Mr Coulton is keen to get on with the job and sat down with the Daily Liberal this week to answer questions on how the coalition government will implement its agenda in the face of economically challenging times.

How will the government deliver tax relief for families and small businesses, especially those in our electorate?

Our instant asset write-off helps business but we are also offering tax relief, the difference between the stimulus from the tax relief that is coming through now and the stimulus that came through in 2008 with the cash handout is; basically we are handing back money that people have actually earned, we are giving people their own money back which takes pressure off families and stimulates the economy.

To afford these tax cuts and reduce debt, the government seems to be relying on some very optimistic forecasts for economic growth; all indications are that the economy is weakening. In the United States, there is evidence the tax relief given to wealthier Americans and the corporate sector mainly resulted in share buybacks and the money going into savings of the people they were given to, they didn't actually go out and spend it. A recent Congressional report in the USA found gross domestic product growth was no higher after-tax cuts than it was before, why won't that happen here?

I think it is the job of the government to be optimistic in its forecast, it is the job of the government to create an environment for Australians to be optimistic because if there is a feeling that it is not worth taking that risk or working that extra couple of hours a week or starting up a business or whatever it is then that flows throughout the entire economy, so it's our job to have an optimistic view. We are phasing in the higher income tax cuts over a period of time, and there has been some criticism over that, but ultimately my colleagues and I don't believe you can tax a country to prosperity. A nation prospers when people keep more of their own money and with those big corporates, their shareholders are mostly every day Australians that have got them in super schemes or whatever else, so largely whether its the banks or larger companies every day Australians own them so if that money does flow to individual shareholders than that's also spreading wealth out across the country.

How will the government maintain budget surpluses and pay down debt?

We are doing this by stimulating the economy. When people are actually in employment and paying tax rather than receiving a welfare benefit that improves the profitability of the country, and that money can then help pay back the debt. Basically, our job is to create an environment where every Australian can work hard and do their best, and if they do that the rest follows. Right across the country unemployment levels are low and when people are employed and when the apprentice tradie gets qualified starts his own business and employs someone that's what makes the economy grow and prosper and that's the environment we are trying to create.

How will the government create 1.25 million more jobs over the next five years, and how many are expected to be in rural areas like the Parkes electorate?

This falls into my new ministry of decentralisation so basically, the government is investing in infrastructure, the services available to encourage people to do business and to set up in regional areas. Projects like the inland rail, upgrades for the road network, billions of dollars going into the Newell Highway corridor and roads of strategic importance but also making sure we've got connectivity with the continuous rollout of mobile phone towers to fill in the black spots, making sure the NBN gets completed and in conjunction with the states increasing funding to schools, health and hospitals, basically the government doesn't create jobs in itself it creates the environment for jobs to be created in.

What funding initiatives are in place for funding schools?

We are funding just under 20 per cent of the funding that goes to state schools, catholic and independent schools in NSW are getting $96 billion which is a considerable amount of funding but it is sustainable and it something that schools can now budget on and plan on for the next decade.

What is the government planning for infrastructure, especially in rural areas?

The Roads of Strategic Importance that came out in the last budget and we have increased by 25 per cent the roads to recovery programs that go to every local council and that goes to local roads.

The NBN, it is widely thought it has been 'stuffed up' by the coalition, does the government think it is fine as it is?

I think we have to keep things in perspective. I know we have problems in a few areas but in my electorate 85 per cent of the homes and farms and business are connected to the NBN. We have some problems in Dubbo, and I have great sympathy for those people, I am working very hard to help them. I have met with the NBN CEO to try and sort those problems for those people. We are not getting any complaints in my office once people are connected to a service, there was a lot of commentary about a substandard service but mostly once they are connected to the NBN people are happy.