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1989 Cabinet papers

As it entered its second year, the Nick Greiner/Wal Murray Liberal/National Coalition Government could look back on a rapid-fire start to the implementation of its program.

Acknowledgement: The text below contains excerpts from the essay, WARM, DRY AND GREEN - Release of the 1989 Cabinet Papers by Dr David Clune as well as links to the relevant Cabinet Papers.

The Cabinet Process

A characteristic of the Government was the importance of ‘Cabinet solidarity and corporate purpose’. In Greiner’s view, Cabinet had to be ‘the main focus of ministerial loyalties. Nevertheless, Greiner believed in letting ministers run their own show, much as he was happy to delegate to officials’. An indication of the emphasis on solidarity is a paper endorsed by Cabinet on 8 August entitled Collective Responsibility and the Pre-Announcement of Government Policy.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Announcement of Government Policy: Cabinet Discussion Paper, 8 August, pp 63-65 NRS 12082_34_[56]

The New Agenda

Treasury Secretary from 1985-94, Percy Allan, has said that with the election of the Greiner Government

a concerted effort was made to accelerate the commercialisation and corporatisation of government businesses, which had advanced haphazardly. A formal framework was adopted to clarify the principles and pathway that would define the desired changes in the way government businesses were to operate. New Zealand had already gone down this path, so NSW drew on its experience to enunciate a model that other States (and the Commonwealth) largely replicated.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • State Owned Corporations Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-258, 26 July, pp 50-100 NRS 12082_34_[52]
  • State Bank (Corporatisation) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-410, 14 November, pp 231-254, NRS 12082 _34_[82]
  • Grain Handling Authority (Corporatisation) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-302, 11 September, pp 159-199 NRS 12082 _34_[66]
  • Marine Administration Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-177, 2 May, pp 29-53 NRS 12082 _34_[32]
  • Electricity Commission Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-302, 8 September, pp 83-147 NRS 12082 _34_[66]
  • Closing the Government Printing Office: Discussion Paper, 8 August, pp 105-111, NRS 12082_34_[56]
  • Competitive Tendering and Commercialisation of Health and Hospital Support Services Cabinet Discussion Paper, 26 June, pp 291-313 NRS 12082_34_[42]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-54, 14 March, pp 93-188, NRS 12082_34_[12]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-130, 18 April, pp 323-343, NRS 12082_34_[22]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Media release, 26 September, pp 53-54, NRS 12082_34_[70]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-310, 26 September, pp 198-315, NRS 12082_34_[70]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-313, 26 September, pp 2-154, NRS 12082_34_[71]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-408, 16 November, pp 209-217, NRS 12082_34_[83]
  • Accelerated Road Safety and Road Improvement Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-408, 21 November, pp 278-305, NRS 12082_34_[86]

The Public Service

Public service reform was an imperative for Greiner. His central aims were ‘exposing the public sector to market discipline and refocussing the public service on results rather than inputs and processes’. This meant ‘a greater focus on the individual performance of senior public sector managers’. Greiner was not anti-public service, rather he wanted to ‘raise the effectiveness and status of public servants’.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Senior Executive Service: Discussion Paper, 24 July, pp 15-39, NRS 12082_34_[48]

Deregulation

Deregulation was a focus of Government policy, particularly when it made life easier for consumers. Marketing boards that regulated the sale of agricultural products had long been a feature of the NSW economy. Out-moded regulations on the sale of dairy products were removed and restrictions on alcohol consumption liberalised. On one occasion, Cabinet showed flexibility in dealing with current issues by increasing the regulation of the fencing of private swimming pools in response to drownings of children under five in pools.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Egg Industry (Repeal and Reregulation) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-249, 25 July, pp 245-326, NRS 12082_34_[50]
  • Dairy Industry (Amendment) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-326, 17 October, pp 210-244, NRS 12082_34_[74]
  • Dairy Industry (Amendment) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-428, 21 November, pp 264-277, NRS 12082_34_[86]
  • Liquor Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-77, 21 March, pp 149-260, NRS 12082_34_[13]
  • Liquor Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-95, 4 April, pp 334-466, NRS 12082_34_[16]
  • Streamlined Business Licensing: Cabinet Minute No. 89-63, 11 April, pp 71-314, NRS 12082_34_[20]
  • Fencing of Private Swimming Pools: Cabinet Minute No. 89-457, 12 December, pp 254-332, NRS 12082_34_[92]

