Member for Parkes Mark Coulton believes getting more Australians into work, especially those in regional areas, is essential for the social fabric of Dubbo and its surrounding towns.

His Labor opponent Jack Ayoub agrees.

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But, that’s where the unity stops. Both politicians have different ideas on how to make jobs available for regional Australians. 

Mr Coulton points to government initiatives like the Tailored Assistance Employment Grants [TAEG] programme that provides work opportunities for Aboriginal people as evidence of his commitment to the issue.

The Parkes MP also reckons careful migration to the regions would help skill shortages.

"A large number of jobs should be provided by the inland rail during construction and Dubbo and Narromine people should be able to find jobs at mineral deposits (Cobalt and Lithium) out at Fifield," he said.

"Places like Fletchers international, hospitals, aged care facilities and a lot of the large machinery firms are looking for mechanics.

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"We are also keen on decentralisation, getting businesses out to the regions and getting people to move here, our communities were built like that, and it is important.

"We will focus on bringing services to the regions; a good example is our stronger regions programme that has provided for hundreds of jobs in rural areas.

Mr Coulton said grants programmes are essential to help create jobs.

"We have assisted Fletcher International in providing up to 200 jobs through the Tailored Assistance Employment Grants [TAEG] programme, and we are committed to jobs in rural areas, everybody that can work should work and have a job,” he said.

Federal Labor candidate for Parkes Jack Ayoub said he agrees with Mr Coulton that anyone who can work should be able to find a job.

“Labor has committed to setting up an Australian Skills Authority, the primary function of which would be to ensure that Australians fill jobs in Australia," he said.

"We think that work visas should only be issued when there is deemed to be a genuine demand. I’m very proud that we have a National Rail Plan which will ensure that more trains are built in Australia, not imported at massive costs to the taxpayer as we have seen in NSW — this will benefit regional Australia. Under Labor, every dollar of federal funding spent on rail projects will go towards the creation of local jobs.”

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Mr Ayoub said Labor would reverse the $600 million cut from TAFE so more people can train locally.

“We will establish a Pre-Apprentice Program to help young job seekers transition into the workforce," he said. "As well as an Advanced Adult Apprentice Program to help those who may be facing redundancy.”

“That plan will also help those who have lost their jobs to retrain and regain employment as soon as possible."