Political Report - May 2020.
Once again NSW Labor successfully utilised our strong numerical support in the upper house to effect a number of important changes to legislation that will make a real difference for workers and people who are disproportionately disadvantaged by this crisis.
The NSW Parliament last assembled in March 2020, and was not due to resume again until September. The Premier was telling our State’s residents that it was safe for our children and teachers to return to school, and for many workers to begin returning to more normal work patterns, yet the Premier was not allowing Parliament to resume and for her Government to be scrutinised.
We argued that the Berejiklian Government had to put the Parliament of NSW back to work. On Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 May, the Upper House was recalled to sit and we effectively pressured the Berejiklian Government into ensuring that Parliament has to meet on a regular basis, and resume our regular sitting pattern. We said no more to the Government’s one-off days, with no plan, no agenda, no legislation and no scrutiny.
The NSW Labor Upper House team had a very successful sitting and achieved some important measures to help residents of NSW.
Helping Tenants and Landlords
NSW Labor won a significant victory for tenants and landlords across NSW facing financial adversity during the pandemic with amendments to emergency legislation to facilitate the creation of a hardship fund helping them stay afloat. Labor's Upper House Leader, Adam Searle successfully moved an amendment, which sees landlords suffering financial hardship receive up to $2,500 per tenancy, which they would be obligated to pass on to tenants in rent reductions. The hardship package works by directing funds from the $250 million Property Statutory Interest Account into the Property Services Compensation Fund. Both the Real Estate Institute and the NSW Tenants Union, supported Labor’s hardship fund, which was similar to action taken in Victoria.
Labor also ensured that there were changes to lease break fees so that they will be capped at two weeks, with the capacity for these fees to be waived in total. Break fees are usually 4 to 6 weeks, therefore it was an important measure as we cannot have tenants facing substantial financial penalties when industries have closed and there are substantial job losses and pays cuts, these tenants are feeling the financial impact of the pandemic and needed our help in reducing the already devastating effect of this crisis. I also spoke out on other amendments to protect tenants who are facing incredible hardships.
Please see me speaking in Parliament here:
The Berejiklian Government’s central course of action was a land tax rebate for the wealthiest 16 per cent of landlords, which does not go far enough to assist those who have been suffering immensely in this crisis. Labor’s amendments will go some of the way to helping NSW tenants and landlords.
Local Government
There were some important victories regarding Local Government legislation. The Labor Upper House team were able to successfully remove two of the Berejiklian Government's planned changes to the Local Government Act:
Limiting the general income councils could derive
Preventing councils from commissioning or carrying out capital works that involved the expenditure on public buildings used by councils for administration or decision making purposes
If the Government’s proposals had been successful, it would have had severe impacts on the ability for councils to generate income and jobs.
Protecting workers
The Labor Team, led by our Upper House Leader, Adam Searle ensured that important new rights were provided for workers’ stood down without pay as a direct or indirect result of the COVID-19 pandemic, they will now continue to accrue annual and long service leave.
Adam Searle also led an amendment that provided an important measure for council workers, they are now able to cash out their leave by agreement.
Our Upper House team made certain that there can now be a deferral of the election of officers of Unions for a period of up to 12 months if the Electoral Commission is unable to conduct the election because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Labor also advocated and voted for workers compensation rights for frontline workers such as health care workers, police officers and teachers who contract COVID-19 while engaged in their work, they will now be automatically covered for workers compensation without having to prove they contracted COVID 19 at work. I spoke strongly in support of the amendment that benefits workers.
Holding the Berejiklian Government to account
As Parliament was resuming, Labor was arguing that the Government was trying to conceal the State’s true economic position by eradicating crucial financial reporting obligations such as the half yearly review and long-established monthly statements. Labor’s Upper House team successfully amended legislation to strengthen the obligation of the Treasurer to publicly release the Half-yearly review for 2020 and the monthly statements for 2020-2021.
We also won a number of Orders for papers, a very important instrument of scrutiny by which we are able to hold the Government to account and where the Government is legally obliged to produce the documents. My colleague, Courtney Houssos led a successful motion requesting information regarding supplies provided to public schools, including hygiene products and thermometers. Without adequate supplies in our schools; students and teachers cannot follow health instructions, which places both them and our communities at large at significant risk. I spoke on the importance of holding the Minister for Education to account and that the Government must ensure that schools are getting the supplies that they need when community members, like teachers, have been distressed over the lack of necessities in schools.
Please watch my speech in full here:
The Upper House will next resume on Tuesday 2 June 2020. We will then be continuing to sit on June: 3, 4, 16, 17, 18, where we will be persisting to hold the Berejiklian Government to account.
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