The Liberal-National Party Coalition Government under Nick Greiner proceeded with its wide-ranging program of transformation in 1990. Effective, transformative management of the public sector and the economy remained the bedrock of Greiner’s approach.
Acknowledgement: The text below contains excerpts from the essay, DRIVEN BY ASPIRATIONS FOR REFORM - Release of the 1990 NSW Cabinet Papers by Dr David Clune, OAM as well as links to the relevant Cabinet Papers.
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The New Agenda
Private Prisons
A major initiative was the State’s first private prison. As well as according with the Government’s ideological commitment to privatisation, a cost-effective solution had to be found to relieve prison overcrowding. Another attraction for the Government was that the militant prison officers’ union (the Prison Officers' Vocational Branch of the Public Service Association) would be excluded from a private prison. Given the crisis-ridden history of the public correctional system, the Government could credibly argue that private management would be an improvement.
Commercialisation of the State Lotteries Office
Cabinet approved the commercialisation of the State Lotteries Office on 7 August. Cabinet Office commented that the proposal accorded with the Government's
"commercial objectives for establishing this type of trading enterprise and the current proposal is directed at the removal of out-moded management practices which have essentially restricted the Office's operations. Achievement of pronounced efficiency improvements and greater operational flexibility in such key areas as marketing and product development are the intended goals of the new Board structure..."
Education
Education Reform Bill
The centrepiece of Terry Metherell’s reform program was the Education Reform Act. It enshrined in legislation many of the changes he had already made administratively. The legislation was largely based on the recommendations of an inquiry conducted by former Liberal Senator and Education Minister, Sir John Carrick. It also incorporated curriculum requirements set out in the Government's November 1989 White Paper, ‘Excellence and Equity’. Draft legislation was tabled in Parliament at that time. Wide-ranging consultations followed, leading to modifications to the Bill.
Establishment of TAFECOM
When introducing the Technical and Further Education Commission Bill in the Legislative Council in November, Virginia Chadwick said that the consultation process had led to significant changes to the legislation. The feedback received
"drew attention to the need to correct the perception that the new TAFE would be focussing its efforts almost exclusively on commercial ventures and servicing the needs of industry. Important as these areas are, this bill before the house embodies the Government's commitment to maintaining the diversity of TAFE's education and training responsibilities..." [1]"
[1] NSW Parliamentary Debates, 29 November 1990.
Industrial Relations
Reform of industrial relations was an important part of the Greiner agenda. Suzanne Jamieson has noted that the Greiner and Fahey Governments ‘took a generally market-oriented approach to managing industrial relations in NSW but they were not alone in doing this. There seemed to be a tide of market liberal reform that was sweeping all governments along’.[2]
[2] S Jamieson, ‘Industrial relations’ in M Laffin and M Painter eds, Reform and Reversal: lessons from the Coalition Government in NSW 1988-1995, Macmillan, 1995, p152.
Parliamentary and Electoral Reform
To strengthen its electoral position, the outgoing Labor Government had increased the size of the Legislative Assembly by ten to 109. The consequent redistribution resulted in electoral boundaries more favourable to the ALP. Under the existing legislation, a redistribution could only take place after two elections. However, if the Government honoured its election commitment to return the size of the Assembly to 99, a redistribution would follow which would provide an opportunity to redress the Coalition’s disadvantage. If the upper house refused to pass the bill, under the deadlock provisions in the Constitution Act 1902, the Government could submit it to a referendum.
Environment and Planning
Coastal Policy
Coastal protection was a key challenge for the Government. Greiner’s ‘new environmentalism’ had to be reconciled with pressure for more development and the negative economic impact of conservation measures. The views of progressive Liberals, such as Environment Minister Tim Moore, and those of pro-development Nationals had to be accommodated.
Water resources - Water Board Pricing
Environment Minister Tim Moore put a submission to Cabinet for a major restructuring of the Sydney Water Board’s pricing structure, including an 8.3% increase in water, sewerage and drainage charges. After twice being deferred because of its complex and controversial nature, a revised Minute was considered and approved on 29 April. Cabinet had already approved an $80 environmental levy for a five-year period from 1 July 1989 and increased trade waste charges from 1 January 1990.
Proposal for Northern Extension to Washpool Wilderness
In 1982, the Wran Labor Government decided to protect large areas of rainforest in northern NSW. Most of the Washpool forest near Grafton became a national park but forestry operations were permitted in the remaining northern third. In 1990, the Forestry Commission announced its intention to log the area, resulting in protests by the environment movement. In a Cabinet Minute dated 3 September, Moore argued that there was a substantial case for preservation of the northern Washpool forest.
Establishment of Environment Protection Authority
A significant reform was the establishment of the Environment Protection Authority (EPA). Moore’s aim was to create a comprehensive, integrated agency that would co-ordinate environmental protection, regulation, rehabilitation, enforcement and education. He presented a discussion paper to Cabinet in May, which was followed by a public discussion paper in July.
Social issues
Further Regulation of the Fencing of Private Swimming Pools
Community concern over the drowning of young children in private swimming pools continued to be an issue. In December 1989, Cabinet agreed to make isolation fencing of new pools mandatory. A summit of stakeholders subsequently recommended that compulsory isolation fencing be extended to existing pools.
Adult Access to Adoption Information
On 9 June 1988, the Government established two Legislative Council Standing Committees, State Development and Social Issues. The first reference the Government gave to the Social Issues Committee was the contentious issue of allowing adopted persons the right to access their original birth records once they turned 18. Although the membership crossed the ideological spectrum, from Labor left to Fred Nile, it produced a unanimous report in favour.[3]
[3] For the background see D Clune, Keeping the Executive Honest: the modern Legislative Council committee system, Legislative Council of NSW, History Monograph No 1, 2013.
Abolition of Compulsory Retirement
In a pioneering move to combat what is now known as ‘ageism’, Cabinet agreed to make it unlawful for a person to be compulsorily retired on the basis of age. Greiner’s Minute said the legislation would: give employers greater access to a range of skills that might otherwise be lost by retirement at an arbitrary age barrier, counter the effects of a shrinking labour force, and lessen the dependence of older people on government support. It would also promote ‘the self-esteem of older workers who face poverty and the loss of dignity associated with compulsory retirement when they are still quite capable of making valuable contributions in the workplace’.
Amendments to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983
Greiner originally wanted to repeal the Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 and ‘mainstream’ Aboriginal services by placing them in the relevant department. An Aboriginal Affairs and Land Rights Commission would replace the Aboriginal Land Council and subsume the Office of Aboriginal Affairs in the Premier’s Department as a transitional move. However, aware of the sensitivity and complexity of the subject Greiner decided to consult and listen. The Aboriginal Land Council and other groups vigorously protested against the proposals.
In 1989, the Government commissioned the former head of the Commonwealth Department of Aboriginal Affairs, Charles Perkins, to prepare a report on the proposed changes. Perkins rejected the repeal of the 1983 Act, mainstreaming, and the creation of an Aboriginal Affairs Commission, and made a number of suggestions for reform.