Annual General Conference 2019 Motions

The Agenda Committee received 197 motions from branches, electorate councils, regional conferences, policy committees and other party units. However, with only a limited amount of time to consider motions at Conference, not all were able to be debated. The Committee particularly prioritised motions that met the criteria outlined in the office-bearer’s handbook that is distributed each year, namely that the motion:

Petroleum Exploration Licences

That Conference calls on the NSW Government to extinguish Petroleum Exploration Licenses as soon as they expire.
Mover: Boggabri Branch
CARRIED

Energy Policy

That The Nationals, having been elected to form part of a third-term government, develop an energy policy with the following objectives:
i.Increase the supply of energy in the Australian marketplace through development of proven, safe resources and production systems within Australia,
ii.Ensure the reliability and security of the supply of energy within Australia without impacting our export customers,
iii.Lower the cost of energy for all domestic consumers by increasing volume and security of supply, and
iv.Develop and lead the transition to more efficient methods of generation, storage and transmission of energy.
Mover: Gunnedah Branch
CARRIED

Minister for Resources, Mines and Minerals

That Conference call upon the NSW State Government to restore the portfolio of the Minister for Resources, Mines and Minerals with a stand-alone dedicated portfolio.
Mover: Macleay Valley Branch
CARRIED

The Rocky Hill Case

That this Conference call on the NSW Nationals to legislate to protect all industries against “Scope 3 emissions” being used against them.
Mover: Gunnedah Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Nuclear Power

That Conference supports the use of nuclear power in Australia.
Mover: Narrabri Branch, Orange Branch
CARRIED

Abolition of the Climate Change Fund

That Conference call on the NSW Government to abolish the Climate Change Fund contributions on all electricity suppliers.

Mover: Tweed SEC
CARRIED

Native Vegetation Laws

That the State Parliamentary Nationals amend the land management (native vegetation) code, the Biodiversity Conservation Act and regulations to prevent and stop all prosecutions for offences under the repealed Native Vegetation Act 2003.

Mover: Moree Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

South Australian Water Allocation

That Conference encourages the Governments of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland to strongly resist South Australia’s demands to increase their share of the Murray Darling Basin’s water, and fight for the return, to the three contributing States, of some of the excess given to South Australia.

Mover: Tamworth Branch
CARRIED

Biosecurity Levy

That Conference call on the NSW Government to adopt an annual levy on all NSW residential and commercial properties to contribute financially to the State’s biosecurity.

Mover: Wagga Wagga Branch
CARRIED

Drought Assistance

That Conference supports unregulated stream horticulture irrigators being given the ability to store 50 per cent more water to combat drought conditions and protect permanent plantings.
Mover: Orange Branch
CARRIED

Drought Assistance

That the State and Federal drought relief measures be made available for drought-affected small businesses, including contractors.
Mover: Wagga Wagga Branch
CARRIED

Regional Investment Corporation

That Conference calls on the Federal Government, through the Regional Investment Corporation Fund, to provide long-term loan facilities, and that the interest rate be no more than 1.5 per cent over the official interest rate.
Mover: Inverell Branch
CARRIED

Fixed Price for Milk

That Conference calls on the NSW Nationals to investigate a minimum fixed farm-gate price for three years as an interim measure to help combat the cost associated by the drought and high electricity prices on the dairy sector.
Mover: Mudgee Branch, Boggabri Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Water Harvesting

That Conference call upon the NSW Nationals to investigate the current limits on water harvesting rights on properties for water storage, and to differentiate between coastal and inland requirements.
Mover: Wauchope Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

POCTA

That Local Land Services play a main role in primary production animal welfare cases without any regulatory or compliance role.
Mover: Wagga Wagga Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Fencing

That the cost of exclusion boundary fences between National Parks and Forests and private property be subsidised by the NSW Government.
Mover: Forbes Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Fencing

That Conference call on the NSW Government to subsidise exclusion fencing as a means of protecting landholders’ interests from feral pests.
Mover: Griffith Branch
CARRIED

