Local Government News

Don Page
State Matters

Angling for Information?

The 2003-2004 NSW Recreational Saltwater and Freshwater Fishing guides are now available for local anglers wanting information on fishing throughout New South Wales. The Guides provide information on fish rules and regulations, best fishing practices, species identification, habitat protection and fishing areas.

Summer is a time for enjoying the outdoors and doing things we love, like fishing. The Saltwater and Freshwater Fishing guides are an excellent source of information for interested anglers.

The Guides even have a section on fishing with kids and contact details for NSW Fisheries clinics for children which provide lessons in fishing techniques such as casting, basic knot tying and rigging. The clinics also teach young people about the importance of protecting fishing resources for future generations.

Copies of the Saltwater and Freshwater fishing guides are available from my office.

Justice of the Peace Applications

In previous columns, I have written about changes to the Justices of the Peace Act 2002 and the requirement for existing Justice of the Peace to renominate.

Information sheets outlining the new requirements under the Act and reappointment forms are now available from my office for existing Justices of the Peace in the Ballina electorate wishing to renominate. Justices of the Peace have three years from the implementation of the Act at the end of last year to complete the renomination process.

Completed application forms should be sent directly to;

Community Relations Division

Attorney General's Department

GPO Box 6

Sydney NSW 2001

The renomination application does not have to be endorsed by a Member of Parliament.

For members of the community wishing to apply to become a Justice of the Peace new application forms are also now available from my office. As was the requirement before, a NSW Member of Parliament (MP) must nominate applicants seeking appointment for the first time.

Applications receiving nomination will then be submitted directly to the Attorney General's Department by the relevant Member of Parliament.

TAFE Cuts Hurting Local Students

Students on the Northern Rivers will miss out on valuable training opportunities following the State Government's decision to cut local courses. The Carr Government has slashed the North Coast Institute TAFE budget by over three million dollars in real terms, costing the region valuable jobs and student places.

I have been contacted by several local students concerned that existing courses will not be delivered next year. At Wollongbar, it is expected that as a result of funding shortages, there will be cuts to horticulture, welfare, engineering, hairdressing and IT courses.

Wollongbar TAFE is located in the centre of the Northern Rivers horticulture industries. It is ludicrous to cut courses in an industry sector that is so important to the region.

TAFE provides a valuable link between school education and employment and gives students the valuable skills needed to get a job. Cutting TAFE courses is the most short-sighted cost-cutting measure the Carr Government could undertake. Young people and students are the future and need to have access to opportunities for education and training.

Given the rapidly increasing North Coast population, particularly in coastal areas, it is inconceivable in this day and age that the Government would be considering cutting jobs in public education. Indeed, there should be more support for public education, not less.

I can be contacted by writing to PO Box 1018, Ballina 2478 or by telephoning my Electorate Office on 6686 7522 or faxing 6686 7470. For those on-line my e-mail address is Don.Page@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Thomas George
Canberra Connection

Welcome to 2004. I trust everyone had an enjoyable, safe and relaxing Christmas and New Year season.

Inquiry into Serious Injuries & Deaths in the Workplace

The Legislative Council General Purpose Standing Committee No. 1 is holding an Inquiry into Serious Injuries & Deaths in the Workplace. The terms of reference are as follows:

1. That General Purpose Standing Committee No. 1 inquire into and report on serious injury and death in the workplace, and in particular:

   1. the operation of WorkCover's prosecution branch including the cases of:

      1. Anthony Hampson—Gosford High School, June 2001,

      2. Dean McGoldrick—death while working for Advance Roofing, February 2000,

   2. the role and performance of WorkCover in liaising with victims and families,

   3. the method and monitoring of payment of penalties where an employer has been convicted of an offence relating to a serious accident or death,

   4. compliance by WorkCover with its statutory requirements relating to serious injury and death in the workplace,

   5. comparison of the operation of WorkCover in relation to the management of serious injury and death in the workplace in other jurisdictions in Australia.

