Rainbow Lodge at Glebe - an impressive organisation with impressive results

I recently visited Rainbow Lodge at Glebe and was so impressed with their work. Rainbow Lodge is a community based Supported Accommodation Program that assists long term prison inmates on their release from prison integrate back into the community.

Rainbow Lodge programs include: accommodation, case management, personal development planning sessions, on-site counselling, ongoing support for a period of 18-20 months and more.

The success rate of their programs over many years is just remarkable. They have fine-tuned their program so that it now provides the best possible specialist service to medium-high and high-risk males. When one looks at the recidivism rates in this state and you look at an organisation like Rainbow Lodge their achievements are astonishing.

In my inaugural speech to parliament shortly after my election I said:

"Rehabilitation is not just for the benefit of those incarcerated; it is also for the benefit of our society"

Rainbow Lodge is a community based organization that receives 90% of their funding from the Department of Corrective Services and 10% from the Department of Community Services. As a result of internal bureaucratic reorganization the funding from the Department of Community Services is seriously at risk. We are talking about an amount of $60,000. Failing to fund Rainbow Lodge for that amount will result in the organisation no longer being able to provide vital outreach services to the men who have left the lodge, the day programs which provide the men with a sense of purpose will have to be scrapped and dedicated staff will have to take pay cuts.

What is ironical, in actual fact is, if just one of the men who attend Rainbow Lodge slip through the cracks after they leave the Lodge and return to gaol because outreach services were unavailable, the cost of that one man’s presence in gaol will be greater than what Rainbow Lodge requires to maintain funding from the Department of Community Servces.

I have written to the minister and asked for her urgent intervention. It is organisations like Rainbow Lodge that quietly go about doing such great work and make such a significant contribution not just to the individuals they help, but the whole of society.

Out and about at Eastlakes with Matt Thistlethwaite MP

Matt Thistlethwaite MP & Ron Hoenig MP talking to local business owners

It was great to be out and about with our Federal Member for Kingsford Smith, Matt Thistlethwaite MP at Eastlakes Shopping Centre meeting local residents and talking with local businesses. Many people are just too busy during the week to visit our electorate offices, and so it is a great opportunity to listen to our residents concerns or just join them in a coffee. If you like turkish coffee you will not get better than at Eastlakes Shopping Centre.

It is not only residents that are concerned with that disgraceful overdevelopment that is proposed for Eastlakes Shopping Centre. Local businesses who face an uncertain future whilst the local council is before the court to try and stop it from proceeding. 

Business's want to know if this disaster proceeds; how long will the shopping centre be closed for during the construction of all these apartment building to be built above the shopping centre? Will they be able to return when the shopping centre is completed? All legitimate questions.

John Robertson - O'Farrell can't do lockouts without late night trains

NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson has called on the O’Farrell Government to implement Labor’s policy and introduce late-night trains from Kings Cross to Town Hall and Central – and explore adding late-night services across the CityRail network on Friday and Saturday nights – as a key measure to reduce alcohol fuelled violence.

Mr Robertson said Labor committed to introduce late night train services from Kings Cross as part of its Drink Smart, Home Safe policy announced last November – measures that the O’Farrell Government responded to last week. See 

“I am disappointed that the O’Farrell Government is stubbornly refusing to act on the advice of police and medical experts and introduce late night train services on Friday and Saturday nights,” Mr Robertson said.

“Lockouts without late night trains don’t make sense and are simply a recipe for more alcohol fuelled violence.

“If the Government is happy to cut off most alcohol sales from 3am, then it must have a plan to get people home.

“On a Friday and Saturday night, at a time when cabs are scarce, the last train out of Kings Cross leaves at 1.45am – and the next one leaves at 5.15am.

“Not implementing real transport out of Kings Cross and the CBD is a recipe for disaster.

“The Government’s failure to announce any expansion of late night trains shows how badly its package to Parliament last week was cobbled together on the run.”

Shadow Transport Minister Penny Sharpe said: “If we want to improve the quality of Sydney’s nightlife – then the Government must introduce late night train services so people can move around safely and get home.”

“The reintroduction of services between Kings Cross and Town Hall and Central needs to occur as a matter of priority.

“The Government also needs to be actively exploring late night services between the City and key points on the network.”

O'Farrell Liberal government offering foreign investors $5000 grant to purchase new homes

This is not a joke. It is not the April 1. It highlights my real concern about the competence of the O’Farrell Government.

