The Hon. PENNY SHARPE (11:50): On behalf of the Opposition I contribute to debate on the Motor Racing Legislation Amendment (Newcastle 500) Bill 2017 and indicate at the outset that Labor supports the bill. I will be moving three amendments that Labor believes will strengthen the bill, and I will talk about those later. The bill aims to facilitate moving the venue of the annual supercars motorsport race from Homebush to Newcastle for the next five years at a minimum, and I note it also leaves open the option of using Homebush at a future time. The event will take place in Newcastle on 24 to 26 November 2017. The bill extends the existing legislation applying to motor racing at Homebush to Newcastle, subject to the same provisions currently applied to Homebush. Destination NSW is the approval body with Newcastle City Council as a key partner. The proposed arrangements set out in this bill place an obligation on the race promoter to consult with any other public or local authorities prescribed by regulation to address specific issues. This is an issue to which I will come back later.

The bill will facilitate infrastructure and civil works to take place to meet motorsport track standards, while the Minister also promised works and improvements to roads and service infrastructure. This will require a significant amount of one-off construction to be undertaken prior to November 2017. In subsequent years, normal event works will require temporary facilities to be erected over a six-week period, and then removed over three weeks. I am advised that this process often takes less time than is stipulated. The Minister stated in his second reading speech that the event will contribute approximately $57 million to the economy of the Hunter region and provide an additional 215 ongoing car parking spaces in Newcastle in the area of the track circuit. I note that the expected television audience will be around two million people, with all eyes on Newcastle. I have also asked the Minister's staff to look at other opportunities that will assist the community after this event, including issues like footpath accessibility improvements that can be done while other works are being undertaken to set up the track.

The missing piece of this legislation is a specified government consultation and coordination role that is an independent broker between council, supercars, government agencies and the community. In 2014 the current motor racing legislation was amended to remove the Homebush Motor Racing Authority, an advisory body with responsibility for the preparation and management of the motor race, and liaison with government agencies, the promoter, and other identified parties such as local residents and businesses. Labor members opposed this amendment as we believed then as we believe now that responsibility for community consultation should rest with a government office not the event proponents. Both the Mayor of Newcastle and the member for Newcastle have called for a Newcastle-based government consultation and coordination office to be established as part of the preparations of this event. These calls are based on what has been happening on the ground and from previous experience at Homebush. Currently the consultation arrangements for the race lie with supercars. Council has been doing some liaison but it has become abundantly clear that the Government has dropped the ball when it comes to community consultation and coordination. What has evolved is confusion, frustration and buck-passing, as well as genuine concerns for local residents.

Local residents have been frustrated at the lack of information available about what is happening in their neighbourhood. They have legitimate concerns and questions about access, safety, heritage protection, tree protection and foreshore access. When these issues have been raised, they have not been answered adequately and many have been confused about receiving responses from supercars rather than the Government. I note that the new Minister has been to Newcastle to speak to the council. He made some improvements where the previous Minister had failed, I believe. The current Minister has committed to putting in place a Newcastle-based community liaison officer with fly-in, fly-out arrangements for staff at Destination NSW.

The amendment I will seek to move will establish in the legislation a Newcastle consultation office and ensure that the Government, through Destination NSW, is designated to undertake the consultation—not supercars. Labor believes this office should employ more than a junior community consultation officer. The office should be tasked with: the efficient coordination and management of government services required for the preparation, management and conduct of the Newcastle 500; building and maintaining strong working relationships with the race promoter, stakeholders, residents and other government agencies through a strong and consistent community consultation process; minimising disruption to the local community, stakeholders and businesses; and maximising the benefits of this event for the people of New South Wales.

This race is being located in one of the most beautiful places in New South Wales, and part of the hopes for its success are based on the location and the opportunity it provides to showcase Newcastle to the rest of the world. One of the reasons this area is so beautiful is that it is a historic precinct, an area as important as The Rocks in Sydney. This heritage must be protected and there must be guarantees that it will not be undermined, harmed or damaged as a result of this event. The proposed circuit for the Newcastle 500 goes past 68 historic residential terraces and local and State heritage-listed buildings or monuments.