Farm Income Protection

That Conference call on the State and Federal Parliamentary Nationals to establish a fund to adapt the current cropping Farm Income Protection fund model to grazing enterprises.
Mover: Primary Industries Committee
CARRIED

Fodder Industry Code of Conduct

That Conference call upon the NSW Government to work with the fodder industry to develop a code of conduct for the sale and purchase of fodder and hay bales.
Mover: Wagga Wagga Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Development of Forestry Industry

That Conference call upon the State Parliamentary Nationals to work with the forestry department and key industry bodies to identify and incentivise all land that could be utilised for the forestry industry
Mover: Wauchope Branch
CARRIED

Electorate Sizes

That the State Parliamentary Nationals undertake a review so that the sizes of the largest electorates are reduced and equitable access of constituents to Members of Parliament is provided.
Mover: Tamworth Branch
CARRIED

Specialist Training

That the Royal College of Physicians urgently facilitate specialist training in psychiatry, palliative care, gerontology and general practice to be carried out entirely in regional facilities.
Mover: Bellingen Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Q Fever

That Conference calls on the Federal Government to reinstate its subsidising of the cost of Q Fever testing and vaccination.
Mover: Boggabri Branch, Gilgandra Branch
CARRIED

Mental Health

That Conference call for the recommendations of the Primary Health Medicare Review Taskforce regarding the Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative to be implemented.
Mover: Farrer FEC, Murray SEC
CARRIED

Medicare for Regional Counsellors

That Conference call upon the Federal government to make Medicare rebates available for qualified rural and remote counsellors to cover the cost of counselling appointments for mental illness.
Mover: Narrabri Branch
CARRIED

PTSD

That Conference call upon the NSW Government to begin a trial of regional clinics and support groups in key towns to support sufferers of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Mover: Orange Branch
CARRIED UNOPPOSED

Cancer, Diabetes and Heart Disease

That the NSW Nationals set the goal of eliminating the gap between metropolitan and rural and regional NSW rates of cancer, diabetes and heart disease within 10 years.
Mover: Griffith Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

PAM

That Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM) be declared a national notifiable disease and that the Federal Government raise awareness of, and take measures to prevent Naegleria Fowleri contamination, especially in rural and regional areas. 
Mover: Wagga Wagga Branch
CARRIED

Antibiotics

That pharmacists be authorised to prescribe short-term antibiotics such as Trimethoprim 300mg for acute, uncomplicated urinary tract infections, based on a treatment protocol. 
Mover: Port Macquarie SEC
CARRIED

Payroll Tax Exemptions

That businesses based in Regional Local Government Areas be exempt from payroll tax.
Mover: Gunnedah Branch, Moree Branch, Uralla Branch, Wauchope Branch
AMENDED, CARRIED

Wine Taxation

That the Federal Parliamentary Nationals consult with the peak wine industry body, the Wine Federation of Australia (WFA), and key players within the industry to develop a wine industry tax reform blueprint for the future.
Mover: Wauchope Branch
CARRIED

Emergency Vehicles

That, where possible, consideration be given to CAT12 RFS and SES vehicles be delivered via local motor vehicle dealers.
Mover: Bellingen Branch
CARRIED

Duty of Care of Employees

That Conference calls upon the State Government to amend Section 19 (1) of the Health & Safety Act 2011 (NSW) to include the responsibilities and duty of care of employees in the event of non-compliance with employer safety regulations.
Mover: Cootamundra SEC
CARRIED

Body-Worn Cameras

That the NSW Criminal Procedure Act 1986 be amended to allow accused persons and legal representatives to view footage from NSWPF devices such as body-worn cameras and in-car video rather than providing physical copies as evidence.
Mover: Broken Hill Branch
CARRIED

Regional Tourism

That a special fund be established to promote tourism and tourist attractions throughout rural and regional NSW.
Mover: Gunnedah Branch
CARRIED

Caravan Park Fees

That the Long Term Casual Occupation Act 2002 (NSW) be revised so as to set a limit on caravan park fee increases as a means of inhibiting caravan park owners or managers from imposing unreasonable price hikes on temporary tenants.
Mover: Port Macquarie SEC
AMENDED, CARRIED

