NSW: Carr more concerned with terrorism than Libs
By Linda Silmalis and Annette Blackwell
SYDNEY, AAP - Premier Bob Carr has declared war on terror instead of leading a chargeon the opposition in the run-up to the NSW election next March.
Just as the Howard government latched onto security as the issue after September 11,Carr's government has seized on terrorism melded with a general sense of crisis.
Let's face it targeting terrorists in a climate of fear would alienate few and pollsshowed it has worked for Mr Howard.
And if Mr Carr needed to convince NSW voters that the terror threat was `real' securityguards patrolling the Sydney Harbour Bridge have helped serve as a daily reminder.
His government also passed laws giving police special powers to combat the terrorist threat.
Terror fears, drought and the recent bushfires have all created a backdrop for a NSW election.
The drought and bushfires have already provided Premier Carr with opportunities toconvince voters that now is not the time to create further turmoil by changing to a lessexperienced government.
That is, of course, unless voters think the opposition could do better and by year'send, on these issues, they have not taken or maybe had the opportunity to show they could.
In mid-December the coalition summed up the policies it would deliver if elected in2003. Law and order featured strongly with recommendations on compulsory minimum sentencesfor serious violent crimes and the re-establishment of specialist police squads.
So by the end of the year the NSW electorate can be in no doubt that keeping them safefrom terror and general crime was top of the agenda for both sides in this election.
Those other real issues like education, health, environment seemed by year's end tohave been lost although the opposition has made a real effort to focus on them.
How did NSW politics get to this?
Both parties used the first part of the year to clean up their respective backyards.
Rumours of a leadership challenge in the Liberal Party became reality in March whenopposition planning spokesman John Brogden staged a coup to roll Kerry Chikarovski.
Elected by one vote in a 45-minute ballot held on his 33rd birthday, Mr Brogden oustedhis predecessor before welcoming her back on the frontbench.
Also rewarded were the other so-called "gang of five" who plotted the coup, includingformer leader Peter Collins who has since retired.
National Party former leader Ian Armstrong also made a comeback in the post-coup coalitionreshuffle.
The Carr government staged its own less bloody and more tactical overhaul during theyear including the termination "by mutual agreement" of its controversial police commissionerPeter Ryan.
Dirt flew and Mr Ryan released a tell-all book that blamed "the whole damn thing" onNSW's new police Minister Michael Costa.
Mr Costa as the law and order front man has featured large and will continue to featurelarge on the run-up to March.
Oh, there were other issues during the year.
The troubled community services portfolio was overhauled with the replacement of ministerFaye Lo Po' and the department's controversial director-general Carmel Niland.
Coalition policy is to seek a Royal Commission inquiry into DOCS.
Despite events - security concerns - favouring the Carr government it could still facean uphill battle to win in March.
No government which has four-year set terms has ever won a third term.
Showing that it is not about to take any chances, protesters in the seat of Port Jackson,held by Labor with a 25.2 per cent margin, were granted their wish after plans to developa park site were scrapped.
At the same time, moves to close Hunters Hill High School in the marginal seat of Ryde- a seat the Liberals have been heavily campaigning in - were canned.
Plans for a controversial charcoal plant in Mogo on the south coast were also shelvedwith the government blaming the opposition for the proponents of the project pulling out.
From January the Carr government is expected to stage a presidential-style campaignwhich will highlight Mr Carr's experience as leader.
In contrast, the opposition has tried and will continue to focus on the government'sfailures while pledging improvements in the traditional areas of education, health andlaw and order.
However the new year campaign could get ugly.
Facing embarrassment over allegations a senior minister, Eddie Obeid, was involvedin a $1 million political donation request in return for help with the controversial Oasisdevelopment in Sydney's west, the government snared John Brogden in a cash-for-questionsaffair.
It was alleged Mr Brogden was paid to ask questions in parliament while working asan adviser to PriceWaterhouseCoopers Legal.
Mr Brogden denied this.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) has yet to finalise its inquiryinto the Obeid affair.
AAP ls/arb/mg/sb
KEYWORD: POLITICS NSW YEARENDER
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