Regional funding shortfall
From the outset of my campaign for the Electorate of Tamworth I have said that democracy is reliant on political competition and political competition delivers results. From September 2018 when State-wide polling had evidently shown that the NSW Government was in electoral trouble and is likely to face minority government and a hung parliament or worse opposition, taxpayers’ funds for projects throughout the electorate have been announced at a frenetic, frantic, frenzied, almost panicked and indeed some may say pork barrelling pace.
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From a 2018 budget low the Electorate of Tamworth received in the vicinity of just $30 million compared to the Northern Tablelands electorate of $120 million. This demonstrates how lazy governments neglect seats perceived to be safe. However, we are now seeing the State Government open the taxpayers’ cheque book. This is in no small part to the role played by alternative candidates and the pressure applied in this electorate by alternative candidates to make the Electorate of Tamworth marginal and therefore matter.
I heartily welcome every dollar and every cent of taxpayers’ money invested in our Electorate to keep rural regions viable and sustainable. Many parts of the Electorate have received some taxpayer funded electoral inducements and here are some of the recent announcements made since September 2018:
- $345K 24/09/2018 – Tamworth Mountain Bike track
- $558K 28/09/2018 – Lights for TRC LGA sporting fields
- $224K 07/10/2018 – Werris Creek pool
- $1.5M 12/10/2018 – Gunnedah Showground
- $3.97M 19/10/2018 – Tamworth Airport terminal upgrade
- $365K 22/10/2018 – Banksia Acute mental health unit interim upgrades
- $7.2M 29/10/2018 – Tamworth Hockey and AELEC
- $900K 30/10/2018 – Tamworth footpath Goonoo Goonoo Road
- $93K 1/11/2018 – Gunnedah PCYC
- $53K 02/11/2018 – Tamworth Cricket nets etc
- $3.85M 16/11/2018 – Grain Valley Road
- $372K 26/11/2018 – Werris Creek Footpaths
- $150K 11/12/2018 – Manilla Showground
- $7.9M 18/01/2019 – Manilla Bridge
As I said I welcome every dollar and every cent and I am hopeful of further announcements to be made by the Government prior to entering caretaker mode late next month. These include and are not limited to the upgrade of Port Stephens Cutting, the upgrade of the disgraceful section of Goonoo Goonoo Road/New England Highway and let’s not forget Rangari Road, a University for Tamworth and water supply for Walcha as well as the very important Treasury approved funds for the entire redevelopment of the Banksia acute mental health unit and hopefully a new Gunnedah hospital. As this Government splurges funds on Sydney stadiums we yearn for the basics.
The good thing about the belated announcements is that although often announced using taxpayer funded parliamentary entitlements in National party green print, they can be also owned by the three alternative candidates and no less than the entire electorate because the Government isn’t spending money belonging to the local member or the party he belongs to, they are spending taxpayers’ money and funds gleaned from the proceeds of privatisation and asset sales and come at the expense of things such as high electricity prices and TAFE course fees and the gold stars deservedly should go to the long suffering taxpayers of rural NSW.
As we approach the March 2019 State election and with the likelihood of the Government facing a hung parliament or opposition, the task for the electors of the Electorate of Tamworth will be to select a member that will have a workable relationship with a new Government or the powerful position of a cross bencher in a hung parliament. Not an opposition backbencher, likely to achieve very little over the next four years. That is a political reality many rural electors in our region understand only too well.
Mark Rodda
Tamworth
