Labor is once again running former police officer Craig Elliot for the seat of Tweed in the upcoming NSW state elections on 25 March.
Craig has lived in the Tweed for more than 25 years. He and his wife Justine, who is the Federal Labor member for Richmond, have raised their two children Alex and Joe in the community.
‘I’m thrilled to announce Craig as our Labor candidate for Tweed ahead of the March election,’ said Mr Minns.
‘Craig understands the issues facing his community and if given the chance I believe will be a fantastic advocate for them on Macquarie Street.’
Pottsville High
Education is a key platform issue that Labor are running on for the NSW election and Labor leader Chis Minns was here last week to announce that a ‘Minns Labor government will deliver a future high school in Pottsville for the growing communities of the Tweed coast’.
There are around 600 students at Pottsville Beach Public School and students spend several hours a week travelling to high schools across the region at Kingscliff, Murwillumbah and Banora Point. The site for the high school was identified over 12 years ago but has not received the commitment needed from the coalition government for it to go ahead.
‘The Tweed coast is becoming increasingly popular with young families. We know a new high school is needed and the delays need to end,’ said Mr Elliot.
‘A Minns Labor Government will finally deliver for a new high school for families in Pottsville and the surrounding Tweed coast.’
Murwillumbah mega-school
Mr Minns also came to Murwillumbah in September last year (Murwillumbah is in the electorate of Lismore and the seat is currently held by Labor MP Janelle Saffin) to address concerned community members over the merger of the two Murwillumbah primary schools Murwillumbah East Public School (MEPS) and Murwillumbah Public School along with the two high schools Wollumbin High School and Murwillumbah High School (MHS) at the current MHS site that was announced by the coalition government late October 2020.
The mega-school announcement met with strong opposition from the local community. Minns promised concerned parents, teachers, and the community at the meeting that if Labor win the next election they will not follow through with the mega-school merger that is currently underway.
Healthcare focus
Craig has also said he welcomes ‘NSW Labor’s positive and fresh plans to resuscitate the states healthcare system, rebuild NSW’s health workforce and repair the damage caused by the Perrottet Government’.
NSW Labor say they will:
- Implement Regional and Rural Health Inquiry recommendations.
- Fund an additional 500 paramedics in regional communities in Labor’s first term.
- Introduce minimum and enforceable safe staffing levels to public hospitals, starting with emergency departments.
- Recruit an additional 1,200 nurses and midwives recruited into the system (above the government’s additional recruits outlined in 2022-23 NSW State Budget) within the first four years of a Labor Government, at a cost of $175 million.
- Fund an additional 29 McGrath Breast Care nurses to support people right across New South Wales.
- Boost funding for Women’s Health Centres to $100 million over five years to ensure the 20 centres across the state can operate sustainably and deliver health services that meet the needs of the community.
- Boost access for mental health services for young people in New South Wales by committing $17 million to the Kids Helpline over four years to increase their capacity to respond to a rising number of calls.
‘We know this election will be a tough battle, but I believe Craig is up for the fight and will be our in the community advocating for his community every single day,’ said Mr Minns.
‘The residents of Tweed deserve a fresh start,’ said Craig.
‘Residents of Tweed deserve the same level of service as Sydney, and I’m committed to making that a reality.
‘I’m proud to be a part of Labor Leader Chris Minns’ strong team that if given the chance, will bring Tweed and NSW the change we need.’
What of the other secondary school children all over the Tweed who have to travel 3 hours per day to attend school like Moggill or up around Natural Arch and beyond Tyalgum ?
I and many other tried hard to keep the Murwillumbah rail line in operation to provide for communities like Pottsville to transit their kids to Moggill to attend school in Murwillumbah or Mullumbimby on fast railcars but were let down badly by the local politicians who spoke empty words to us all .
That railway line was constructed above the flood line , it is by far the most valuable asset we have to do what is was designed to do was taken away from us by a Labor politician , who was a school teacher ?
Nationals lackey Geoff Provest campaigned at his very first election to reinstate our rail line and that is most likely the only reason we voted for him, then upon being elected did nothing but he supports the rail trail , the same sort of politician Craig Elliot will become is he replaces Provest much like his wife Justine who hasn’t made any remarkable difference to the Tweed since she became the Federal MP since 2004 on Greens preferences because she can’t win on her own because she just isn’t that popular .
Her chief lackey always becomes the deputy Mayor of the Tweed Shire council , has anyone seen any difference that makes to our lives ?
I don’t see my vote would make any difference to the outcome of the ballot count so I will vote informal as my protest that I am annoyed that I have to find a parking spot for my vehicle to stand in line to vote in the political class who all think they are too good for us and only “seem” to only care about us when the election cycle recommences when they will would offer us empty promises yet again hoping everyone forgot their last election cycle promises .
Interesting how a comment like this full of factual errrors is permitted and other detailed factual comments refused? Anyone that lives here can take a drive around and you can see the results of Justine Elliot’s record of getting things done in the Tweed. I can remember Albanese making a comment in the media, as Infrastructure minister saying, every time he comes to the Tweed, Justine has a list of priorities and that the Federal Labor Govt has already planned funded and built $2 billion of infrastructure, but she still has more to be done. Thats the real record Neville! And who has Justine relied on all that time for support? Her husband Craig, whom over the last 20 years have worked together to get these things done in the Tweed. There will be a change of Govt in March, it’s inevitable and the new Govt will be a Labor Govt, the Tweed must be part of that Govt, thats why we should all be supporting Craig Elliot!
