just 20 customers have hooked up to gas, despite the pipelines now passing some 5000 homes.

“This is a take-up rate of just 0.4 per cent.

“Given that taxpayers have so far contributed more than $50 million to the natural gas roll-out because of Labor’s bungling of the original tender process to have just 20 residential and small business customers on the books is extremely disappointing.

“One would expect a far greater take-up rate to be achieved before Powerco and the Lennon Labor Government even commit to Stage 2b of the roll-out.

“In this environment it is therefore unfortunate that willing customers, such as those in De Witt Street are being turned down and may never have the opportunity to connect to natural gas.”

Mr Hodgman said that at the time the Stage 2a rollout was announced, the State Liberals expressed concern about some of the areas that were excluded. These concerns remain.

“Some of the State’s fastest growing areas, for example on the Eastern Shore, and in Kingborough, were completely left off the map for the roll-out of natural gas,” Mr Hodgman said.

“This is despite these areas being a ready market for natural gas with their rapid construction of new homes, which can be designed for natural gas, as opposed to modified, as is the case with existing homes.

“Some of the larger employers and potential significant users of gas in this area include Risdon Prison, the Tasmanian Police Academy, the Hobart International Airport, Gibsons’ Stock and Feed Mill, the Australian headquarters for Antarctic Research, boat-building and aquaculture businesses the list goes on and on.

“But they too, are all to be bypassed under Stage 2a and at this rate there may never be a Stage 2b.”

Mr Hodgman said the State Labor Government’s major project facilitation skills had been shown to be seriously deficient over the last several years, and its bungling of natural gas was more evidence of this.

“We have a situation where it appears those people who have the opportunity to connect to gas are not interested and those that want to connect are being denied the opportunity,” Mr Hodgman said.
………………………………………..
JEREMY ROCKLIFF, MHA
Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Water and Environment
Tuesday June 21, 2005

Rallying call for primary producers

Shadow Primary Industries Minister Jeremy Rockliff today issued a rallying call to all North West Coast residents to get behind their local primary producers, and attend tomorrow’s Fair Dinkum Food Campaign demonstration in Devonport.

Mr Rockliff congratulated rally organiser and Forth farmer Richard Bovill, and the young farmers, for organising the rally in response to the devastating loss of local vegetable contracts in recent weeks, including the exclusive contract to supply potatoes for McDonalds French Fries in Australia.

Mr Rockliff said it was vital the Fair Dinkum Food Campaign succeeded, and pivotal to this would be a strong showing of support at tomorrow morning’s rally.

Mr Rockliff will be attending the protest in his Massey-Ferguson tractor, and said he expected many other farmers, and members of the non-farming community, to attend in their droves.

“The people of Tasmania understand the seriousness of recent developments in the vegetable industry, such as the recent decision by McDonalds to end Simplot’s exclusive deal to provide Tasmanian potatoes for its French Fries, which in turn saw Simplot cut potato contracts by 15 per cent,” Mr Rockliff said.

“Our top quality vegetable producers are under siege by major multinational companies and supermarket chains who are increasingly riding roughshod over the interests of local communities.

“Farmers have been under siege for some time and have responded by cutting their own margins to survive.

“These multinational companies have to take some responsibility to look after the rural communities that have supported them and contributed to their success. A singular profit-driven attitude is not sustainable in the long term and these companies have to realise that in order to sustain their future they have to focus more on a triple bottom line approach and not ride roughshod over regional communities.”

Mr Rockliff said the farm gate value of agricultural and horticultural production was worth many hundreds of millions of dollars to the local economy, and employed thousands of Tasmanians, both directly and indirectly.

“The flow-on effect of the loss of such major contracts in the wider economy cannot be overstated,” Mr Rockliff said.

“We could witness a major downturn in our economy, and the loss of farmers from the land, unless this massive threat to our primary producers is beaten.”

Mr Rockliff said the reduced viability of farming in the light of the loss of the vegetable contracts would also deter young Tasmanians from entering the sector.

“On all fronts, the threat to our vegetable producers must be fought and with this in mind, I can only urge as many North West Coasters as possible to attend tomorrow morning’s rally in Devonport.

“We need to send a message to these companies that they cannot treat Tasmanian farmers with such contempt.

“We need to also reinforce the message that Tasmanian farmers produce the best quality and the safest food in the world, and that buying Tasmanian produce is actually in the best interests of these companies.

