Fairfax Digital Media Central West has given Parke's Federal Election candidates the opportunity to answer the questions our readers posed to them via our social media sites.
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In the lead up to the election we will run a question each day, with the responses we received from candidates.
Each candidate was contacted via phone and email. Their responses are below.
* Mark Coulton (The Nationals)
In my role as the Federal Member I work closely with the 8 Members of State Parliament, and the 17 Local Councils that are contained within the Parkes electorate to deliver services and projects.
The Parkes electorate covers an area of 256,000 sq km which is a third of New South Wales. I represent many towns including Dubbo, Lightning Ridge, Mudgee, Narromine, Nyngan and Wellington. I also represent Bourke, Cobar, Lake Cargelligo, Moree, Bingara, Walgett, Collarenebri, Narrabri, Gulgong, Coonabarabran, Trangie, Warren, Brewarrina, Coolah, Gilgandra, Boggabri, Wee Waa, Mungindi, Condobolin, Baradine and Warialda as well as many other places. I attend meetings and community functions in all of these towns and I appreciate the opportunity to do so.
The best thing that I can do for each of these towns is give them a stable and responsible federal Government which will act in the best interests of regional Australia.
The policies which we will implement if we are elected will improve the life of regional Australians. These include our mobile phone black spots programme, our commitments on roads, on the inland rail and through ensuring access for regional Australians to world class health care.
* Matt Parmeter (The Greens)
As a public servant, I have resigned my job to contest this election. My (previous) job was to talk to the Councils in inland NSW, from Bathurst to Broken Hill, Lake Cargelligo to Bourke, Mudgee to Cobar, about town water supply issues.
The Councils are putting together a solar energy initiative, the SEXI Proposal (Solar Energy eXchange Initiative).
The Councils representing the towns listed above have supported the SEXI Proposal, either directly, or through their ROC. They will be calling for federal government funding from ARENA to build five solar power plants across inland NSW. I have worked with the Councils developing this. I support our Councils initiative, and ask all the other candidates to do the same.
We want jobs in our country towns.
I want a good NBN for our communities, to deal with 21st century challenges. The Greens support fibre to the home. “Build it once, and build it right”.
We want a modern communications system, that can handle the ever increasing amounts of data transmission, that can improve productivity, and will help overcome “the tyranny of distance”. A good broadband system is about 21st century schooling and virtual classrooms, its about e-health and getting specialists opinions, its about working from home, its about not having to drive that two or three hundred clicks home from a meeting, dodging roos in the dark.
In the first quarter of this century, its essential infrastructure.
* Neil Gorman (Palmer United Party)
I am going to give a general answer to this question. Firstly I would expect to spend a couple of months clocking up the kilometres because this is the largest electorate in the state and I want to be told not to tell.
Secondly my general intentions are as per my answer to the previous question. Specific promises of infrastructure or the like immediately after an election tend to be lies because infrastructure comes out the budget which is 8 months away and I will not make grand promises to Parkes that I know are lies.
* Michelle Ryan (Christian Democratic Party)
Dubbo
I will work to lower the crime rate among youth. I believe that if we address drug addictions, unemployment, shorten the opening hours of licenced venues, and ensure they have access to good education, crime rates will drop. To supplement this, I will also encourage the growth of crime prevention resources and initiatives for healthy activities for young people.
Lightning Ridge
I would work to ensure that there are fair decisions and resolutions regarding the opal mining industry. CDP stands for balance regarding utilising our natural resources and protecting farmland.
Mudgee
I will look into the housing problems which the area is encountering. We need a focus on creating affordable land and ensuring the market is competitive.
Narromine
I will aim to improve health services. It is important for every person to have access to the health care they need right where they live.
Nyngan
I will work to increase the number of medical professionals in the area, and to expand health facilities to cater for them.
Wellington
I would seek funding for infrastructure improvements, and ensure small businesses are allowed to operate and flourish without unnecessary red tape.
* Brendan Byron (Labor)
Dubbo
As it’s due to go live later this year, I’ll fight to keep the NBN roll-out in Dubbo on schedule and maintain it against the Coalition’s plans to downgrade the service. The Trades Training Centres and additional education funding we’ve announced for Dubbo will do a huge amount for the youth unemployment for the area, and maintaining the Federal government’s long term commitment to improvements in indigenous living standards is an important priority.
Lightning Ridge
By keeping Australian goods in demand, keeping interest rates low, and keeping the Aussie dollar high, Federal Labor is ensuring that mining towns like Lightning Ridge get a good price for their precious stone exports. We’re also ensuring Lightning Ridge benefits as much as possible from the NBN by launching new satellites -- so even remote areas get the same access to quality internet at the same prices as the cities. This is a guarantee the Nationals will scrap if they get into office.
Mudgee
The Mudgee Hospital, like a lot of regional hospitals, has seen far better days, and is not far away from a significant upgrade. I’d make sure that Mudgee hospital actually does get the upgrade its community needs.
One other key concern is that an influx of miners and contractors is putting pressure on hotel accommodation and rents. Federal Labor has invested $26 billion in housing affordability and will maintain this record level of support to counter to the problem.
Narromine
Towns that depend on agriculture like Narromine will be supported by a Labor government. We’ve committed to investing almost $1 billion in rural research and development, because new findings in agribusiness provide an enormous boost to regional economies.
We’ve also invested $450 million in low interest loans through the Farm Finance Package in order to support jobs and farmers in regional Australia.
Nyngan
Nyngan is lucky to have great education facilities, which do great work for its community. I’ll fight to keep funding levels high and the new Trades Training Centre. However, a lot more must immediately be done for healthcare in the town, as the area is being neglected by state governments. I’ll make sure doctors and nurses have incentives to move to the bush.
Wellington
Wellington is a wonderful community, but it needs a long-term investment in order to counter pockets of unemployment and disadvantage. The Labor Government’s Better Schools plan directly targets regional and disadvantaged schools like those in the Wellington area with better funding and resources, so its young people get skills needed by their local community. Our tax cuts have also made cost of living pressures much easier to deal with, with low-income individuals paying no tax on the first $18,600 they earn.
TOMORROW: Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Opposition Leader Tony Abbot have both said they won’t strike any deals with minor parties or independents to form government if neither party gains a majority in its own right. How do you feel about this?
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