Last week saw the end of the parliamentary sittings for this year, however there are still some committees working through til Christmas. The O'Farrell/Stoner Government made a powerful enemy by ramming through legislation that cuts entitlements to injured and disabled police officers. The most damming thing about this issue was how the Coalition performed. The NSW Police Association has said from the outset that the scheme needed to be changed and they were open for negotiation with the Government. The legislation, and the way it was progressed through both Houses of the Parliament, clearly displayed the O'Farrell Governments distrust and contempt for anyone working in the NSW Public Service.
In the Upper House the Government ran out of Legislation yet again! The way in which the Government has managed the NSW Upper House program this year has been farcical and indeed at times was nothing short of comedy. They had to shut the House down a day early thus depriving the opposition and cross benchers of a private members day. You do have to wonder just exactly what the Coalition were doing in opposition for 16 years!!
 

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Mick Veitch MLC, Duty MLC for Coogee has slammed the O'Farrell Government for its disgraceful attack on local police officers – which will see entitlements for police injured in the line of duty slashed.
"The O'Farrell Government has committed the lowest of low acts – and rushed through legislation to rip apart the entitlements of police injured or disabled on the job," Mr Veitch said.
"The O'Farrell Government's decision to ram through legislation that rips apart entitlements for injured and disabled police officers on the final day of parliament is an absolute disgrace.
"This Bill has been rushed through the NSW Parliament without allowing good faith negotiations with the police who will be directly affected by these changes to take place.
"This legislation is a slap in the face for the hardworking local police officers who protect our community.
"We can’t expect our local police to go to work each and every day to protect our community if there is no guarantee they will be looked after should something go wrong.
"I am outraged the O'Farrell Government would treat our local police with such contempt that they are willing to rush through this legislation without properly negotiating with the officers who will be affected first.
"The O'Farrell Government has put the interests of the private insurance company they are using for the scheme ahead of protecting our local injured and disabled police officers.
"Today is a very sad day for the hardworking men and women of the NSW Police Force and their families.
"It takes a very low government to attack the entitlements of police officers injured or disabled in the line of duty."

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Barry O'Farrell's plan to privatise the State's electricity assets is likely to increase the average household electricity bill, Mick Veitch MLC said today.
"Barry O'Farrell's power sell off will send electricity prices skyrocketing and force local bills up per year," Mr Veitch said.
"We know families are already struggling with high electricity bills and this decision by the O'Farrell Government will push many local families right to the limit.
"Barry O'Farrell promised to keep electricity prices down during the election campaign, but all we are seeing is decisions that will send electricity prices skyrocketing.
"The Premier needs to stop and think about the human cost of his power privatisation plans.
"The Energy and Water Ombudsman revealed last week that there has been an 18 per cent increase in complaints from households who have been disconnected due to financial hardship.
"These disconnections will continue to rise if the Premier proceeds with his plans to privatise the State's power stations and put upward pressure on prices."
Premier Barry O'Farrell told workers in Lithgow on January 28, 2011:
''We have absolutely no plans to privatise either the generators or the poles and wires."
- Barry O'Farrell, Lithgow Mercury, January 2011
"The people of NSW didn't elect Barry O'Farrell so that he would increase their electricity prices and privatise power stations," Mr Veitch said.
"Barry O'Farrell has no mandate to privatise electricity and he has no right to send electricity bills skyrocketing

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