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As a Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales (the Upper House), I have a State-wide electorate and am interested to receive views on any public affairs issue.
 
The Nationals team is the only political party wholly dedicated to representing the interests of regional Australia. 

The NSW Nationals have seven MPs in the Legislative Council. The Nationals also represent 18 electorates in the Legislative Assembly - Ballina, Barwon, Bathurst, Burrinjuck, Clarence, Coffs Harbour, Dubbo, Lismore, Murray-Darling, Monaro, Murrumbidgee, Myall Lakes, Orange, Oxley, Port Macquarie, Tamworth, Tweed and Upper Hunter.

As a member of The NSW Nationals parliamentary team, I'm particularly interested to receive input about issues affecting country and coastal NSW. 

Don't hesitate to get in touch.

Jenny
 

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Legislative Council motion on the Country and Regional Living Expo

Jenny recently spoke on a motion about the Country and Regional Living Expo, hosted by the Foundation for Regional Development.  2011 marked the eigth anniversary of the Expo, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse, showcasing employment, real estate, education and lifestyle opportunities for regional New South Wales.  Regional businesses, communities and organisations comprised the 50 plus exhibits, with 9000 people attending to experience the tastes and sounds of regional New South Wales. Jenny's contribution to the debate is included below.

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http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/hansart.nsf/V3Key/LC20120329021?open&refNavID=HA1_1

Legislative Council, 29 March 2012:

The Hon. JENNIFER GARDINER [12.05 p.m.]: It is with pleasure that I support the motion moved by my Nationals colleague the Hon. Sarah Mitchell which is in the following terms:

      1. That this House notes that:
          (a) the Foundation for Regional Development hosts the Country and Regional Living Expo annually at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse …

    I think I have been to all the Country and Regional Living Expos since the inception of that event. I might have missed one but that would be about it. I look forward to attending this year's expo at Rosehill racecourse. As other speakers have mentioned, last year was the eighth year in which the expo was conducted with a view to promoting the benefits of living, working and doing business in regional New South Wales. It provides Sydneysiders in particular with information on jobs, real estate, educational and lifestyle options, including cultural attractions across New South Wales. There are usually over 50 exhibitors and many regional councils also participate. Visitors can "Walk New South Wales in a Day" and experience the tastes, sounds and opportunities of different parts of this State.

    The expo is organised by the Foundation for Regional Development under the leadership of Mr Peter Bailey of Armidale, with the able assistance of his wife, Jenny. Their daughter, Sophie, takes leave from her work as a registered nurse to assist her parents throughout the expo. Other people also take leave from their commitments in various parts of the State, such as Guyra, to come to Sydney to help Jenny, Peter and the chairman of the foundation, Anthony Fox, in the intensive work of conducting the expo after a whole year's preparation. As others mentioned, Jenny and Peter are both passionate about the promotion of country and coastal regions in this State and indeed all parts of Australia outside its metropolises. They draw on a lot of the expertise and knowledge that they have built up over the years from endeavours to promote regional areas in other parts of Australia, in particular, Queensland and Victoria. If members want to know the benchmarks for that type of work Peter and Jenny are the people to whom they should talk.

    Many communities competing for potential tree changers or sea changers can put their best foot forward at the expo and encourage visitors to their booths or exhibitions. Exhibitors then engage their visitors by following up those who are interested in making the move to a regional location. For example, last year the Cowra community looked to the expo to help fill vacancies within the bounds of the Weddin and Cowra shires where there was a shortage of skilled workers. Last year, Parkes Shire Council value added to its exhibit with the attendance of Roy Billing, the star of The Dish and Underbelly. He has a property in the Parkes district. He came to the expo to promote Opera at the Dish and, of course, the Elvis Festival which is held in Parkes each January.

    That is a demonstration of how each community has an opportunity to promote its particular points of difference at the expo. The unemployment rate in Muswellbrook shire was as low as 1.7 per cent at the time of last year's expo. It was seeking to find 120 people to fill jobs in Muswellbrook, which is a major service town for the Upper Hunter mines. Muswellbrook shire was looking for electricians, boilermakers, fitters, auto mechanics and taxisdrivers as well as people to fill vacancies in administrative roles. During the expo it was pointed out that a spray painter or a panel beater in Muswellbrook can earn over $100,000 per annum.

