The Nationals Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce, is spot-on when he calls for more public sector services and private investment to come to rural areas. Rural Australia deserves a fair share.

Former independent member for New England Tony Windsor was also spot-on about the National Broadband Network, which will help small businesses grow through the technological boom. Mr Windsor is spot-on by pointing out public investment will attract long-term private investment. 

Getting an intermodal freight hub and the Virgin flight academy to Tamworth are two such examples of how the private sector provides employment and growth for our great rural city and can also can provide a flow-on effect through wages into our local businesses.

The other issues that will put rural Australia on the map is the inland rail link, as this will give farmers real choice between road and rail networks to transport their goods to our major ports and to our trading partners in South East Asia. Working with stakeholders such as NSW Farmers to get the right pathway to this project is important to getting it right. 

It’s up to the Morrison-McCormack government to show some salesmanship on this policy. How they deal with this issue will define where they sit post the election.

Shane Moran, Tamworth

As a resident of Tamworth for 35 years, the promise of the aquatic centre has been all talk and no action. 

My children were past members of the swim club and not having a proper all-year-’round training facility does not help better our swimmers.

This was very obvious to me at the state water polo comp in Sydney, when my grandchildren (who live and train in Sydney) were so much better than our Tamworth team. So not only do we need to better the training facility for our youth, but don’t forget us seniors would benefit if able to swim all year ’round. I believe Tamworth would be the only large-size city in NSW with no indoor pool. Stop talking and do something.

Lila McDonald, Tamworth

Shame on you NDL, expecting former long-term residents of Tamworth to pay $3.75 a week to catch up on news. We left the area 12 years ago and got online every day to catch up on news from home. Now all we can see is classifieds.  As pensioners we can’t afford this. We know we are not alone again. Shame.

Frank and Lindall

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