Opposition Leader John Robertson said today it was absolutely outrageous to give overseas property investors cash handouts at a time when there are so many young couples struggling to buy their first home in NSW. 

One of the Government’s signature policies has been to cut financial assistance that was previously available to all first home buyers under Labor  – instead restricting it to first-time purchasers of new homes.

At the same time the Government is offering a $5000 grant for foreign investors and people who may already own multiple properties to purchase new homes worth up to $650,000.

The latest statistics from the Office of State Revenue show that:

•        16,474 New Home Scheme grants of $5,000 were paid last year to foreign investors, property investors and existing home owners buying a new home or block of land; and
•      By comparison, only 9,563 First Home Buyer grants were paid to first home buyers purchasing a new home or block of land last year.

“The O’Farrell Liberal Government is paying $5000 to overseas property investors to buy homes and land in Australia – that’s money taken straight out of the pockets of young first home buyers,” Opposition Leader John Robertson said today.

“It is unbelievable that this is happening when first home buyers can’t get into the market in NSW.

“Young couples doing the right thing and working flat-out to save for that deposit are paying the price for the O’Farrell Liberal Government’s bungling of this scheme.

“One of Barry O’Farrell’s first acts was to abolish Labor’s scheme that provided financial assistance to all first home buyers – and switch the incentives to make it easier for overseas investors to get ahead.

“Barry O’Farrell should be directing taxpayer-funded housing incentives towards NSW first home buyers.”

ABS data released in November 2013 shows that the number of first home buyers receiving loan approvals from their financial institution has fallen by 67.3 per cent since November 2011 – just before Labor’s First Home Buyers Grant scheme was cut.

By contrast, foreign investment has skyrocketed – particularly for new residential properties.

Shadow Treasurer Michael Daley said: “Where’s the fairness for people for young families trying to buy their first home?”

“The O’Farrell Government has tanked the market for local first home buyers because it’s too busy giving a leg up to overseas speculators – and people buying their second, third or tenth property.

“This is a monster of a rort and Treasurer Baird needs to stop patting himself on the back and close it off today.”

Parliament's recall by a panicked Premier a farce

The recall of parliament last week to deal urgently with legislation to stem the tide of alcohol fuelled violence descended into a farce when the Premier had to amend his own legislation in the last minute because he did not understand what he was doing.

I have written before that the NSW Liberal government does not have the intellectual ability to govern this state and this issue more than any other demonstrates my point. They could not even get their own Bill right. They were rightly criticised by the popular press. Although I disagree strongly with mandatory sentencing policy, see http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/ofarrell-has-to-change-law-after-bureaucrat-trap/story-fni0cx4q-1226814500214 

I suppose I am in good company. Tonight according to Fairfax Media the NSW Chief Justice and the State's Lieutenant Governor, Justice Tom Bathurst condemned the O'Farrell government for introducing mandatory minimum jail terms for alcohol and drug fuelled-violence http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/nsw-supreme-court-chief-justice-tom-bathurst-urges-debate-on-mandatory-sentencing-20140203-31xgp.html

I have set out my contribution in the parliament below.

Mr RON HOENIG (Heffron) [3.14 p.m.]: People are entitled to go about their lawful business without being subject to violent and unprovoked assaults. The law should treat those persons harshly and, in fact, does so. Last year in November the Opposition released quite a detailed policy to address the seemingly difficult cultural problem that existed in the city and the Kings Cross area. Drink Smart, Home Safe is Labor's planned attack on alcohol-related harm; it is not a cobbled together public relations exercise. The Leader of the Opposition and the member for Toongabbie walked the streets of Kings Cross repeatedly on Friday and Saturday nights and spoke to police officers, emergency workers and health workers in an effort to prepare some response to a situation that not only resulted in people being killed, but also impacted on the reputation of Australia's premier tourist destination and the State's economic wellbeing.

Labor's document was released in November 2013. What was the Government's response? There was no response at all. It is no secret that much expert published material was available not only in this State and country, but also overseas. Dr Peter Miller, Principal Research Fellow and Co-Director of the Violence Prevention Group, Deakin University, stated:

While there are many causes and effective solutions to violence, acting on alcohol is the only one that can have an immediate impact.

There are effective solutions at hand and an international framework ready to adopt.