Tweed I met with the foreman of the rail line maintenance crew , a blue collar Labor man who stated that the line was in good order up until it was closed but since then the bridges had been made impossible to use having sections cut out and one damaged from vandalism and a culvert washouts in the section between Murwillumbah & Byron Bay that could have been fixed for less than the cost of the bike trail .
It would have been common sense to keep the line working for passenger and school traffic and servicing those cut off during times of flood seeing the line was built above the flood line .
If Justine or Geoff Provest had attended any of the meetings at the Murwillumbah showgrounds held by Mike Yarrow to Save the Train they would have heard for themselves from those people they say they represent of what the rail meant to them especially those in wheel chairs and mobility problems who can’t use the coach because it is just too hard for them to board and alight whereas the train was their best friend for it gave them to opportunity to get out and about especially now in their older age .
Planning for Billions of dollars of infrastructure with what money ? He hasn’t got any for the bush fire and flood victims but he can find millions for Ukraine ?
It wasn’t that many years Craig left the Qld police service so that must be one of those factual errors of yours Tweed .
If Justine didn’t spend close on $130,000 per year on advertising herself and taking pot shots at Provest from her electoral budget that money could be better spent leasing enough demountable classrooms to support high school students with a roof over the heads , if Craig get’s elected although I doubt it , I would like to see the Paramedics wages increased to $100,000 net because these people deserve it for what they have to deal with in their every day and night at work .
Well Mr. Neville C. Thomson that was definitely a well constructed spray at just about everyone, people like you should vote informal or better still, shouldn’t be allowed to vote at all. As for the now defunct rail line, shutting it down was the only sensible decision to make, its present alignment was no longer meeting the needs of the local population, every bridge and trestle was well past its use by date and becoming dangerous, you were never going to win on keeping that. And as for your infantile venomous spray against Justine Elliott’s popularity, she has managed to hold this highly marginal seat since 2004 and delivered constantly for the people of Richmond, so she must be doing something right, so maybe you should get better glasses and a possibly invest in a hearing aid, and please don’t vote.
Keith Duncan why is this such a high marginal seat if as you say Justine Elliot is so popular ?
Mr Neville C. Thomson, it’s because of the excessively high Green vote in Byron Bay, it’s really not rocket science; there is a fairly even three way split in the overall vote between the Nationals, Labor and the Greens, last election Justine Elliott topped the primary vote count for the first time because the National Party vote crashed, like I said she must be doing something right, anything else you need to know?
Well Keith Duncan that National Party vote didn’t crash as you put it because a lady who supervised the vote counting at Ocean Shores wrote in the print media of how the votes from the minor party’s got flipped and that was seen all over Australia .
ABC election guru Anthony Green called the election for Richmond in favour of Greens candidate Mandy Nolan and after a pause changed it to ALP Justine Elliot so that looked rather strange .
WE must get this message out, it cannot be kept in an Echo chamber?
The list of LNP Govt failure is long, the bush fire and flood responses a damning indictment of negligence, it’s Australia wide.
NSW is the last remaining mainland Australian State with an LNP Govt. The LNP have been removed State and Federally for damned good reason. The LNP have proven themselves completely untrustworthy and an economic catastrophe. The wholesale selling off of public assets their only, go to method of fiscal policy. The forced sell off of our 4 Murwillumbah public schools with zero community consultation, is just one gobsmacking example why, they have never been fit for office. The selling out of our public hospitals they build with our money another.
The refusal to disclose the ICAC findings against Berejiklian, the third Liberal party leader forced to resign from multiple corruption investigation should be the final insult to everyone, especially anyone that voted for the LNP to put them in Govt in the first place! Not to mention the ongoing investigations against former National party leader Barilaro!
This selling of NSW public assets has to be stopped, but the only way to stop the LNP is by not dividing the progressive vote. No matter which party you support in stopping the NSW LNP Govt, you must either 1st preference Labor or Greens to defeat the LNP!
That is the real priority for everyone in NSW this election, the removal of the LNP in NSW, just as the rest of mainland Australia has, Federally and in every State!
Craig ? Why do you need the Greens to win your election for you ?
Like the libs need the NATs to form government?
Good one Rod.
Exactly Rod! Gonzo C Thompson, just got owned!
Rod: My belief is that each political party should be separate from each other to campaign on their worth to their electorate so do you think Labor and the Greens should split ?
Mr Neville C. Thompson, I can see you have absolutely no F***ing idea of what you are talking about. in the 2022 election Justine Elliott increased her 2pp vote by 4.15% while the Nationals candidate lost 4.15%; with the first preference vote the Nationals candidate LOST 13.5% (that’s called a crash); anything else you need to know, although with you its obviously a waste of time.
Keith Duncan : Labor -2.9 swing while Greens + 4.9
Informal vote 7424
Tweed I own you on this question , why does Labor need the Greens preferences ?
Exactly the same reason why the Lib/Nat Parties often need the preferences from Pauline Hanson and Clive Palmer and any other crazy right wing party; again Mr Neville C. Thomson it’s not rocket science, maybe the Libs and Nats should split and do us all a favour.