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Chris Minns, Labor Candidate for Kogarah

Community Fundraising Dinner for Kogarah NSW Candidate, Chris Minns

(Transcript Speech of Host and MC of the function Honourable Shaoquett Moselmane MLC)

NSW Friends of Labor – Arabic Community Fund raising Dinner for Mr. Chris Mins. Candidate for Bexley NSW, Monday, 24th February 2014.

·        Good evening and Welcome to you all to this fifth NSW Friends of Labor  -  Arabic community Fund raising event .

·        Before I welcome every one, Let me first acknowledge the traditional owners of this land...and pay our respect to their elders past and present.

Host and MC of the function Honourable Shaoquett Moselmane

·        We have Special guests, former Premier, Morris Iemma, and my good friend General Secretary, Jamie Clements, Guest Speaker.

 ·        I Welcome you all to this NSW Friends of Labor  -  Arabic community fundraiser in support of former Hurstville Deputy Mayor and the next member for Kogarah, Chris Minns.

 ·        His worship the Mayor of Rockdale Clr Shane Obrien and my colleague Rockdale Councillors Emeritus Mayor and councillor for the past  30 years Clr Bill Saravinovski and my dear Arabic friends of Labor Councillors, the St George chapter, Clr Joe Awada and Clr Tarek Ibrahim.

·        Former Premier The Honourable, Morris Iemma

·        The Hon Amanda Fazio MLC Opposition Whip, Former president of the NSW Legislative Council,

·        Shadow Minister for Local Government and Women Sophie Cotsis MLC,

·        The Member for Wollongong Noreen Hay, MP

·        The Hon Greg Donnelly MLC

·        The Hon Lynda Voltz Deputy Whip,

·        Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour, Canterbury Mayor, Clr Brian Robson, Strathfield Mayor, Clr  Daniel Bott,  Former Liverpool Deputy Mayor, President of the Lebanese Community Council, Clr Ali Karnib, Fairfield Councillor George Barcha, Hurstville Councillor Dominic Sin and Clr Emmanuel Tsardoulias from Marrickville Council.

·        I also like to acknowledge amongst us Bechara Khoury adviser to Former Prime Minister Paul Keating,  Ammar Nasser, President of the Iaal Association, and his brother Ayman Nasser, Members of the Pakistani Community, Ejaz Khan, Pervez Khan and Talal Shah, members of the Bangladeshi Community, Members of the Nepalese  Community, Ladies and gentlemen,

·        I wish to especially welcome the Arabic journalists that are with us here tonight, particular Mr Joe Khoury, Owner and Editor in Chief of The Future Newspaper, Tony Sabella and my dear friend from the Pakistani Media, Syed Zafar Hussain of Sada-e-Watan Sydney.

 ·        I extend a special thank you to members of our Arabic community for the tremendous support shown to us. I thank you all individually for your support which I value and respect. 

 ·        I would like to name each and every one of you but with around 200 people it will take some time. Suffice to say thank you always for your support.

Guest Speaker: General Secretary NSW Labor, Mr. Jamie Clements

Our political Party, the Australian Labor Party, has since its inception, stood for fairness, dignity and respect for all Australians. 

I always feel proud for having chosen the Australian Labor Party, because it is the only political party that has championed the rights of all Australians and delivered on Health and Education for all irrespective of one’s health, wealth, race or colour.

 Some argued, and I might add with justification, that after 16 years in government, we lost our way and it was time for a change.

 One must not, however, lose sight of the fact that when you look at the O’Farrell Government and scratch the surface you will find very little substance.

 After being in opposition for 16 years and in Government for the past 3 years, Barry O'Farrell and his mob stand for very little.  

We are almost a year before the next Scheduled March 2014 elections and still no one knows what O’Farrell really stands for. What we do know however, is that

O'FARRELL HAS LAUNCHED HIS BIGGEST ATTACK ON EDUCATION IN TWENTY YEARS 

 With $1.7 BILLION IN CUTS TO NSW EDUCATION SYSTEM.

 Unprecedented funding and staffing cuts to public schools, Catholic schools, independent schools and TAFE colleges.

 The O'Farrell Government has cut 1800 teachers, TAFE teachers and support staff to be sacked and more misery to come for public sector workers.

 Every student, parent, teacher and school community in NSW will suffer because of these devastating funding cuts.

 Families who are struggling to put food on the table will now suffer a substandard education levels as education standards fall, class sizes increase, and school fees go up.

 Adding to the woes of working people O’Farrell also announces a $3Billion to Health Cuts, almost crippling the health system in NSW.

Today, Patients are waiting longer for treatment and nurses and health care workers are being pushed to breaking point.

During the 2011 election campaign, O’Farrell puts out a press release declaring More Beds, More Nurses, Real Reform.

The reality is the O’Farrell Government has now slashed $3b from health and it will sack hundreds of Frontline workers. Is it any wonder why our public health system is at breaking point?

It’s time we put a stop to this. The only way to do this is to help support our Labor party back in government and Labor candidates like Chris Mins, our Labor Candidate for Kogarah.

So Ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy one another’s company but importantly please support Chris Mins. I ask you to dig deep as this is a fund raiser and every cent you donate will ensure a Labor Victory for Chris Mins our candidate for Kogarah, Thank you.

 

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