Related content: NSW election - Myall Lakes
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IN the lead-up to the March 28 election, the Great Lakes Advocate gave all six candidates for the seat of Myall Lakes an opportunity to answer this question: “What do you think is the biggest issue facing the Great Lakes and how would you address it if you were elected?” Four candidates responded.
Stephen Bromhead: The Nationals
THE most important matter for this electorate is health. Manning Base Hospital is a great hospital with great staff but after years of Labor neglect, it’s in need of an upgrade. That’s why I worked hard to get $20 million to start the redevelopment and our total commitment is $120 million.
The hospital has received a large boost to its medical staff and services since 2011. The budget is up 20 per cent and the Acute Stroke Unit has opened and there are now specialists in anaesthetics, orthopaedics, intensive care, midwifery, oncology, cardiology and general surgery plus increases in medical interns, nursing graduates and more registered nurses.
Recruitment of a new Staff Specialist Obstetrician and development of a midwifery-led clinic for the hospital’s maternity service was announced in January.
For renal patients, our Local Health District has put an offer to Pulse Health who run Cape Hawke Hospital, for six renal chairs for public patients. The offer includes enhanced oncology services and further utilisation of the 20 public beds in the hospital.
The 2015 election is an opportunity for the Myall Lakes electorate to allow The Nationals to continue the job we started four years ago. We have made a good start but there is more to do.
David Keegan: Country Labor
THE state election on March 28 will be a referendum on the future of the Myall Lakes electorate. I keep hearing from people who are deeply concerned about the sell-off of our state’s electricity assets to foreign owners.
Mike Baird’s own privatisation advisors have confirmed that the state’s budget will face a black hole after the electricity network is privatised – that’s money that pays for nurses, paramedics, teachers and police.
Baird’s risky privatisation plans and the loss of $600 million p.a. in dividends to the government will put new services for Forster/Tuncurry at risk. These include a new women’s refuge, dialysis and oncology services at Forster Community Hospital, classes at Tuncurry TAFE and new initiatives such as community transport.
Our sitting National MP knows what’s at stake, but still backs the Baird plan to ‘sell-off the family farm’. If they win on March 28, 100 per cent of Transgrid will be sold. This will drive up electricity prices in our area.
I have lived in the local area for close to 30 years, and have spent many weekends on the lake in Forster/Tuncurry. Its natural environment is its best asset.
To protect the natural environment and services of Myall Lakes, vote 1 David Keegan, Country Labor.
Steve Attkins: Independent
I’d say “funding”.
The Great Lakes is full of dedicated community groups and successful businesses who rely on state grants and project funding from our state government. Funding is the biggest issue we face.
But to get this funding, we need an active and engaged local member who can be a real advocate for the people of the Great Lakes.
We can look to nearby electorates and see such a difference, in the roads, police facilities, the hospitals and the schools, even though they have the same populations. Why is this so? Why, after four long years, do we still not have the funding we need in the Great Lakes?
I enjoyed working to fund projects in the Howard Government and currently spend my days championing projects in the business
community. I have seen that we can solve the funding shortfalls with determination and an engaged, motivated community.
Talking with voters over on Boundary Street at the pre-poll, I've heard many Forster and Tuncurry residents admit that being a “safe seat” has not got us the funding we need.
On election day this Saturday, we must all look ahead and see our Great Lakes going forward with the representation and funding we deserve.
Stephen Ballantine: The Greens
WITHOUT doubt, our most pressing issue in the electorate is the cassation of CSG fracking in the Gloucester area.
Many people would not agree but the potential impact on our environment would be catastrophic were it allowed to proceed. Now it's not a simple matter of the fracking itself, rather than the rights of people to reject such a situation developing and causing such harm.
People cannot be taken for granted by politicians and big corporations. As we are at the end of the fossil fuel era, we (governments) should be investing in renewable energy to power our future .
The Greens policy is to establish a full scale renewable energy industry here in NSW for around five billion dollars, employing 75,000 people across the State - here on the coast as well as inland and the Sydney Basin.
Compare that with $15 billion for a freeway in Sydney and it's plain to see which is the better investment option! So you can see how these issues are related... Leave fossil fuels to the fossils!
