National’s candidate for the seat of New England Richard Torbay has welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement last week that the federal election would be held on September 14.
“This is the game changer to focus on policies and issues in the run-up to the election,” he said.
“The people I meet and those who have responded to my recent survey are all calling for that – a debate on policies and issues and an end to negative personal politics.
“To have a date for the election means that sort of pointless skirmishing should stop and the parties and all candidates take the opportunity to put their policies on the table for public scrutiny and debate.”
Mr Torbay said the federal Coalition had developed a substantial plan for the future outlined in its election policy document released at the weekend.
“Paying off debt, boosting productivity, reforming in-frastructure delivery and building prosperity in regional Australia are front and centre of the policies,” he said. “I am encouraged by initiatives to provide more doctors and nurses in rural areas and to boost small business by cutting company tax and red tape and making it easier to access finance.
“Creating a sustainable and productive economy, more jobs and planning to meet the $700 billion shortfall in the nation’s infrastructure needs are the key to our future.”
The policy also emphasised the Coalition’s commitment to a five per cent reduction in carbon emissions to a target of 525 million tonnes equivalent by 2020. “The Coalition takes a different approach but the target is the same as that adopted by the current Labor government,” Mr Torbay said.
Under this plan the Coalition would invest $1.2 billion over four years to direct emissions reduction activities; $10 million to train farmers to reduce emissions, $1.1 billion for a solar roofs program; and $400 million to establish a Green Army of 15,000 environmental workers.
Grants to a maximum of $2 million would be made available for towns and non-capital cities to access direct solar energy, 100 solar school projects at $500,000 each would be initiated; incentives would be offered to the oldest and most inefficient power stations to reduce emissions and planting 20 million trees by 2020 were all part of the environmental strategy, he said.
More funding for mental health, increasing broadband capacity, more funding for agricultural research and development, providing mobile phone coverage in black spots, establishing a dedicated Regional Education Fund, funding to replace timber bridges, establishing community boards for local hospitals, restoring the Regional Arts Fund and investing in tourism development are included in the policy.
Mr Torbay said he would be releasing the policies in more detail over the coming months and also engaging with local communities and individuals on the way these policies might be implemented or amended. He will continue as an Independent MP representing the Northern Tablelands in state parliament until August 12, when the formal writs are issued for the election.