    Moree shire, headed by its dynamic and character-filled mayor, Katrina Humphries, was at the expo promoting that district's agricultural and tourism sectors, as well as housing developments that are going on in Moree. Armidale, of course, promotes its many educational options from primary school to post-graduate university education, as well as its stunning cultural attractions. Go-ahead Gunnedah shire is a regular exhibitor at the expo and Mayor Adam Marshall, like many other mayors and community leaders, personally fronts up at his community's booth at Rosehill. Many of the councils see the expo as the premier forum for this type of engagement with potential residents and ratepayers.

    Mike Foster of Cowra said that the Country and Regional Living Expo has built a first-class reputation for delivering the right crowds to a well-equipped and well-run convention pavilion. The location enables easy access for exhibitors and participants alike and is only a few kilometres from the geographic centre of Sydney. The venue provides plenty of parking, there is a train station at the door and exhibitors who have to stay at the venue for a few days can find accommodation nearby. I assure members that after hours exhibitors have a lot of social interaction as they exchange information that has been collated during the expo and gather ideas for the next one. Once the visitors have been delivered to the venue it is up to exhibitors to put on the show and to convince them of the benefits of country living—something that country people do with ease. They display the energetic, genuine and likeable natures that represent the characters in our non-metropolitan centres.

    As one enters the expo the demographic profile of visitors to the expo is on display, which makes for an interesting analysis. Most of those who visit and respond to surveys have jobs in the metropolitan area, with the largest segment of jobs being held by those in the health and medical sector. In some of our regional towns and cities the health sector is the major employer. Most respondents are aged 55 and under and most are thinking about relocating from Sydney within a year or so. The range of exhibitors includes shires, city councils, chambers of commerce, health stakeholders from various government agencies, including education and community services, and it also includes service groups such as the Royal Far West children's organisation, regional development organisations and other government agencies with a special responsibility for rural and regional areas.

    The program of each expo includes seminars on topics such as the latest government initiatives to encourage relocation to rural and regional New South Wales such as the regional relocation grant of $7,000. As other speakers have mentioned, the expo has enjoyed bipartisan support from successive New South Wales governments. Last year the expo was opened by The National's Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Don Page, who addressed exhibitors and visitors on the special focus of initiatives for regional New South Wales which he said are "embedded in the DNA of the new Liberal-Nationals State Government". I acknowledge that one year Premier Iemma opened the expo and on another occasion it was opened by the Hon. Steve Whan. On all the other occasions on which the expo was held during Labor administrations a Minister of the Crown always opened the event.

    The bipartisan support Peter and Jenny Bailey have been assiduous in cultivating religiously to ensure that they keep in touch with our opponents in government or in opposition is important to the development, vitality and future prosperity of regional areas in this State. I have great pleasure in supporting the motion moved by the Hon. Sarah Mitchell. I congratulate the Baileys, Anthony Fox and others, all the volunteers and paid employees from time to time on the delivery of eight successful expos to date and I wish them well for the future. I genuinely believe that this extremely important initiative must continue in the future.
     
    Australia Day Address 2012

    Jenny delivered an Australia Day address at the Lions Club of Hallidays Point Australia Day
    breakfast.  You can read the address below...

     

     

    Australia Day Speech by Jenny Gardiner, MP,

    Deputy President of the NSW Legislative Council

    Australia Day Breakfast, Hallidays Point, 26 Jan 2012

      

    Cr Alan Tickle, Lions Jack McDonald and John Griffiths, distinguished guests.

    I would like to show my respect and acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land, the Biripi and Worimi people, on which this celebration takes place and their elders, past and present.

    The work of the Lions Club of Hallidays Point  – and other sponsors in contributing to this event, is acknowledged, including  that of the terrific band of people who make up the Diamond Beach RFS and the Hallidays Point Probus Choir.

