What Maitland Citizens Want

Community Feedback - State Election March 24

2 March 2007

Please note that this list will be regularly updated as we approach March 24.  The items are not listed in order of priority. 

What you have said so far:

1. Extend F3 freeway from Seahampton to Branxton without further delay.   
2. Call for a strategy to deal with Maitland's ranking in the top 25% of the worst areas in the State for the distribution of social disadvantage in the 2004 Community, Adversity and Resilience report.
3. Address the high rates of youth unemployment.  The last reported Census data suggests that almost 60% of young people in Maitland leave school before the age of 16 (compared to the 52% State average) 
4. Increase funding for Sexual Health.  Sexual Health are based in Newcastle and provide outreach to Cessnock--not Maitland.
5. Improve access to Maitland pre-schools and make it more affordable.
6. Demand that the State Government passes on the Commonwealth funding Tocal College earns.
7. Investigate ways to ease traffic congestion on New England Highway between East Maitland and Rutherford.
8. Promote Maitland as a base for renewable energies.
9. Increase funding for the Womens' Domestic Violence Court Assistance Scheme.  It has only received a 2% increase in funding over a period of 12 years. Page 161 of the NSW State Government plan indicates that the Government will "consider" implementing a Hunter Domestic Violence project reducing repeat domestic violence.
10. Improve mental health services for both in-patients and out-patients. Page 161 of the NSW State Government indicates that the Government will "consider" an increase in employment, community participation and multi-agency support for aged people and those with disabilities and mental illness.
11. Review of the Port Stephens - Great Lakes Marine Park decision.  NSW Government gets $84 million in taxes from fishermen.
12. Funding for extra beds, staffing and resources at Maitland Hospital.  NSW State Government spends $8 billion a year on health.  The annual budget for Hunter New England Health is $1.3 billion. 
13. Specific health funding to fill gaps in the Hunter's orthopaedic, paediatric, radiotherapy and emergency department services.
14. More money for Maitland TAFE.  Page 161 of the NSW Government State Plan indicates that the Government will "consider" support for vocational education and training through building better links between schools, TAFE and industry. 
15. Fund a railway station at Aberglasslyn.
16. Compensation for Tilligerry Creek Oyster Farmers and funds to clean contaminated creek.
17. Increase funding for screening of prostrate cancer.
18. Preventative programs to cut Maitland's high rates of obesity, cardio-vascular disease and diabetes.
19. Provide funding to PCYC so that it can remain open to youth during high crime times, like Friday and Saturday nights.
20. Security fences and airconditioning for all schools.
21. Establish an independent panel to assess applications for rate increases (on an individual merit) by Maitland Local Council. 
22. Push for Labor and Liberal to sign a 30 year agreement guaranteeing that the railway line from Maitland into Newcastle will remain in place. 
23. Implement a strategy for dealing with Maitland's looming ageing population crisis.  The Retirement Intentions Survey confirms that 27% of all NSW Government public servants intend to retire within the next 5 years and an additional 30% over the coming decade (ie. 98,600 over the next 10 years).  68% have been with the public sector for over 20 years and have extensive superannuation entitlements.  This will significantly increase the public sector wage bill. Page 161 of the NSW Government's State Plan indicates that the Government will "consider" implementing a Positive Ageing Strategy in the Hunter aimed at increasing the health and social well being of older people.
24. Reduce the cost of workers compensation insurance for Maitland's aged and community care.  Increase funding for Home and Community Care (HACC) by 10% for the next two years followed by growth of at least 6% per annum.
25. Ensure that planning processes provide age-friendly housing (adaptable housing standards).
26. Develop new models of care for Maitland's younger people in aged care facilities by implementing the joint Australian/State Government program to prevent younger people with disabilities entering residential aged care services and to enable those currently housed there to leave. 
27. Support a thriving retirement housing sector by ensuring proposed changes to NSW Retirement Villages Act and consumer protection for residents.
28. Working poor to be entitled to concessions as is the case in Victoria.  In NSW there has been a 57% increase in mortgagee sales last year.  Already this year mortgagee sales are up by 9%.  Almost 40% of people in Maitland are earning less than $25,000.00 per year.  Over 800,000 people in NSW live in poverty - and these are the economic "boom times".
29. Invest in affordable housing in Maitland.  Waiver State land tax to encourage landlords to lease suitable residential properties to non-profit housing on a long term basis.
30. Make changes to the Residential Tenancies Act to ensure just cause evictions.
31. Ensure that landlords cannot unreasonably refuse consent to assignment or sub-letting of dwellings.
32. State Government to lobby Federal Government about welfare to work measures affecting people with disabilities.  For instance, the Federal Government explicitly stated that no person with a disability already receiving benefits would be affected by the changes.  The problem is linked to the way that voluntary jobseekers (in receipt of the Disability Support Pension) lose their entitlement to the pension as a result of the new Job Capacity Assessment Process.  If they are reviewed (during a 1 hour assessment) to have a working capacity of 30+ hours per week--they lose their pension!
33. Increase the number of Domestic Violence Liaison Officers in the Maitland area.  Only 2% of police are designated Domestic Violence Liaison Officer specialists in the Lower Hunter Command.
34. Enhance funding for Maitland's refuges.
35. Introduce specialist tribunals to deal with domestic violence and compulsory anger management programs for domestic violence perpetrators.
36. Address the overrepresentation of disadvantage groups in the criminal justice system.  Prison might not be the right place for people suffering from severe mental illness or who have an intellectual disability. 
37. Introduce specialist tribunals to deal with drug and alcohol related crimes as recommended by Nicholas Cowdery from the DPP. 
38. Increase access to health treatment by expanding funding for non-emergency health transport services.
39. Invest in ageing ambulance stations.
40. Support school based career advisors.
41. Lobby the Federal Government to introduce and fund a 12 month traineeship scheme in the welfare for work measures.
42. Push for an intergovernmental agreement between all tiers of government to review to eliminate duplications of funding and resources.
43. Push for the State Government to review the methodology behind the calculations of commercial and residential land rates.
44. Develop a long term sustainable transport plan for Maitland to assist citizens to access healthcare, schools, universities and places of work.
45. Introduce tort law reforms.
46. The NSW Government plans to make it compulsory for fuel sold to contain 10% ethanol.  Maitland motorcyclists want the Government to review this requirement for motorcycles because the additive causes extensive mechanical corrosion.  It also affects manufacturer's warranties.
47. Develop a plan to accommodate the risks associated with climate change.  Determine the resources needed to deal with severe climatic events by emergency services and hospitals.
48. Improvement of State Government roads in the Maitland electorate.
49. A review of political expenditure and political perks.
50. Improved rail services and facilities.
51. Grey water options to be included in BASIX. 
52. Push for more encouragement by State Government of work life policies and practices.
53. Examine the cost of recycling water options.

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Compiled on behalf of and authorised by Kellie Tranter.  Copyright 2007