By JO HARRISON
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell was impressed with Monday’s Community Cabinet Meeting held at the Armidale Ex-Services Club, claiming that it was one of the most informed and diverse community meetings that he has attended.
An estimated 200 people came to the meeting to put questions directly to the Premier, Deputy Premier and Ministers.
Education was a popular topic addressed, with numerous questions directed at Minister for Education Adrian Piccoli. These included funding for education and Gonski reforms, NBN roll-out to local high schools like Duval and increasing funding to pre-schools.
Minister for Health Gillian Skinner took questions about the loss of the winching service for the Tamworth based Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service and increasing the number of nurses in regional areas.
Local police officers were in attendance asking the Police Minister when police reforms would take effect and rail supporters asked for an assurance of retaining rail services to Armidale and pushing more freight off roads onto rail.
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall hosted the event and said he was particularly pleased with the cross section of questions put to the Cabinet.
“It was great to see a good roll-up and we managed to get through 20 questions across a wide range of subjects,” Mr Marshall said.
“This was an opportunity for the public to see ministers and ask the questions that they want. It doesn’t happen very often and it was terrific to see people take advantage of that.”
Uralla Shire Council General Manager Tom O’Connor who had earlier met one-on-one with ministers found the exercise beneficial.
“Earlier this morning we had a meeting with the Minster for Local Government, Minister for Roads and Ports and the Minister for Health,” Mr O’Connor said.
“They were very open to discussion, attentive and listened to what we had to say.
“We spoke about concerns we had about the independent review panel report into local government going against the Minister’s stated aim that amalgamations were not on the table, the replacement of the Emu Crossing Bridge and the need for an ambulance to be based in Uralla.”
