Next week marks three years since I was elected to this place as the member for Parkes. It has been the most rewarding, challenging and interesting period of my life. The seat of Parkes that I contested at the last election is somewhat different to the seat of Parkes that I contested in 2007. In…
I rise to speak about a matter that has become topical in the press today but that has been a topic of conversation in regional Australia for some time-particularly in my electorate-and that is the issue of foreign ownership of agricultural land. I should say at the outset that a large part of the agricultural…
Mark Coulton Before I commence my contribution on the motion to take note of the Prime Minister’s statement on Australia’s commitment to Afghanistan, I would like to acknowledge the contribution of my colleague the member for Hindmarsh, a very well considered presentation. I concur with what he said. I have some difficulty in speaking…
Tonight I rise to speak on an issue that is of grave concern to the people of regional Australia, including the people of the electorate of Parkes, and that is the issue of local rural roads. As most people would realise, nearly everything that we find on our supermarket shelves starts its journey on a…
I rise today to support the member for Murray in this very important issue. In my short period of time in this place, this is clearly the most pressing and urgent issue and the issue of greatest concern to my electorate that I have ever covered. I want to go through the minister’s response. I…
I would like to bring to the attention of the House the proposed poker machine reform and the effect that that would have on the registered clubs and hotels within the electorate of Parkes. While I am certainly no fan of poker machines, every town and community in my electorate relies on their local club-be…
In the final two minutes of this adjournment debate I would like to comment on the remarks from the member for Chisholm and the member for Petrie, who were standing up in here singing the praises of the BER. The member for Chisholm had the audacity to say that this was some sort of…
Parkes Electorate: Central West Drought Action Group Mr COULTON (Parkes) (6.40 pm)-Tonight I rise to speak on behalf of the farmers in an area in my electorate who have formed an organisation known as the Central West Drought Action Group. These are farmers from the Mendooran, Dunedoo and Mudgee part of New South Wales.…
Mr COULTON (Parkes) (9.40 pm)-I rise tonight to speak about the Productivity Commission inquiry into gambling and the effects its recommendations may have if implemented on the community throughout regional Australia. Gambling addiction is one of the challenges that we face as a nation. I support any measures that are taken towards harm minimisation…
Mr COULTON (Parkes) (12.40 pm)-What a wonderful parallel universe some of our representatives in this place must live in! I rise today to speak about the incompetence of this government and the effect that its failures are having on the people of my electorate. This budget has confirmed what many Australians already suspected: that this…