Achieving Outcomes
As your local State Member of Parliament, I work with all levels of Government, irrespective of political background, and the local community and the business sector to achieve outcomes for you.
Much of what I do has to be behind the scenes such as when I work with the local women's refuge and the local police.
In supporting the local women's refuge, it is critical that it's location is not made public so that women and children at risk of domestic violence, are protected when they are at the refuge.
However, I regularly visit the refuge and ensure that it has appropriate support from Government agencies and that it has necessary funding.
The local police are a State Government agency and support for them is critical to achieving a safe local community.
Sometimes however, the Labor Government has over-looked the need for funding and my role has been to ensure appropriate attention is given to funding and related issues.
Achieving results occurs in many ways, but I thought you may be interested to see just two recent examples of me as your State MP working to achieve outcomes (whether or not the Government initially wants to help!)
The Manly-Warringah Women's Resource Centre (The Bringa Refuge)
Located on the Northern Beaches this centre provides a range of services for women and children at risk of domestic violence.
It also provides a range of other services including pregnancy advice for young women.
The contact phone number is: 9981 6413.
Recently the Department of Community Services (DoCS) was unable to confirm funding for an outreach worker who works with women who have left the refuge and commenced independent living, usually in a Department of Housing house.
It was obvious to me that the Labor Government should be funding the continuation of the programme as it fitted with their policy of supporting women and children who have been the victims of domestic violence.
I attended meetings at the refuge to discuss the detail and thereafter wrote to the Minister for Community Services and then followed up with discussions with the Minister's Chief of Staff.
The Minister then personally advised me that the funding would continue for the next three years. When no letter of confirmation arrived, I raised the issue again with the Minister and shortly after that call, the letter was issued and the refuge knew that it could continue its vital work.
Northern Beaches Local Area Command
Recently I attended a PACT (community) meeting at the Northern Beaches Local Area Command - located at Dee Why and was appalled by the conditions our local police officers are expected to work in daily.
Fortunately while at the station I had my camera with me and I took photos of the conditions and compared those to photos taken previously. It is always difficult in these circumstances because State Government employees, such as the police, are not allowed by the State Government to talk about such issues and are required by the Government to take reasonable steps to ensure such matters do not become public.
I have the view that even when local officers are not wanting photos to be taken - it is in their interest and therefore the community's interest that such appalling working conditions should be exposed - and so I took the following photos (amongst others).
On March 5 the Manly Daily reported on the situation following the photos being made available to it.
Click here to see that story.
On March 6 I wrote to the NSW Police Minister, David Campbell, drawing his attention to the station and encouraging him to visit the station as a priority (and hand delivered the letter).
Click here to see the letter.
I also issued a media release.
Click here to see the media release.
On March 11, Minister Campbell visited the Northern Beaches Local Area Command to see the atrocious conditions our local officers work in daily.
Click here to see the Manly Daily story covering the Minister's visit.
Immediately after the visit, Minister Campbell telephoned me and committed to works to improve the station before June 30, 2008.
This is an example of how we as a community can work with the local media and Ministers (hopefully collaboratively) to achieve better outcomes for people on the Northern Beaches.
Whilst the prospect of major upgrading of the air conditioning and the ceiling at our Dee Why police station is encouraging - the next task is a complete revamp of the station!