I note that the Minister has committed to the preparation of a heritage impact statement for the event and he has indicated that the Heritage Act will apply to event. We welcome this commitment. Because of the importance of this heritage precinct, I will move an amendment to make it very clear that the Heritage Act applies. I also seek reassurances from the Minister that, when working with the council, special attention will be given to locally listed heritage items listed in the Newcastle Local Environmental Plan and that these items will be captured in the analysis and planning of the heritage impact statement. For an event of this size and scope being held in this area, inserting a heritage clause into this bill will make crystal clear the intention of this Parliament in passing legislation to facilitate this event. At this point I foreshadow that I will move Labor's amendments listed on sheet C2017-002C.

The Hon. Dr Peter Phelps: Are they good amendments?

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE: They are always good amendments and I will speak in detail about them in the Committee stage. In closing, the Newcastle 500 Supercars race is an important opportunity not just for Newcastle but also for the Hunter region. Over five years it should become a tourist bonanza for the Hunter—an event that brings tourists to this beautiful place not just for the weekend on which this event is held but also throughout the year. We want this event to bring visitors to beaches, wineries, sports and adventure activities and national parks where local heritage and fine wine and food are on offer across the Hunter region. More tourism means more jobs and a growing and diversifying economy for the Hunter region. Labor will watch closely to see how this event unfolds. We support the bill.

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Consideration of amendments to the bill.

In Committee

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE ( 16:29 ): By leave: I move Opposition amendments Nos 1 and 2 on sheet C2017-002C in globo:

 

No. 1 Newcastle consultation office

Page 3, Schedule 1. Insert after line 18:

[5] Section 5

Insert after section 4:

5 Newcastle consultation office

(1) Destination NSW is to ensure that members of staff are employed in Newcastle for the purposes of this section (the Newcastle consultation office ).

(2) Destination NSW is to exercise its functions under this Act relating to consultation in relation to any motor race conducted in Newcastle through the Newcastle consultation office.

No. 2 Community consultation for authorised works

Page 4, Schedule 1 [10] and [11], lines 19 to 29. Omit all words on th ose lines. Insert instead:

[10] Section 18

Omit the section. Insert instead:

18 Community consultation

Before granting an authorisation under section 17, Destination NSW must:

(a) consult with:

(i) any person having a right of occupation of land within the works area, and

(ii) any person occupying land immediately adjacent to the works area, and

(iii) any other person whose business or financial interests might be affected by the works, and

(b) take into account any representations made by any person re ferred to in paragraph (a), and

(c) be satisfied that the race promoter has demonstrated that it will take adequate steps to prevent or minimise any harm to the environment, and disruption of other lawful activities, on landwithin the works area and land adjacent to the works area.

 

During the second reading debate on this bill I foreshadowed that the Opposition would be moving amendments at the Committee stage. Labor's position on this bill is very clear: We support this event, but we believe there have been significant problems when it comes to local coordination of the event on the ground. There is a desperate need for government coordination that is transparent and strong and that has the grunt it needs to bring all the different players together in Newcastle to run this event. We believe the coordination effort must be located in Newcastle and that it is inappropriate that Supercars Australia has been selected as the body charged with undertaking community consultation in relation to this event.

We acknowledge the Minister indicated that a community liaison officer will move to Newcastle and that Destination NSW staff from Sydney will be involved in the process. Frankly, Labor's view is that a fly‑in, fly‑out arrangement for Destination NSW staff, particularly in the first year when the event is being established and coordination will involve managing a diverse range of issues including public works, developing the circuit and heritage matters, will require employing more than a junior liaison officer. These amendments seek to put in place a government coordination unit to deal with all the matters involved in establishing and running this event. The unit would act as a broker between the community, businesses, government agencies and the promoter to ensure the event has the best chance of success. Let us not forget that at the inception of this event in Homebush it was coordinated by the Homebush Motor Racing Authority. This authority worked through all the details required to run this event. We should not forget that time is ticking on this event, which is due to be held at the end of November. In the interim a great deal of preparation is required.