Closing pubs earlier has been found to consistently reduce assaults and emergency department attendances. Strict enforcement of existing licensing laws has also been found to be a key element in any successful management of alcohol-related violence. Education campaigns and vague references to personal responsibility have been found ineffective at best and, in some cases, have even been associated with an increase in harm.

The trial of lockouts in Newcastle was seemingly successful. Expert opinion indicated that action needed to be taken. But where was the government of the day? It was nowhere; it was silent. Faced with a media campaign over the Christmas period, inaction continued. As Frank Sartor said in his book, one has to be careful of media campaigns during the silly season. But this was not a popular press media campaign; it was universal and reflected widespread community concern about inaction. The Premier returned from leave and suddenly there was an announcement of a raft of actions—adopting much of what the Opposition had proposed. Mandatory sentence reforms came out of the blue, some two months after the Government had dismissed that as a non-solution.

These days it is not easy to be the leader of a government and, faced with more scrutiny by the media, it is becoming more difficult. But one thing the leader of the Government must do is accept responsibility rather than blame others or attack the Opposition for preparing a policy. The Opposition must not only hold the Government to account but also show that it is an alternative government. It is easy to blame the judiciary as if somehow it is its fault. Hearing the leader of a government under the Westminster system telling the judiciary to man up but producing absolutely no material to substantiate his position is most extraordinary.

If the Premier waited too long to act because he thought his solutions were going to work, why did he not say, "I waited too long. Maybe I should not have done so." Why did he come back from holidays and introduce a raft of reforms for which the bills are not available? I saw the mandatory sentencing legislation for the first time at 9.57 a.m. when I asked Government officers whether the eight years related to a head sentence or a non-parole period of 10 years. The answer was that it was a head sentence. Does that mean that the non-parole provisions apply? Yes. Automatically a non-parole period of three-quarters of the head sentence and special circumstances would apply. When I came into the Chamber after the caucus meeting, the Attorney General's chief of staff told me they were amending the bill. I feel guilty because I am probably the one who is responsible for the Attorney General coming into this House and increasing the mandatory sentence. I adopt the words of two eminent senior counsel who are members of this House and whose views on mandatory sentencing I respect. The member for Cronulla stated:

... we as legislators also have a responsibility to defend the judiciary and the judicial system and to uphold the great goals of an independent judiciary and the rule of law.

I endorse that statement entirely. The member for Cronulla also stated: 

It may therefore be appropriate for the courts to develop sentencing guidelines or, if necessary, to do what has been done in reforming the common law of the civil law, namely legislative intervention. However, that intervention should not take the form of fixed minimum sentences or elected judges, which are a recipe for partiality, favouritism and, ultimately, corruption. There is no evidence that mandatory sentencing reduces the incidence of crimes. In fact, it reduces the incentive to plead guilty and leads to arbitrary and capricious results. Judges can sometimes get it wrong, so robust and rigorous criticism is therefore always appropriate. However, we as community leaders need to be respectful in making that criticism.

On 11 November 2013, in relation to mandatory sentences, the Attorney General stated: 

First, around the world they have not reduced crime. That is, after mandatory sentencing, there are as many victims as before, there is as much drug trafficking or gun possession.

Second, mandatory sentences reduce the incentive to plead guilty. This imposes additional costs on the justice system and more trauma on victims and witnesses who will have to give evidence at trial.

No right-thinking person believes that mandatory sentencing is an appropriate response, particularly under these circumstances, because it produces injustice. I had a private talk to the Attorney General in the presence of the Premier. I gave him a couple of examples and asked him to look again at his legislation in the intervening period because of the unintended serious consequences that I will not disclose to the House. I have never known a Government to act so contemptuously towards the judiciary. Judicial salaries have been interfered with as a result of legislation that the Treasurer introduced on economic grounds, despite the criticism of the Chief Justice. [Extension of time agreed to.]

Towards the end of last year, the Premier produced a remunerations report that members had not seen and, for no particular reason, moved a disallowance motion and then gagged the Opposition. He then returned from leave under pressure as a result of a media campaign. 

Mr Ray Williams: Point of order. The member for Heffron is not speaking to the motion. This is not a motion about the entitlements of the judiciary. 

ACTING-SPEAKER (Mr Gareth Ward): Order! This is a take-note debate and take-note debates are generally very wide. I uphold the point of order. The member for Heffron will continue. 

