With the NSW elections just over two weeks away, the political candidates have gone into overdrive to win your vote. Here is our summation of the main promises of the major parties’ candidates so far.
Greens
Greens candidate Tamara Smith, has announced that, if elected, the Greens would commit to funding $100,000 of improvements at Waterlily Park in Ocean Shores.
Improvements would include a new children’s playground, safety fencing and shade structures, new seating, lighting, barbecue facilities and toilet block, additional tennis and net ball courts, improved pathways and interpretative signage, removal of aquatic weeds from the lake and installation of devices to filter storm-water pollution.
‘This will be funded by the Greens’ new $20 billion infrastructure plan that will raise revenue by restoring taxation.’
Other commitments include restoring Cape Byron Marine Sanctuary protections, cancelling the so-called ‘improvements’ planned by the NSW Crown Holiday Parks Trust for the Brunswick Heads foreshore and introducing a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags to protect NSWs oceans from marine pollution.
Like Labor’s promise (see below), The Greens want to return the West Byron development to the drawing board.
Labor
If elected, Ballina High School and Southern Cross School would receive $30 million to upgrade facilities and infrastructure, says Labor’s Paul Spooner, and it would be achieved without selling the electricity network.
‘Locals are furious about the Nationals’ “super-school” plan – it fails the test of good policy making. Don Page clearly had no discussions with parents or teachers, otherwise he wouldn’t have proposed to close Southern Cross High School and build a “super school.”’
Additionally, his party has promised $7.3 million for upgrading Ballina hospital’s operating theatres and emergency department and want to ensure that Byron’s new hospital will not have privately-run surgeries.
Nationals
Photo www.krisbeavis.com.au
Nationals hopeful, Kris Beavis, recently announced $40 million for a new Ballina high school.
‘High school students in Ballina are already benefitting from the needs-based Resource Allocation Model introduced for public schools by the NSW Liberals and Nationals government’, he said.
Mr Beavis also put out press releases critical of Labor for ‘ignoring the north coast in favour of Sydney’.
Mr Beavis said ‘plans for projects he and former member Don Page fought hard for would be scrapped under Labor’s infrastructure plan.’
‘The Rail Trail, Byron Central Hospital, Ballina High School and the Byron bypass all disappear under Labor’s Sydney-centric infrastructure plan,’ Mr Beavis said.
Another announcement include a ‘$2.78 million investment in 25 key boating projects… for boaters right across the northern rivers and into the Tweed.’
And the rest
Two independent candidates are standing for the seat of Ballina: Matt Hartley and Ballina councillor Jeff Johnson.
Angela Pollard is standing for the Animal Justice Party and Vyvyan Stott is standing for the Christian Democratic Party.
Meet the candidates
If you would like to quiz them further about their views, Echonetdaily is sponsoring a Meet the Candidates forum at Byron Bay Community Centre on Tuesday March 17 from 5:30pm.
People wishing to quiz the candidates on a particular issue should arrive with their well prepared question by 5pm.
All NSW Election 2015 Articles
