Parliamentary Speeches
Address to the NSW Nationals Annual General Conference ( 16/06/2006)
This morning our State Leader Andrew Stoner articulated a vision for regional NSW. Central to that vision are three key principles - equality of access to services, local autonomy and an inclusive society where everyone has a real chance to be part of their community.
He reminded us that people in regional areas are independent, proud and like living in country areas. However, city people are on average 16 per cent better off income-wise than their country cousins. Nine of the ten lowest income electorates in NSW are in regional areas and for the most part, we represent those electorates.
Whilst we don’t want Government controlling our lives, neither do we want to suffer the neglect we’ve experienced at the hands of this NSW Labor Government for the last 11 years.
Central to any policy framework for the NSW Nationals must be a better deal for regional areas. At a recent Nationals Forum the point was made that if you want people to get on a bus and stay on it, you must clearly identify on the front of the bus where that bus is going. Let’s face it – no one is going to get onto a bus unless they know where it is going! So it is with the Nationals. We need to tell people where our bus is going. In simple terms, we are going wherever we can get a new and better deal for country and coastal communities. This new deal must include more investment in key infrastructure like roads, water and sewerage works, hospitals and schools. But it also must involve better services across the board. Whilst we have an ageing population, we also have young families. Since we represent many low-income electorates we need to pay special attention to those who are struggling financially. Affordable housing, for example, is an issue we must address, as is an ever-increasing demand for health services resulting from an ageing population.
Whilst all regional areas will have common problems, they do have different priorities.
In a moment, I will unveil key elements of our policy for the North Coast Region. However, before I do that I want to make an observation about global warming and the need for The Nationals to develop more proactive policies to deal with its effects.
In case you think global warming is not an issue, let me remind you that the CSIRO (a conservative scientific body) has predicted that temperatures will rise by up to 2 degrees Celsius by 2030. Alarmingly, a report commissioned by the Federal Government and prepared by the Australian National University predicted temperatures would rise by as much as 6 degrees Celsius by 2100. The CSIRO also predict sea levels will rise by almost a metre by 2100. They say we can expect more severe weather events which will threaten our infrastructure. The hotter temperatures and drier conditions in inland NSW will change what food can be grown where.
Even though Australia is responsible for one per cent of total greenhouse gas emissions in the world, we are the highest emitters of greenhouse gases on a per capita basis. In any event, we will be affected like everyone else, regardless of our relative contribution to the problem.
The future of tourism, much of which occurs in coastal areas, and the hotter, drier outcomes for regional communities in NSW make this issue an important one for our Party. The key to our response to global warming should be a very strong commitment to the use of renewable energy sources wherever possible, and a genuine commitment to sustainable practices. Our Party’s policy of developing an ethanol industry based on renewable biomass is a big step in the right direction but we need to push these sustainable policies harder, not least because of the negative impact global warming will have on coastal and country NSW – our constituency.
Here on the North Coast we are pursuing innovative practices like using sugar cane trash to create renewable energy, establishing more plantations, we’re seeking to convert camphor laurel trees into a new energy source, we’re world leaders in managing acid sulphate soils and we’re home to numerous sustainability focussed companies consulting throughout the world.
Let me now turn to our North Coast policy.
Currently half our State seats are on the North Coast from Myall Lakes to the Queensland border and of course we will add to that stable when we win Tweed in March next year.
As you know, the seachange and treechange phenomenon is very much alive and well up here. Indeed in my own electorate, one-third of my constituents have arrived in the last five years. Most of these people have never voted National in their life. This is both a challenge and an opportunity. We need to understand the aspirations of these new arrivals as well as catering for long-term residents. When I surveyed these new arrivals, the reasons they gave for coming here were to change their lifestyle and to enjoy the beauty of the area. Half of them are retirees, and one-third have a tertiary qualification (compared to the national average of around 12 per cent). Whilst they wanted to change their lifestyle to enjoy the simple pleasures more, they still have high expectations in regard to services like health and education. They are generally cashed up, politically aware and keen to protect the environmental integrity of the region.
Because of the changing nature of North Coast seats, and the importance of the area to the Nationals, the first thing we will do in Government is appoint a Minister for the North Coast. It is important that the needs and aspirations of this growing area be actively represented at the Cabinet table. Labor currently has a Minister for the Illawarra, Western Sydney and the Hunter, but no Minister for the North Coast. That reflects their priorities. Appointing a Minister for the North Coast reflects our priorities.
The first thing our Minister for the North Coast will do is to ensure delayed infrastructure investment is brought on line. There are already a number of projects we have committed ourselves to. These include, for example, the immediate construction of the Alstonville Bypass promised by Labor in March 2003 but still not delivered.
