This morning, before we left Sydney, I held a media conference at Central Station because I was so disgusted by the organisers of the ‘Big Day Out’ banning the Australian Flag being carried on the day.

The event is held on state government land, so the Labor state government can withdraw its approval. The banning of the Australian Flag is political correctness gone mad.

Instead of just mouthing platitudes, Morris Iemma must take action and deliver an ultimatum to the organisers – embrace the Flag or move the event to another venue.

After the media conference, I hopped on a train up to Wyong. We had to leave the cars at home today as the F3 had been closed to traffic due to the horrendous bushfires that are raging through the Ku-ring-gai National Park.

As we travelled in the train we could see the thick clouds of smoke billowing from the bushfires. At times like this when fires are raging on our doorstep we can be thankful for our brave fire-fighters who are on the frontline battling the flames in forty degree heat – remember most are volunteers. I thank them for the tremendous job they do.

Once we got to Tuggerah Station we headed off to Berkeley Vale where I announced our $132 million Central Coast water policy with Member for Gosford Chris Hartcher and local Liberal candidates Chris Holstein, Brenton Pavier, Phil Walker and Ken Paxinos. With dams hovering at just 13%, residents of the Central Coast deserve immediate action to address the water crisis. After twelve years all Labor has offered is a plan for a dam that will not be completed for another ten years.

In addition to the Tillegra Dam, the NSW Liberal/Nationals will deliver a comprehensive $132 million Central Coast Water Plan to drought-proof the Central Coast within three years. I’ve been working with our Central Coast Liberal candidates and the local community to develop a range of initiatives that will ensure the Central Coast is more self-reliant and less dependent on help from Sydney or the Hunter for water.

As part of our package we’re dedicating $80 million for the creation of a Central Coast water grid that will connect Mardi dam and Mangrove Mountain dam. We’re also dedicating $20 million to a Central Coast water infrastructure program for large scale stormwater recycling. We will provide an additional $1500 in water tank rebates for all tanks over 2000 litres and spend $2 million to install rainwater tanks in all State Government buildings on the Central Coast.

We also committed to stop all mining that could threaten the Central Coast’s water supply. With water so precious in this part of NSW, it’s ludicrous to allow any activity that could jeopardise the quality and supply of the precious little water that the people of the Central Coast rely on. We have also committed to declare a state of emergency and appoint a Central Coast Water Commissioner to cut through red tape and ensure that these vital projects are implemented without delay.

Following our water announcement I travelled to The Entrance with our local candidate Phil Walker. Phil was a police officer for 34 years. In his years of service he was posted to all six Local Area Commands on the Central Coast and has an amazing understanding of the issues that face the people of The Entrance.  

Phil and I walked down The Entrance Road to the Boat Shed where we met with local fishermen who are concerned that Labor is going to impose a Marine Park on the local community. In so many different parts of NSW the community is up in arms about Labor’s marine parks, which are hurting families and turning tourists away in droves. Labor needs to start listening to local communities and stop listening to the Greens.

Afterwards we had a quick bite to eat at The Entrance Hotel and went down to Narara with Chris Holstein - our Candidate for Gosford. Here we met with June Gibson and a group of local bricklayers. June used to operate her own bricklaying business, but because of WorkCover and stifling State Government regulations, June had to close up the business. Things are looking pretty grim for the other bricklayers as well because of the damage this State Government is doing to small business.

I believe government should get off the backs of small business and out of the pocket of the community. After twelve years of Labor, this State Government keeps on hitting small business with more regulation and higher taxes. If you hurt small business you hurt jobs and you ruin people’s livelihoods. It is no wonder NSW is on the brink of recession and is the highest taxed State in the nation. Our economic rescue plan to cut taxes and regulation will put NSW back in front and keep small businesses like these bricklayers afloat.

With fires raging outside Sydney cutting off trains to the Central Coast and stopping traffic on the F3 and Pacific Highway we hopped on a Water Taxi to get back to town. There were crowds of people at Ettalong withstanding the heat of the blistering sun waiting for the ferry. We tried to take as many people on the water taxi with us as possible for the trip to Palm Beach. I just wish there were more seats on board.

Peter Debnam 

June Gibson

We’ve been hit hard by WorkCover and their arbitrary rules – so hard we had to shut down our business.

We moved to the Central Coast in 1972 and my husband has worked for himself as a bricklayer all his life. I’ve been supporting him running the administrative side of the business for the last ten years. It’s always been a struggle, but we worked hard to grow the business and to get jobs for other people on the coast along the way.

Because of WorkCover’s wage auditors who decide the definition of an employee using flawed definitions, we were hit with a $54,000 WorkCover bill. This was enough to force us to close up shop and end the business. We’ve been lobbying this Government for the last two years over its impacts on small business. They’re incompetent.

This isn’t only our problem – it’s a problem for a lot of other business across the Central Coast and the State. Government in NSW should be about supporting small business and helping it grow – not forcing it interstate.

My husband has gone back to doing letterboxes – what he did when he was young before becoming a bricklayer. I’m now working with local business so that they don’t fall into the same traps that we did. We shouldn’t have to be providing this information. The State Government should be supporting small business and not just looking for ways to slug them.

It was good to meet Peter Debnam today – he knew just what we were on about. Chris Hartcher, Chris Holstein and Phil Walker up here on the Coast understand the difficulties that business is going through – it’s a shame that nobody else is listening.

Peter’s plan to get NSW Back in Front and his economic rescue plan is just what small business in NSW needs. We need changes and we need them now. We know if Peter Debnam becomes Premier we’ll get them on day one.

June Gibson
Narara