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Mandatory Sentencing Video
An expensive, ineffective and discriminatory answer to alcohol fuelled violence. The O’Farrell government’s proposed mandatory sentencing laws for alcohol related violence will see the NSW prison system literally overwhelmed, facing ...
Police believe illegal hunter to blame for bullet hole in Colo Heights house
Police are investigating how a bed and breakfast owner got a bullet through his dining room window opposite a state forest the NSW government recently opened for bow hunting. John Kealey, who runs a B&B at Colo Heights on the fringes of north-western Sydney, said he heard a number of rifle shots coming from Comleroy […]
Planning Minister intervenes to protect controversial developments from scrutiny
In a case of direct political interference in the planning process, Planning Minister Brad Hazzard has routinely used his Ministerial powers to remove community appeal rights from some of the most controversial planning decisions in NSW. He has used this power on projects including the highly contentious T4 coal terminal in Newcastle, the Maules Creek […]
WIRO annual report: damning conclusions about WorkCover
The WorkCover Independent Review Office report paints a damning picture of the ongoing problems within the NSW Workers Compensation system. The adversarial practices of insurers in particular are a cause for substantial ongoing concern for many injured workers, and often hinder their recovery. Read the report here. Kim Garling, the head of WIRO expresses strong […]
Media Release: Public sector workers saved from O’Farrell meanness
The NSW Upper House today voted to ensure that the NSW Government passed on in full the 2.5% wage increase for public sector workers that was agreed with the public sector union in 2013. By voting to disallow the Industrial Relations (Public Sector Conditions of Employment) Amendment Regulation 2013 the Upper House prevented the O’Farrell government from siphoning off […]
Death in the line of duty: breaking the silence on police psychological injuries
This week’s Background Briefing on ABC Radio National covers the issue of post-traumatic stress and police suicides. My office has heard from many current and former police officers who have been shunned, isolated and left without meaningful assistance after suffering psychological injuries at work. Before I came to Parliament I acted for a number of […]
Moral panic on violence – but the data shows prosecutions falling and the courts getting tougher
Official crime data shows that, far from there being a surge in violent crime, there are fewer charges being brought before the courts for the offences for which the O’Farrell government is pushing for mandatory sentencing. Not only that, courts are also getting tougher for offenders with significantly higher conviction rates. See report in the […]
Bush fire dangers ignored for proposed aged care facility
A planned aged care facility at Sydney’s Middle Head, surrounded by National Park, represents a serious bush fire risk to any future residents, and would almost certainly be rejected if NSW bush fire safety requirements were applied. However the real dangers of bush fire risk are not being properly considered on the site because it […]
O’Farrell forced to effectively abandon unpopular Planning Bill
The Minister for Planning Brad Hazzard has today been forced to admit reality and effectively abandon the O’Farrell government’s deeply unpopular planning bill which had betrayed its promise to return planning powers to the community. Greens MP and Planning Spokesperson David Shoebridge said: “United opposition from hundreds of resident, environment and heritage groups, and thousands […]