Law and Justice

An important part of the Coalition’s policy for the 1988 election was getting tough on law and order. After the scandals of the Wran era, which saw Correctives Services Minister Rex Jackson imprisoned for corruptly releasing prisoners, integrity in the administration of justice was a priority issue for Greiner. Corrective Services Minister Michael Yabsley, when opposition shadow minister, had campaigned heavily on alleged weaknesses in the sentencing, parole and prison systems. A number of measures considered by Cabinet were related to this.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Bail (Amendment) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-27, 11 April, pp 240 -261 NRS 12082_34_[21]
  • Bail (Amendment) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-162, 19 April, pp 467- 493 NRS 12082_34_[24]
  • Sentencing Bill / Crimes (Life Sentences) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-191, 9 May, pp 188-223, NRS 12082_34_[35]
  • Sentencing Bill / Crimes (Life Sentences) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 88-351, 25 July, pp 28-60, NRS 12082_34_[50]
  • Sentencing Bill / Crimes (Life Sentences) Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-380, 14 November, pp 169-192, NRS 12082_34_[80]
  • Sentencing Bill / Crimes (Life Sentences) Bill: Cabinet Minutes No. 89-380 & 89-447, 30 November, pp 2-159, NRS 12082_34_[89]
  • Confiscation or Proceeds of Crime Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-147, 18 April, pp 2-71, NRS 12082_34_[23]
  • Confiscation or Proceeds of Crime Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-421, 21 November, pp 264-348, NRS 12082_34_[85]
  • Crimes (Computers and Forgery) Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-89, 11 April, pp 239-282, NRS 12082_34_[18]
  • Crimes (Computers and Forgery) Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-160, 26 April, pp 99-131, NRS 12082_34_[25]
  • Workers Compensation Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-115, 26 April, pp 202-274, NRS 12082_34_[28]
  • Workers Compensation Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-212, 27 June, pp 62-320, NRS 12082_34_[41]
  • Workers Compensation Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-261, 27 July, pp 332-349, NRS 12082_34_[52]
  • Workers Compensation Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-266, 1 August, pp 48-170, NRS 12082_34_[55]
  • Workers Compensation Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-403, 14 November, pp 296-344, NRS 12082_34_[81]
  • Workers Compensation Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-425, 21 November, pp 245-263, NRS 12082_34_[86]
  • Dust Diseases Tribunal Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-91, 11 April, pp 391-427, NRS 12082_34_[18]
  • Dust Diseases Tribunal Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-176, 2 May, pp 2-28, NRS 12082_34_[32]
  • Gaming and Betting (Two-up) Amendment Bill: Discussion Paper, 11 April, pp 273-278, NRS 12082_34_[21]
  • Gaming and Betting (Two-up) Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-142, 18 April, pp 331-356, NRS 12082_34_[23]

Environment and Agriculture

The environment had an important place in the Greiner Government’s agenda. In Opposition, Greiner had described the Coalition’s philosophical approach as ‘warm and dry’. In Government, particularly due to the commitment of Environment Minister Tim Moore, it became ‘warm, dry and green’. The challenge was to develop policies that were environmentally progressive within the Government’s overall ideological framework.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Ozone Protection Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-203, 4 July, pp 199-402, NRS 12082_34_[43]
  • National Parks and Wildlife (Mining Prohibition) Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-136, 20 June, pp 99-196, NRS 12082_34_[40]
  • National Parks and Wildlife (Mining Prohibition) Amendment Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-283, 5 September, pp 80-94, NRS 12082_34_[63]
  • Environmental Offences and Penalties Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-230, 3 July, pp 184-187, NRS 12082_34_[44]

Water resources

On 2 February, Cabinet approved the creation of a Rural Water Supply Program to provide financial assistance of 50% of the capital cost of rural water projects. This was in fulfilment of an election promise to restore a scheme abolished by the Wran Government.

A review into the water resources industry had been set up in 1988. Natural Resources Minister Ian Causley noted that almost every submission recommended ‘the establishment of a high level co-ordinating committee for the effective management of water resources. He supported the review’s recommendation to establish a Water Resources Council ‘to ensure the Minister for Natural Resources, as resource owner, obtained comprehensive advice and to provide a forum for formal co-ordination at the chief executive level’.

Cabinet agreed to introduce a commercially oriented water pricing policy for irrigators on 4 July. In this instance the Government moved cautiously. Cabinet decided that immediate privatisation ‘was not feasible because irrigators will not accept ownership while infrastructure remains in its poor state (requiring $200M for rehabilitation)’.

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Rural Water Supply Program: Cabinet Minute No. 89-13, 2 February, pp 226-272, NRS 12082_34_[4]
  • Water Resources Council: Cabinet Minute No. 88-416, 29 November 1988, pp 71-79, NRS 12082_34_[4]
  • Rural Water Pricing: Cabinet Minute No. 89-216, 4 July, pp 2-174, NRS 12082_34_[44]

The 1980s saw new trends and issues come to prominence in State politics. It is sometimes overlooked that the Greiner Government was responsive to these developments. The government approved the amendment of the Anti Discrimination Act (1977) to incorporate race, and proposed changes which resulted in the Aboriginal Land Rights (Amendment Act (1990).

Related Cabinet Documents

  • Racial Villification Bill: Cabinet Minute No. 89-149, 20 April, pp 143-258, NRS 12082_34_[24]
  • Racial Villificiation Bill: Discussion Paper, 2 May, pp 212-222, NRS 12082_34_[32]
  • Aboriginal Affairs Commission: Discussion Paper, 21 February, pp 367-369, NRS 12082_34_[8]

The cabinet year in review

'Warm, Dry and Green'

List of NSW cabinet decisions