Since the affected community found out about this event it has become clear that the Government has dropped the ball in communicating with affected people. People do not trust the promoter as they are not getting the answers to their questions about the running of this event. During the second reading debate there was a suggestion of nimby-ism, but that would be to forget that people who live in the affected area have legitimate concerns that need to be properly addressed. Labor's view has always been that what is good enough for Sydney should be good enough for Newcastle when it comes to staging this event. I encourage members to support our amendments, which I do not believe are over the top. I believe these are sensible and prudent amendments. Labor has thought about how to make this event work not only now but also in the future. We believe the establishment of a coordination unit would plug a real gap in the way in which the Government seeks to deliver the event. I commend amendments Nos 1 and 2 to the Committee.

--

In reply:

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE ( 16:39 ): I will respond to the issues raised by the Government as to why it will not support these amendments. If the Government is arguing that it is putting in place a coordination unit, I do not understand why it cannot put that into the legislation. This is very specific. A place-based approach to where this race is being held is perfectly appropriate. It is unfortunate that the Government cannot see its way clear to support this. I will raise the one example used in the debate, which was that this amendment would make it so difficult that the Chief Executive Officer of Destination NSW would have to go to Newcastle to sign off on a consultation letter. First, there is something called email: You can sign off on something without travelling. Secondly, I think the people of Newcastle would like to see the CEO of Destination NSW signing off on the consultation. The entire point is that the consultation to date has been very poor. We are seeking to make that better.

Opposition amendment No. 1 is not something that the Government should have any difficulty supporting. In relation to Labor's amendment No. 2, the community consultation on authorised works, the way the bill currently operates is to leave it up to V8 Supercars to do most of this work. I think the Government fundamentally misunderstands what Labor is trying to do, which is neither vague nor unworkable, but very clear. Labor is saying that Destination NSW and the Government should be responsible for doing the consultation on this work, not the event promoter, and that is what this amendment seeks to do. It is not right to suggest that this will make it harder for the race promoter because it would have to consult with more people. Frankly, if that is an unintended consequence of this amendment, it is another reason for it to be supported.

The CHAIR: The Hon. Penny Sharpe has moved Opposition amendments Nos 1 and 2 on sheet C2017‑002C. The question is that the amendments be agreed to.

The Committee divided.

Ayes15

Noes19

Majority4

 

 

 

Amendments negatived.

The Hon. PENNY SHARPE ( 16:50 ): I move Opposition amendment No. 3 on sheet C2017-002C.

 

No. 3 Application of Heritage Act 1977

Page 5, Schedule 1. Insert after line 17:

[16] Section 34A

Insert after section 34:

34A Operation of Heritage Act 1977 not affected by this Act

For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Act affects the operation of the Heritage Act 1977 .

 

As I explained in the second reading debate, this amendment is really about signalling the understanding of this Parliament, as it looks at giving permission and putting forward enabling legislation for this event to take place, that this event is actually happening operating in a heritage precinct in one of the oldest built environments in New South Wales, that it requires special care and attention and that the Heritage Act must and will apply to all State heritage-listed items. The amendment is about signalling within legislation how important that is and how seriously this Chamber and the Parliament takes this as it moves forward and gives permission for this enabling legislation.

Again I am disappointed that the Government could not see its way clear to support this amendment. The Minister has been at pains to talk about the Heritage Act applying in relation to this. I do not see why we cannot be clear about it. It actually matters what goes into legislation and the intent here. There are real concerns about making sure that the heritage items that are located where this race will be run are not harmed, and that the best care and attention is given to them. There are still loopholes in relation to heritage protection when it comes to the local environment, local environment plans and locally listed heritage items. I will not go too much further into this except to say that this amendment is about very clear intent about the importance and the recognition of the heritage that is located in Newcastle East. It is about saying that we take that seriously. It is very disappointing that the Minister says, "Well, it doesn't matter because it's not going to count anyway." If that is the case then why on earth will he not join with us in supporting this amendment?

--

The CHAIR: The Hon. Penny Sharpe has moved Opposition amendment No. 3 on sheet C 2017-002C. The question is that the amendment be agreed to.

The Committee divided.

Ayes15

Noes19

Majority4

 

 

 

Amendment negatived.

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