Mr RON HOENIG: This year the Premier returned from leave under pressure from all media and told judges to man up which is a rather contemptuous way to refer to the judiciary. All members of this House and all members of the executive government must respect the traditions of the Westminster system and the doctrine of separation of powers. It is vital for the community to respect the judiciary—the bedrock on which our democratic system and rule of law are based. Judges sometimes get it wrong. If sentencing judges get it wrong there is an appellate process. The very issue that caused debate in this House—the matter of Loveridge—is currently pending on appeal to the Court of Criminal Appeal. It has yet to be decided whether or not the sentence is manifestly inadequate. The court has before it an application by either the Attorney General or the Director of Public Prosecutions for a guideline judgement in respect of matters of this nature.

There is no pressing reason for the Parliament to be involved. There is no pressing reason to proceed down a path that is contrary to the views and opinions of the Attorney General of this State and—up until he returned from leave—the Premier of this State. The fact of the matter is that this Government is under pressure through a media campaign of its own making. Why does it not just put up its hand up and say, "We misjudged the situation." Why does it not put up its hand and say, "We are going to try lockouts. We thought we would get through all these issues but it is not working." We all know that the terrible killings in the Kings Cross area occurred between 9.00 p.m. 10.00 p.m. The Opposition and the Government are talking about 1.30 a.m. lockouts and the cessation at 3.00 a.m. of the service of alcohol. We have to address a cultural issue but we should not blame the judiciary. 

As I said a moment ago, during my career at the bar I bristled at many of the judges' decisions but fortunately, those times were rare. There were times when I bristled at the behaviour of judges on the bench, although the judicial temperament of nearly all the judges has improved over the past decade. There have also been times when I have bristled after reading decisions of the High Court. No doubt the Premier bristled at the end of last year at the finding relating to campaign donations and things of that nature. There are many occasions on which we disagree or do not like decisions. There are many occasions when governments of the day and Premiers are attacked by the media, in particular, the popular press which at times can cause us to become annoyed or angry. For whatever purpose the State needs leadership, firmness and an appropriate response. These bills were cobbled together to respond to a media campaign rather than to ensure—

Mr Ray Williams: Why did you just vote for it? 

Mr RON HOENIG: At the end of the day, when this legislation does not work, the Government will wear its decision like a crown of thorns around its head.

The Government is running this State. The Government was supposed to come up with a solution but it never did. Those opposite should accept responsibility instead of interrupting from the opposite side of the Chamber like trained monkeys. 

Drug Dealers arrested in Redfern and Waterloo

Redfern Local Area Commander Luke Freudenstein reports a number of arrests in the the Redfern Waterloo area of alleged drug dealers.

Drug dealers in the public housing areas of Redern and Waterloo have been causing considerable concern to public housing tenants, many who are living in fear and are frightened to leave their homes.

Commander Freudenstein said last week; "We have had significant success with arresting alleged drug supplier...and will continue to do so where necessary." He said that the information from the public is very, very good and people have been quick to call the police if they see something suspicious.

Commander Freudenstein said that police are making a big dent in some of the drug supply enterprises in Redfern and Waterloo and say if people going to make a business of supplying drugs in that area, they should think again.

If you have any information that can help the police call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

"Kung Hei Fat Choy" - Happy New Year to Our Chinese Community

I was delighted to attend the spectacular City of Sydney’s Twilight Parade last night as the guest of the Lord Mayor of Sydney. The Twilight parade was an amazing celebration of Chinese New Year which incorporated the cultures of China, Vietnam, Korea, and other nations that observe the lunar calendar.

Traditionally in Chinese culture New Year is celebrated over 15 days. This year Chinese New Year was on 31 January when the Year of the Horse is welcomed. In Chinese culture, the horse is a symbol of nobility, class, speed and perseverance. People born in the Year of the Horse are smart, self-reliant, joyful, outgoing, sophisticated, resilient and quick-witted.

It was an honour to take part in the "eye dotting ceremony" which involved dotting red paint on the eyes, nose, ears and mouth of the Lion "to bring the Lion to life".

To all those who celebrate Chinese New Year "Kung Hei Fat Choy". I wish that the Year of the Horse brings peace, happiness and good fortune to you and your loved ones.

William Yang, Alex Greenwich MP, Ron Hoenig MP, The Hon. Helen Sham Ho, Xie Jinying,
Cr Irene Doutney