“I am confident that many Tasmanians and Australians will support us in this fight.
………………………………..
Nick McKim MHA

Tuesday, 21 JUNE 2005
GAS ROLLOUT DECENDS INTO DEBACLE
As DeWitt St Residents Left Off the Map
The Tasmanian Greens today called on the State Government to enter into further negotiations with Powerco to ensure that the natural gas rollout extends to more Tasmanians.
Greens Opposition Energy spokesperson Nick McKim MHA said that the State Government has allowed Powerco to cherry-pick the most profitable areas, to the detriment of most Tasmanians who will not have access to gas.
Mr McKim’s comments were sparked by reports today of a group of residents in DeWitt St, Battery Point, who want access to natural gas.
“The State Government negotiated the agreements with Powerco, and must take responsibility for the debacle that the gas rollout has become,” Mr McKim said.
“Here is a group of Tasmanians who desperately want access to natural gas but have been let down by a Government which is incapable of delivering gas to people who clearly want it.”
“The dissatisfied residents of DeWitt St will not only not get gas soon, but have no guarantee that it will ever reach them.”
“The Government should have ensured taxpayer ownership of the gas network via Aurora just as the taxpayers own electricity infrastructure via Hydro Tasmania, Transend and Aurora.”
Mr McKim said the gas debacle joined Basslink and the fibre optic cable as examples of Labor’s inability to manage major infrastructure projects.
…………………………………………….
Peg Putt MHA
GREENS OPPOSITION LEADER

Tuesday, 21 JUNE 2005
PULP MILL TASK FORCE INFO MUST REFLECT CHANGED PROJECT SCOPE
Has incorrect Information Been Dispensed?
The Tasmanian Greens today raised concerns that information dispensed by the government’s Pulp Mill Task Force may be outdated and wrong as a result of changes to the Project Scope of Gunns’ proposed pulp mill made by the company in a submission to the RPDC on the 9th of May.
Greens Opposition Leader and Economic Development spokesperson Peg Putt MHA called for the government to immediately cease purveying erroneous material about the pulp mill proposal and to ensure that the bus set up as a pulp mill information vehicle is not giving out a wrong description of the proposal.
“It seems that the government Pulp Mill Task Force could have been spending taxpayers money giving out wrong information since Gunns made significant changes to the project scope in early May,” Ms Putt said.
“The Pulp Mill Task Force must immediately ensure that it is not purveying erroneous material about the pulp mill proposal and take their information bus off the road until we can be assured that they are not giving out a wrong impression of the proposal.”
“The material dispensed by the Pulp Mill Task Force includes information on totally chlorine free production and this implies that the use of that technology is a live option when it has in fact been ruled out by Gunns.”
“Material circulated by the task force prior to May 2005 has the November 2004 project scope included, and the task force must explain whether they have circulated that same material since the 9th of May when Gunns submitted their revised project scope or whether they changed over to the new material.”
“If the task force has been handing out the revised project scope then we need to know why the changes were kept so quiet, whereas if they have continued to hand out outdated information they need to get their act together.”
…………………………………………..
MEDIA ALERT

ATTENTION: CHIEFS OF STAFF
& POLITICAL JOURNALISTS

Tuesday, 21 JUNE 2005

LEGAL FORUM DISCUSSES INJUSTICE TO WORKERS
Call to Review 30% Whole-Of-Body Impairment Threshold
Greens Opposition Leader Peg Putt MHA will be attending a forum hosted by the Australian Lawyers Alliance – Tasmania Branch, “A Crude Assessment Method & Injustice to Workers” to be held today between 10am – 12 pm at the Law Society of Tasmania, 28 Murray St, Hobart.

Ms Putt will be available for comment following the forum to discuss the Greens campaign for reforms to Workers Compensation laws, to ensure that workers can obtain fair and reasonable compensation for workplace caused injuries, and a review of the 30% impairment threshold which they believe is inequitable.

DATE: TODAY, Tuesday, 21 June
TIME: 12:30 pm
VENUE: Parliament House Gardens
WHO: Peg Putt MHA, Greens Opposition Leader

Representatives of the media are invited to attend.
BELOW: Hansard of Ms Putt’s question to the Minister re Workers Compensation, 16 June 2005. (1pg).

Hansard – House of Assembly Tasmania, June 16 2005
WORKERS COMPENSTION

[11.04 a.m.]
Ms PUTT (Question) – Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Infrastructure, Energy and Resources, who has carriage of workers compensation matters; it is in relation to workers compensation. Minister, are you aware of the call by the Law Society of Tasmania for you to review the discriminatory limitation on the right of workers to obtain fair and reasonable compensation for injuries caused in the workplace by negligent employers; that is, the 30 per cent whole-of-body impairment threshold on claims? Are you aware that a recent forum of the Law Council of Australia was told that the impairment thresholds of 10 per cent and 15 per cent in New South Wales and Victoria were unacceptably high, yet we have a 30 per cent threshold? An independent actuary’s report which surveyed insurer profits found that they were, in the past six months, higher than at any time during the past decade and definitely high enough to allow better benefits for the injured? I know that this issue has split the Labor Party in the past and there has been a campaign from unions for change. In view of all these circumstances, will you now review the 30 per cent threshold to give injured workers access to take their claims of employer negligence to court?

