NSW opposition leader Luke Foley has taken aim at the Liberal National government in a speech at this weekend’s Country Labor conference in Dubbo.
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Held at the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club, the conference saw senior Labor party figures – including leader Luke Foley and federal senator for NSW Sam Dastyari – converge on the city.
Mr Foley addressed the conference on Saturday morning, touting Labor’s success at federal and council elections as well as recent byelections.
“Orange was a humiliation for the conservatives. The Nationals lost one of their safest seats – and their Leader and Deputy Leader,” he said.
“There were swings of 60 per cent against them across the Cabonne Shire.
“A key issue was Mr Baird’s forced council amalgamations. Local communities steamrolled by a Sydney-centric government. Thousands of local government jobs at risk.”
He said a Labor government would implement its own local government reforms.
“A Labor Government will empower local communities to initiate a plebiscite on whether the forced amalgamation should be reversed,” Mr Foley said.
“If a community is happy and wants to keep the new boundaries – that’s fine.
“And if a community wants to go back to their original boundaries – then we’ll respect their decision and make it happen.”
Mr Foley also spoke at length about changes to TAFE, and said a Labor government would investigate unscrupulous private providers.
A Labor Government will empower local communities to initiate a plebiscite on whether the forced amalgamation should be reversed.
- NSW Labor leader Luke Foley
“Once elected, we will move immediately to establish a Private Providers Investigations Unit,” he said.
“The unit will investigate dodgy training providers...and restore confidence and stability to the sector.”
Mr Foley also used to the conference to announce protections for the thoroughbred horse industry.
A future Labor government would impose a minimum distance between thoroughbred horse and wine industries and mining, he said.
“Our thoroughbred industry is world’s best practice,” Mr Foley said.
“But the leading thoroughbred industry players may be forced into relocating to another state, because of Baird Government inaction.”
He also urged the state government to host a NSW Koala Summit, and announced a Labor government would “prioritise the creation of national parks that protect the remaining koala populations of the north coast”.
