Dominic Perrottet elected NSW Premier

BY JARROD MELMETH

Treasurer Dominic Perrottet has been elected the 46th Premier of NSW following a Liberal Party room vote this morning.

Planning Minister Rob Stokes also challenged for the leadership but was only able to secure five votes against Perrottet's 39.

Tourism Minister Stuart Ayers will become the new Deputy leader of the state Liberal Party.

Liberal coalition partner the Nationals, will hold a party room meeting on Wednesday to vote for a new leader of the party after John Barilaro announced his resignation from Parliament on Monday. 

It all follows the resignation of Gladys Berejiklian on Friday after the Independent Commission Against Corruption announced it would be investigating her conduct in allocating grants, including to former disgraced Wagga Wagga MP Daryl Maguire.

New Premier Dominic Perrottet.
Image: 7NEWS.

Calls for NSW Parliament to return after almost three months off

BY JARROD MELMETH

The state opposition and the cross bench are pushing for a return to parliament accusing the government of trying to avoid scrutiny. 

On Monday it was revealed the return of sitting in the Upper House has been delayed until next week to give health officials times to review the COVID safety plan. 

The President of the Legislative Council Matthew Mason Cox wanted the chamber to sit but the government decided Ministers and Parliamentary Secretaries would not take part, triggering the sitting to be cancelled.

The Legislative Assembly has not sat since June 24 after Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall tested positive for COVID-19 which sent parliament house into lockdown.

Lake Macquarie MP Greg Piper says of all the industries which are considered essential, parliament should be one of them.

"We know that there are lot of people out there doing jobs because they work in job that are considered to be essential. That includes in transport, logistics, retail, supermarkets, our health providers and in our hospitals. Their still out there doing it but, parliament is not essential?

"I certainly believe that the parliament isn't something that should be an optional thing, a good thing to have when times are good. It's actually essential when times are tough as well because we can't just set aside the responsibilities of the parliament and representative democracy and, just say we're going to leave it to the executive government," Mr Piper said.

There are some concerns around the passage of important Bills, including the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill which was due to be introduced into the Parliament in August.

Mr Piper is in favour of Voluntary Assisted Dying and has been a staunch supporter of the Bill and says its frustrating for people who will continue to suffer at the hands of terminal illnesses because the parliament is not sitting.

"We had certainly hoped that we would be having the Bill introduced and debated in October and hopefully we could have had this matter completed before the end of the year.

"It cannot just be pushed back year after year. It won't go away. People are demanding that the NSW Parliament moves into the modern times, just as so many people are doing now in other jurisdictions," Mr Piper said.   

Pictured: The NSW Legislative Assembly

Brian Burston Says he's Ready to Defend himself

BY TYLER FARDELL

During his maiden parliament speech in 2016, One Nation senator Brian Burston said he had worked as a lecturer at the University of Newcastle during the 1980's.

But now he's out to prove his claims are true after an article published in the Sydney Morning Herald alleged Mr Burston may have been lying about his former credentials with the University of Newcastle having no records of the senator ever being employed.

It's expected Mr Burston will address the issue this week when parliament resumes and says he's angry this 'non-issue' is even getting brought up.

"The media and major parties have been trying to find something on me... but I can back what I said",  Mr Burston responded.

"I was certainly there. I was there for four years".

Mr Burston also responded by stating "I never said I was employed by the University. I said I lectured at Newcastle University".

Mr Burston further explained the situation on Sunday and said he was employed by TAFE during the 1980's and was contracted to lecture trainee TAFE teachers on the University campus.

It's likely the matter will be resolved within the week.

Greens Target Alcohol Advertising

BY TYLER FARDELL

Alcohol advertising is hard to avoid. From television and radio commercials, sports promotion and sponsorship and even Woolworths and Coles shop-a-docket promotions, it's not hard to see why Australians are so fond of alcohol.

But the Greens are looking to change the situation after proposing an inquiry yesterday into alcohol advertising.

The proposal was supported by the NSW legislative council and will ensure the matter is brought to the house later in the year.

Greens Alcohol Harm Spokesperson Justin Field was happy about the support the inquiry received from all parties and says alcohol advertising is affecting all members of the community, including children.

"Alcohol advertising is visible on the high street, at sporting venues, on the television, in our newspapers and online", he said.

"Yet we know the bargain prices advertised are a bad deal for communities, resulting in higher consumption levels, including heavier drinking and underage drinking".

Alcohol advertising is heavily featured in sport and often appeals to children.
Source; Advertiser's Anonymous - blogger

Joel Fitzgibbon Condemns Centrelink Debt Debacle

BY SARAH JAMES

Federal Member for Hunter Joel Fitzgibbon commenced the first day of Parliament for 2017 by championing the concerns of constituents affected by the Centrelink automated debt recovery before the House of Representatives.

Hundreds of Hunter residents are receiving letters from external debt collectors without being granted the opportunity to respond, appeal or have the decision reviewed.

Many of these debt notices are incorrect or date back more than seven years.

"Hundreds of... local constituents are being adversely affected...by the sheer under-resourcing of Centrelink and therefore the inability of the staff to service poeple adequately, and of course this debt recovery process which is unfairly targetting people," said Mr Fitzgibbon.

"The Turnbull Government has to start properly resourcing Centrelink again. The staff cannot continue under the current arrangements, people won't get proper service...and it needs to suspend this debt recovery process until it can be sure that people aren't being unfairly treated," he elaborated.

Joel Fitzgibbon is encouraging Hunter residents to make contact with his office if they have experienced issues with Centrelink, Medicare and NDIS.

Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon

MP Sonia Hornery calls for Greyhound ban to be discussed in NSW Parliament

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

Following the State Government's recent ban on greyhound racing, State Member for Wallsend Sonia Hornery is calling for the issue to be contested in the NSW Parliament.

State Member for Wallsend, Sonia Hornery
[Image: NSW Parliament]

The MP firmly believes a parliamentary debate can help introduce stronger regulations to the industry to ensure the prevention of animal cruelty while allowing those involved in racing to maintain their jobs.

Sonia Hornery says the Baird Government's sudden decision to completely shut down the industry will affect the livelihoods of HUNTER residents.

"I have great concern for the livelihoods of workers in the Hunter," she said. "Fifty people in the Wallsend area rely on their jobs at The Gardens.

"If they were to lose their income because of this, where will they find another job?"

According to the MP, workers and operators are not the only ones who will be affected by this decision.

"We're also talking about the vet industry, we're talking about soccer that plays at the greyhounds for years, we're talking about the club itself, we're talking about the Asian restaurant that relies on the patrons of the Gardens for their livelihoods," she says.

"So it's not only impacting on the fifty people who rely on the greyhounds at Wallsend, it's all of those other people who will lose their job."
In order to prevent job losses, the MP says a parliamentary inquiry should be implemented.

"What I would like to see is this inquiry into the industry discussed in Parliament," she says. "Consultation and more information is needed before decisions like this are made.

"It should have been discussed by all of our parliamentarians so that we can talk about the impact on us."

The Gardens in Newcastle [Image: Newcastle Herald]

For Sonia Hornery, the Baird Government's decision is an unfair one and impacts those who abide by the laws in an attempt to punish the few who do not. She says it is the bad operators who should be targeted as generalisations put the majority of workers at a disadvantage.

"Eighty percent of the people in this industry love their pets and look after them," she says. "Why should they be negatively affected by the twenty percent?

"Let's improve regulations so we get rid of the twenty percent of miscreants and clean up the industry."