Regional Development Approval Processes

That the NSW Nationals call for adjustments to environmental approval regulations for regional development projects so that, where the proponent has existing relevant data from monitoring near to or adjacent to the project, that this data should be applicable over the development area to streamline approval processes.
Mover: Farrer FEC, Murray SEC
CARRIED

Regional Development Coordinator General

That Conference call for the implementation of a Coordinator General for State significant regional development projects in NSW.
Mover: Resources and Energy Policy Committee
CARRIED

Regional Immigration

That waiting list reduction incentives be made available for migrants who have lived in regional Australia.
Mover: Gunnedah Branch
CARRIED

EPAC Review

That a review be undertaken into decision-making by the NSW Department of Education’s Employee Performance and Conduct (EPAC) directorate.
Mover: Dubbo Branch
CARRIED

Teacher Gender Imbalance

That Conference calls for the teacher and school leadership gender imbalance in NSW public schools to be addressed, particularly in primary schools.
Mover: Griffith Branch
CARRIED

Review of University Price Structures

That Conference calls on all Federal Parliamentary Nationals to review the price structures for university courses.
Mover: Education Policy Committee
CARRIED

ATAR Review

That the NSW Nationals call on the State Government to review the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR).
Mover: Griffith Branch
CARRIED

Timber Collection

That citizens be allowed to access fallen timber from roadsides where it is safe to do so.
Mover: Farrer FEC, Murray SEC
CARRIED

Port of Newcastle

That conference call for the NSW Nationals to ensure:
a)That removal of all obstacles facing the Newcastle Container Terminal Expansion Plans, including the cap on the number of containers and the State Government fee payable on container exports and;
b)The Port’s development of a high intensity container terminal.
Mover: Moree Branch
CARRIED

Second-Hand Vehicles

That Conference call on the NSW Nationals to ensure all vehicles offered for sale require that vendors provide Personal Property Security Registry (PPSR) history prior to sale.
Mover: Griffith Branch
CARRIED

Broadening FMD Scheme

That Conference supports broadening the eligibility of the Farm Management Deposit scheme to include companies and other entities with a turnover of up to $10 million and to increase the deposit limit from $800,000 to $2 million.
CARRIED

Funding for Aged Care

That The Nationals support maintaining pre- 30 June 2019 Federal funding for aged care facilities as introduced post March 2019 , and urgently seek a review into the decrease in funding to apply from 1 July 2019. 
CARRIED

Prepoll Voting

That prepoll voting for both State, Federal and Local Government elections commence no earlier than the Saturday prior to the election date. 
AMENDED, CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

Hunter New England Health

That Conference calls on the State Government to divide Hunter New England Health into two separate health districts being Hunter Health and New England Health.
CARRIED

Aspirational Water Scheme

The NSW Nationals call on the Federal Government to develop an ASPIRATIONAL NATION BUILDING PROJECT to assess the potential of harvesting of water from the Burdekin Dam in Queensland and redirect these waters south by canal, existing waterways and pipelines terminating in the Murray River in NSW. And, that Conference adopt this plan and ask the Federal Government to match the $25 million put on the table by the NSW Government.
AMENDED, CARRIED

Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement

That the Federal & State Governments include Samonella Enteriditis in the Emergency Animal Diseases Response Agreement.
CARRIED

Small and Micro Businesses

That this Conference supports the Government to investigate a program that allows small and micro business owners to put tax-free money into a deposit account in a profitable year, in order to withdraw that money in a year that they take parental leave from the business, and hence the business makes less profit.

This proposed initiative is similar to the way a Farm Management Deposit is used by farming businesses in drought years.
CARRIED

Soil Management

Conference call on the NSW Nationals in Government to develop economically effective soil management practises, to protect regional areas from the impacts of climate change and enabling rural and regional communities and landholders to take advantage of the economic opportunities from improved soil management practices.
CARRIED