O’Farrell government hides breach of ‘Contract with NSW’

Via: http://johnkaye.org.au/ofarrell-government-hides-breach-of-contract-with-nsw/

by John Kaye on March 26, 2013 in Democracy, Education, Health

It is hardly surprising that the O’Farrell government’s much-touted ‘Contact with NSW’ election promise document has been expunged from the web. Many of the core promises have either not been met or have been breached.

During the 2011 state election, the Contract had its own website, http://www.contractwithnsw.com.au which has been taken down. Searching for the term “contract with NSW” on the NSW Liberals’ website draws a blank.

A copy of the contract can still be found on the privately-run http://www.electionleaflets.org.au, which displays scans of leaflets from past elections.

The Contract contains a number of “contractual” commitments which have been broken. In some cases, the O’Farrell government has done the opposite of what they promised:

Promise: “No offshore outsourcing of public sector jobs.”

Reality:

Workcover jobs outsourced overseas

‘The final insult – workers comp jobs go overseas’, March 19 2012, The Injured Workers Support Network’.

Promise:  “return quality services in areas such as health, transport, education and police”

Reality: $1.7 billion cut from education and $2.2 billion cut or reassigned in hospitals over the next 4 years

Education:

Coalition of 11 education groups join together to oppose O’Farrell’s $1.7 billion education cuts

‘School groups give Premier an F over budget cuts’, 19 November 2012, SMH.

‘O’Farrell takes an axe to education’, 12 September 2012, SMH.

‘Barry O’Farrell explains education cuts’, 13 September 2012, ABC online.

Transport:

Hundreds of jobs lost as Rail Corp divides into two

‘Hundreds of jobs lost as RailCorp split in two’,  15 May 2012, SMH.

Government announces over 700 jobs to be lost

‘RailCorp to shed nearly 700 jobs’, 16 November 2012, ABC online.

Police:

O’Farrell accused of cutting police numbers to achieve budget savings

‘NSW change to police numbers prompts fear of crime rise’, 11 November 2011, SMH.

Hospitals:

$2.2 billion cut or reassigned in hospitals over the next 4 years

‘Health budget slashed by $3 billion’, 14 September 2012, SMH.

NSW ambulance budget cuts threaten lives

“NSW ambulance budget cuts ‘put lives at risk’”, 22 February 2013, ABC online.

Promise: “We will invest $3 billion to fix our hospitals”

Reality: Money cut from hospitals

At Sydney’s Prince of Wales Hospital: Twenty-six beds from a number of departments in the Randwick facility to go because of budget pressures. The beds will be consolidated to allow one whole ward to be closed

‘Union criticises hospital ward closure’, 17 February 2013, ABC online.

Promise: “we will hire 900 more teachers”

Reality: increase in teacher numbers has been much smaller

Funds used instead for resources equivalent to 900 extra teachers. The result being NO extra literacy and numeracy teachers as promised.

‘O’Farrell accused of dumping literacy and numeracy pledge’, 12 March 2013, SMH.

Promise: “135 new express train services”

Reality: no substantial increase in express train services

Mr O’Farrell introduces small number or express train services as opposed to the 135 promised

‘Timetable’s journey still stops at all stations’, 20 September 2011, SMH.

Promise: “We will give people a real say on issues affecting their community” and “we will return planning powers to the community”

Reality: Planning laws proposed by O’Farrell government take away capacity of community to have a say

O’Farrell government makes final decision on land to be rezoned despite a pre-election promise that planning powers be returned to communities

’170,000 new homes to revive dream’, 17 March 2013, SMH.

Promise: “$40 million for protecting our green corridors and boosting funding for better management of national parks”

Reality: EEZ closed and recreational shooters in national parks

O’Farrell government awarded ‘F’ for in a report card on its performance in the area of ecosystem protection during its first two years in power due to: plans to remove requirement for developments to have a threatened species assessment, trial of ecological thinning of red gums, proposed horse riding trial in wilderness areas, funding cuts to Office of Environment & Heritage, Dept. of Primary Industries, Catchment Management Authority & National Parks & Wildlife Service

‘Park hunt bags O’Farrell an F’, 18 March 2013, SMH.

Recreational hunting in 79 of the state’s national parks as part of a deal struck by the government in exchange for the sale of the state electricity generators

‘Premier O’Farrell to allow hunting in national parks’, 31 May 2012, ABC online.

via O’Farrell government hides breach of ‘Contract with NSW’ | John Kaye MLC.