2. That the Committee report by May 6, 2004.

Public participation in the inquiry process is encouraged and written submissions are to be sent to the Director, General Purpose Standing Committee No. 1, Legislative Council, Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney by 4 February 2004. Further information can be obtained from my office or by contacting the Committee Secretariat on 9230 3544 or gpscno1@parliament.nsw.gov.au

Building Consultancy Licences

Commencing January 1 2004 any person who is retained by a consumer to carry out a pre-purchase inspection of a residential building will be required to hold a licence. This is a requirement under the Home Building Amendment (Building Consultancy Work) Regulation 2003. Consumers will be able to check the licence details of building consultants on the public register maintained on the Office of Fair Trading website. Information and licence application forms are available on the website (www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au) or by calling the Home Building Service on 1800 678588.

Review of the NSW Building & Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 1999

The aim of the review is to determine whether the policy objectives of the Act (as amended by the NSW Building & Construction Industry Security of Payment Act 2002) remain valid and whether the terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those objectives, including the timeframes and the scope of the Act in respect to coverage and exemptions. Copies of the Act can be accessed through my office or at www.construction.nsw.gov.au/sop. The closing date for submissions is 2 March and can be either emailed to sop-review@construction.nsw.gov.au or sent to the NSW Building & Construction Industry Security of Payment Act, Department of Commerce, Level 23 McKell Building, 2-24 Rawson Place, Sydney 2000.

Casino Community Benefit Fund

In 1995 the Casino Community Benefit Fund was established to provide financial assistance to organisations offering treatment services (counselling, rehabilitation etc), education and awareness raising for problem gamblers and their families, and activities addressing the flow-on effects of problem gambling. The program provides the opportunity for "not for profit" community based organisations to apply for financial assistance. Application forms are available from my office or can be downloaded from the Department of Gaming & Racing website at www.dgr.nsw.gov.au. The closing date is 13 February.

Draft Property, Stock and Business Agents Amendment (Tenant Databases) Regulation 2004

Tenant databases are operated by private companies who collect information about tenants and make it available to real estate agents. Agents use this information to assess a person's rental history when considering an application to rent a property. The draft Property, Stock and Business Agents Amendment (Tenant Databases) Regulation 2004 aims to protect tenants in New South Wales from unfair treatment in relation to the use of tenant databases. The regulation prescribes rules of conduct under the Property, Stock and Business Agents Act 2002 regarding the use of tenant databases by New South Wales real estate agents.

These rules of conduct provide that:

• an agent must take steps to notify a tenant that the agent is going to list them on a database and provide the tenant with a reasonable opportunity to review and correct the information which will be listed;

• a tenant can only be listed on a database for the following reasons - owing rental arrears which are more than the rental bond, failing to comply with a Tribunal order for the payment of money, or being subject to a Tribunal order terminating a tenancy for breach of a lease or causing serious damage or injury;

• an agent must notify a database operator that a debt listed on a database has been paid within 7 days of becoming aware of the payment;

• an agent can only use a tenant database if the database provides tenants with free access to information about the tenant, amends inaccurate, out of date or incomplete information without any charge to the tenant, and deletes listings within certain specified time periods.

The draft regulation does not directly regulate database operators but rather the agents who list tenants on databases. Comments on the draft regulation are invited by 9 February. Submissions should be sent to: The Project Manager, Tenant Databases Regulation, Policy Division, Office of Fair Trading, Level 20, 227 Elizabeth Street, Sydney 2000 or emailed to policy@oft.commerce.nsw.gov.au.Copies of the draft regulation can be obtained from my office or at www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.

I welcome and invite your feedback in relation to any of the above matters, please do not hesitate to contact my office regarding any matters on (ph) 6621 3624, (f) 6622 1403, by writing to PO Box 52 Lismore, e-mail; thomas.george@parliament.nsw.gov.au or www.thomasgeorge.com.au