Byron Shire councillor Paul Spooner has been selected as Labor’s candidate for Ballina for next year’s state election.
It follows an historic community pre-selection, the first to be held in rural, regional or coastal NSW.
Mr Spooner defeated Ballina shire councillor Keith Williams in the ballot.
NSW Labor leader John Robertson welcomed Mr Spooner to the NSW Labor team, saying the community preselection method used in selecting him – with over 2,300 votes cast in the primary-style contest online, in person or by post – was a success.
Mr Spooner said he believed that ‘we can revitalise the Labor Party in this region, and I believe this pre-selection has helped us show the community who we are and what we stand for’.
‘We have made a difference in this election already by encouraging activate, community engagement in the democratic process,’ he said.
‘When it’s so easy to be either too cynical or totally disengaged, the people of Ballina have rallied around and made their voice heard and their vote count,’ he said.
‘It’s a small but important step and together I believe we can make more steps and win the seat of Ballina at the next state election.
‘Now the real contest begins.
‘A contest that will see our side fight for fairness, for the environment, for keeping electricity in public hands, stopping the West Byron development and for ensuring our region is CSG free,’ Mr Spooner said.
Mr Robertson said ‘the people of Ballina have been taken for granted by the Nationals for far too long’.
He said Labor had already heard the strong views of the local community against CSG and unconventional gas exploration as well as the ‘savage cuts by the Nationals to health, domestic violence and women’s services and education, particularly TAFE on the North Coast.
‘As a Councillor on Byron Shire Council, Paul has a strong connection with the local community and I know he will be a strong voice for issues like CSG exploration, health and education,’ Mr Robertson said.
Congratulations Paul. With the horrific state of politics in Australia right now, this country needs more people like you signing up to the carry the mantle. Not a job many would be willing to take on so I salute you.
Really would you buy a car of this man, his disingenuous speech at the weekend rally, with the taky and inapropriate vote for me now sales pitch, from a man that originaly supported the west byron development, the only passion that drives him is political opportunism.get real!
Dear Paul, Congratulations. Please, please stop cuts to TAFE. If TAFE is privatised young people will be in debt up to their eyeballs, disability services and libraries will be a thing of the past, most courses will be online and quality education where people learn so much more than their course material will be a thing of the past.
Well done, Paul. I have ordered you a pair of extra-thick waders in anticipation of your entrance into the Macquarie St. cesspit
Asking the public is like being spoon fed. Don’t ask the public.
Allan Kingsley- to be fair to Paul Spooner he did support it when he thought there might be an option for affordable housing for locals. I believe that he was grievously mistaken as these developers are only interested in profit, not community. Now we know the truth of that – Terry Agnew plans to sell them from $595 000 to $800000 – then I suspect Paul has changed his mind.
If we change our minds when we get better or more information then that is a good thing. Give Paul the benefit of the doubt. He is responding to the community’s wishes and that is what we want from a potential representative.
Am I missing something? What was the actual result?