Hunter based MLC Robyn Parker condemned Labor’s walkout of the NSW Upper House last night, as an attempt to avoid scrutiny in Parliament leaving many unanswered questions on funding to the Hunter region.

“What hope do we have of Labor being able to run the state, if they can’t even get their act together to have a majority in the Upper House of Parliament to be able to continue debate,” Robyn Parker said.

“Today would have been the last day of sitting before the two-month winter recess and an opportunity to ask Government Ministers why key Hunter projects such as the Glendale Interchange, Swansea Bridge and traffic congestion in Maitland, did not receiving funding in the NSW Budget.

“Instead Labor have had a dummy spit and have walked out. This is a new low for Labor and the first time in 185 years that Parliament has been abandoned like this.

“Labor left Parliament without any warning or explanation and we won’t return now until September 2009.

“So much for accountability and scrutiny in Parliament. Labor are up to their old tricks of shunning questions and avoiding debate on legislation. This again demonstrates why Labor is unfit to be in office in NSW.

“The NSW Coalition takes Parliamentary business seriously and there is an enormous amount of business that remains to be debated.

“If the NSW Labor Government truly respects the democratic process, it will stop playing games and front up to Parliament to answer some very serious questions.”