Mr GREEN – Mr Speaker, I thank the member for her question. The member would know, if she has been speaking to those involved in lobbying about this issue, that I have met with them on several occasions and she also knows that I have worked through a range of changes in workers compensation as a result of the Rutherford Report. I am aware of some potential new arrangements that are being considered in Victoria and I have given an undertaking that if they go through the Parliament I will look at those issues and how the law operates in Victoria. However, I will say that I think I have built up a working relationship, not only with members of the party, but also with those people who are lobbying externally, and they understand that we want to ensure that we have the fairest possible system in terms of affordability. Of course that is our aim. I think that we have gone a long way over recent times to show good faith in that. We have moved this debate forward and I have already indicated to the House that I am in the process of preparing the third part of the changes that we have talked about as part of the process resulting from the Rutherford Report. As part of that I have given an undertaking to have a look at what is happening in Victoria. But no, I am not foreshadowing any changes at this stage.

………………………………………………..
Kim Booth MHA

Monday, 20 JUNE 2005
KONS EURO TRIP WELCOME
BUT TWO YEARS LATE
Euro Supermarkets Accreditation Revealed To Be
Behind Way Schedule
The Tasmanian Greens today welcomed the announcement that Minister Kons is travelling to Europe on a trade mission which will include meetings with international supermarket chains on the subject of quality control but reminded the Minister that in Budget estimates on May 31 the Minister was forced to reveal that despite a 2003 target of 200 producers being EurepGAP (Euro-retailer produce working group Good Agricultural Practices) ready to meet accreditation by the end of 2004 only 30 or so producers were currently accredited according to the Department.
Greens Opposition Primary Industry spokesperson Kim Booth MHA said that in August 2003 at a meeting of the Food Industry Council of Tasmania, representatives of the Department of Economic Development and the DPIWE agreed on the target of getting 200 producers ready to meet the EurepGAP accreditation but that under questioning during the Budget Estimates process last month the Minister appeared to have little knowledge of the targets or their current status.
“Although we support Minister Kons talking with European supermarket chains it would appear the Minister is two years late in acting on this issue.” Mr Booth said.
“It has taken the current crisis in the vegetable industry for the government to wake up and realise that their lack of will to develop on-farm environmental management systems and quality control methods that would have led to EurepGAP accreditation and access to the big UK supermarket chains, has now left the industry unprepared and vulnerable to the impacts of the globalised food trade.”
“It is absurd that Tasmania is trying to compete with cheap overseas imports, grown under questionable conditions or subsidised to the hilt by overseas governments, when we should have been carving out a high value, low volume market for clean green produce years ago.”

“My question to the Minister to ponder as he jets around Europe is why didn’t we do something to prevent producers falling into the commodity trap and how are we going to get them out of it now,” Mr Booth said.
Tuesday 31 May 2005 – Estimates Committee A (Kons) – Part 1

Mr BOOTH – Yes, and I congratulate you and we always do congratulate the Government when they do move towards what we regard as better social policy or better agricultural policy and so forth. We will move on to a question in regard to Eurepgap accreditation. In August 2003, at a meeting of the Food Industry Council of Tasmania, the council resolved to progress the issue of an accredited Tasmanian brand based on the Eurepgap model through a task force comprising members from DED, DPIWE and Brand Tasmania and estimated that 200 businesses would meet the Eurepgap standard by the end of 2004. Was that target met, Minister, of 200 producers? How many businesses in Tasmania currently have Eurepgap accreditation? Are there targets set by DED or DPIWE for levels of accredited producers in Tasmania? Are you aware that consultations at the highest level of Eurepgap have continued to be initiated and pursued by Tasmanian Quality Assured, the Tasmanian-based QA operation which unfortunately you have not funded this year?

Mr KONS – I will have to get back to you on the approximate number of companies within the Eurepgap certification, but we are aware of the labelling and are also aware of the fact that it is similar to organics. There is a plethora of these brands and labels out there.

Mr BOOTH – You do not have any figures on how many producers have Eurepgap at the moment?

Mr KONS – The latest figure I have is 30.
………………………………………
SUE NAPIER, MHA
Shadow Minister for Health and Human Services
Monday June 20, 2005

Illicit drug use linked to
severe psychological distress

Shadow Health and Human Services Minister Sue Napier today said that the rise in illicit drug use in Tasmania, reported in the 2004 National Drug Strategy Household Survey will inevitably lead to a rise in mental illness and distress in the community, especially amongst younger Tasmanians.

Mrs Napier said that the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s (AIHW) drug survey found that illicit drug use was directly linked with higher rates of mental illness and psychological distress reporting:
“Almost two in five persons who used an illicit drug in the past month reported high or very high levels of psychological distress.”

“This is a disturbing, though un-surprising link, between illicit drugs and mental health, which will put greater strain on our hospitals, mental health facilities, supported accommodation services and community health centres,” Mrs Napier said.

“There are now an estimated 60,000 Tasmanians who have used illicit drugs over the past year this could

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