    I'd also note that the RFS and the Choir, along with the Butcher, the Newsagency, the Bakery, the supermarket and this Surf Club are so often on the list of those who contribute handsomely to the staging of events that enable our celebrations and enhance our sense of community here.  Thank you all.

    Ladies  & Gentleman, girls & boys,

    It's Australia Day, a holiday;  for some, the last day or so of the Summer break here in and on this wonderful string of villages and  their fabulous beaches.  I hope you've had as much fun this summer at home, or as visitors, as I've had with my family here this year.

    Today's holiday marks  the 224th anniversary of the landing of the First Fleet of 11 convict ships, commanded by Captain Arthur Phillip, which sailed from Portsmouth in Great Britain, to Port Jackson in 1788.   Since 1838 that event has been celebrated on the 26th of January.

    So here, as in many places, we commemorate this great country and recognise the qualities of its inhabitants who add to making Australia such a wonderful place to live and who are probably its greatest attribute.

    In reflecting on the year just past, we can recall many terrific examples of the Australian spirit, as ordinary Australians demonstrated extraordinary mateship, courage and selflessness in reaching out to others threatened by the floods in eastern Australia.  Many unaffected reached into their pockets for donations ;  to do their bit, just as they did the year before in the wake of the Victorian bushfires.

    And now, there are more people helping each other out in this weekend's floods further up the coast.

    As well as reflecting on aspects of the character of the Australian people, we can recall the inevitable struggles of those peoples of other countries to gain what we have here – almost in the air we breathe – democracy;  freedom of speech;  the rule of law.

    At Federation, Australia became the first nation to come into existence following a people's vote on a democratic constitution. 

    The Arab Spring – uprisings in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya - and the loosening of the shackles of authoritarianism in Burma after years of untold repression and suffering – are examples of the human yearning elsewhere for the elements of democracy we enjoy right here - and the battle that other peoples must endure to attain them, even in the 21st century.

    Today many people will become Australian citizens.  As a former Prime Minister  noted, ..."People come to this country because they want to be Australians"... (although I'd note that, most of those on the First Fleet didn't have much choice!) but, he went on to say, “there is no institution or code that lays down a test of Australianness”.

    Matthew Hayden, cricketer, did perhaps once offer an informal test of Australianness when he said:

    You never want an Australian with his back against the wall. You put any 12 blokes together and you'll get a job done. Whether it's getting a bogged four-wheel-drive off the beach or standing in front of a cricket wicket and making sure we're in a dominant position. It's the same dog, different leg action, so to speak. 

    The Indian cricket team would probably join Clarke and Ponting in agreeing with that definition on this Australia Day.

    And, of course, you can say the same about any 12 Australian women – or any combination of Australian men and women.

    Most of the time, those of us lucky enough to have been born in Australia take our Australianness for granted.  But sometimes it hits home – and that's often when we are away from home.  Overseas.  That has happened to me from time to time.  For example, I wandered into the Bath Abbey in England one day and was not expecting to be confronted by an Australian flag.  It was there as part of a commemoration of the life of Captain Arthur Phillip who is buried nearby.  I was deeply moved by this chance and unexpected connection with home.

    Another time I wandered into the great Gothic cathedral of Notre Dame in Amiens, and there was another Australian flag, along with the Canadian flag.  The people of France have never forgotten that communities like Amiens were saved by Australians, soldiers from so far away, soldiers like my grandfather, who went there to fight to uphold shared freedoms and values.

    I'm sure many of you have felt that lump in your throat when you've been far away and when you've felt your Australianness unexpectedly and felt happy and proud of our country's contributions and achievements in the world.

    D.H. Lawrence came to Australia to write and he said:

    You feel free in Australia. There is great relief in the atmosphere - a relief from tension, from pressure, an absence of control of will or form. The Skies open above you and the areas open around you.

    Well, the skies have opened and that's why we're inside.  It's dry and we've got sausages with which to celebrate!  So, let's enjoy being here, united in celebrating what's great about Australia and being Australian.   Let's have a Happy Australia Day.

     

     
     

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