MARK COULTON

As with any area that encompasses a large number of rural and regional communities, there are a range of social issues that impact on the Parkes electorate.

One of the biggest issues I believe triggers other problems is unemployment.

When representing the people of the electorate, I hear different stories when it comes to employment.  I hear of businesses and farmers struggling to find people to work for them.  I also hear from a range of people, particularly younger people, struggling to find employment in their local towns.

Unfortunately, there is no “one size fits all” solution.  Essentially this is an area where you are dealing with people’s livelihoods: either as small businesses or farm owners, or as employees just trying to make a living.

I have always said that there is nothing more stabilising than employment.  The difference between a young person seeing a parent undertake regular, secure employment versus one who never witnesses their parent go to work is evident in their approach to getting a job.

I am confident that the Coalition’s employment initiatives including pre-employment training, real work experience and wage subsidies will help put young people on a positive pathway to finding and keeping a job.

With stable and secure employment, I believe that the impact of other social issues such as illicit drug use, domestic violence and crime can be minimised.  This will not just help individuals but also the greater community.