We will also re-instate train services on the Casino to Murwillumbah rail line, axed by Labor two years ago. We want to introduce commuter rail services on this line which would also connect with the XPT services at Casino. A feasibility study by Price Waterhouse Coopers found it would cost $4m per year for the first seven years to maintain the line to a safe standard, with long-term maintenance costs of $2.5m per annum. We will also commence the process of joining up the Casino to Murwillumbah line with the Queensland rail system because this will bring huge benefits to the region in terms of tourism, increased employment opportunities and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
We are also committed to building a second bridge over the Clarence River at or near Grafton.
Lismore Base, Grafton Base, Ballina and Byron Shire Hospitals are also on our agenda for major capital expenditure. This is vital given our high retiree population and the fact that people over 65 years use four times more health services than those under 65.
The Pacific Highway is the major road through the North Coast. Prior to Christmas, the State and Federal Governments announced they would spend $320m per annum (i.e. $160m each) on the Pacific Highway over the next three years. We will honour that agreement which will see major progress on the following sections:
Karuah to Bulahdelah, Bulahdelah Bypass, Coopernook to Moorland Duplication, Bonville Deviation, Sapphire to Woolgoolga, Ballina Bypass and the Banora Point (Sextons Hill) Deviation.
At the conclusion of the current Federal/State agreement the Nationals would be looking to substantially increase the State Government’s contribution to enable the dual carriageway from Hexham to the Queensland border to be completed as soon as possible.
We will also conduct an independent feasibility study into the Summerland Way option between Tyagarah (north of Bangalow) and Grafton, given it is estimated that more than $500m in savings would be realised if that route were chosen. It is important to separate interstate freight (which is forecast to double in the next 15 years) from local traffic which is also set to increase substantially as a result of population growth. This would be the first step in creating an inland freight corridor from West of Brisbane south, skirting Kyogle and Casino through to Grafton.
The Nationals in Government will also establish a small Cross-Border Commission to help resolve cross-border problems which make doing business along the NSW/Queensland border a nightmare for NSW residents. The Cross-Border Commission, with a representative from business, consumers, farmers, Local and State Government to a maximum of eight people, would make recommendations to the State Government and these recommendations, together with the State Government’s response would be reported annually to Parliament to enable public scrutiny on progress on cross border issues. Hopefully in five years time most problems would be solved and the Commission, having done its work, could be dissolved.
The NSW Nationals will produce a much better Far North Coast Regional Planning Strategy than Labor has produced. Unlike Labor, we will include infrastructure development in our plan. We will also develop an integrated Transport Plan for the region, properly develop the village model, and generally put a lot more meat around the bones of the strategy. This will provide a clearer direction for the region given the huge population increase forecast over the next 30 years and the challenges that go with that growth.
As I mentioned earlier, we have many self-funded retirees in this region. They will benefit from our NSW Seniors Concession Allowance of $300 a year (or $600 for couples). This will assist them in meeting State Government charges such as motor vehicle registration, electricity, water and council rates.
Similarly, our pre-schools will benefit from our statewide commitment to invest $362 million over four years to improve affordability and access to pre-schools. NSW pre-schools have the lowest participation rate at 60 per cent compared to the 90 per cent plus in all other States. We also have the highest fees in NSW. Our package will take us to a 95 per cent participation rate and make pre-schools much more affordable.
Upon election to Government we will reactivate SEPP-35 which provides for maintenance dredging to be carried our in our shipping lanes to ensure safe passage for vessels, both commercial and recreational. Labor’s failure to act on maintenance dredging has caused serious concern about safety for recreational boaters, shippers, charter boat operators and fishing fleets, in turn affecting coastal businesses and tourism. We will end that neglect.
Earlier today our Leader indicated we would review the Operational and Zoning Plans for Marine Parks. We will also amend the Marine Parks Act to enable public consultation prior to their gazettal and we will ensure the responsible Minister must have regard to submissions made by the community.
Ladies and Gentlemen, as you can see, we have a plan for the North Coast of NSW which will benefit the people in the region. More detailed announcements will be made in each electorate in the lead up to the election.
We, the Nationals, have a long and successful record of strongly representing country and coastal residents. Under the previous Coalition Government between 1988 and 1995, we saw much-needed infrastructure being built everywhere. For example, I recall personally opening five new schools in the Ballina Electorate in 1994. Under Labor there hasn’t been a new public school built in this electorate. This lack of infrastructure investment in country and coastal areas by this city-centric Labor Government is the legacy we will inherit.
Unfortunately under Labor this region has been starved of Government support. If we are going to achieve equal access to infrastructure and services, if we are to have local autonomy and an inclusive society, three principles underpinning our vision for regional areas, we must change the Government in NSW. Fortunately, more and more people are coming to this view right across the State. I predict a tough fight between now and March next year, but come Election Day, we will see a National/Liberal Government elected. With your support and with our hard work, the NSW Nationals will deliver in spades for our country and coastal communities.
