Labor cuts key infrastructure

I’m appalled by the results of the Labor Government’s Infrastructure Review, part of which was released last Thursday, with more detail expected to be revealed.

The Minister for Infrastructure has cut the Moree Intermodal Overpass and the Northern NSW Inland Port at Narrabri which are crucial elements of the Inland Rail.

In a cost-of-living crisis, where food prices are going through the roof, the Labor Government has decided to derail long-term access routes to food and fibre.

These cuts indicate that this Government is crab-walking away from the Inland Rail, and I know many people in Northern NSW will be devastated by this news.

 

The Basin comes to Parliament

The Taste Of The Basin event last week saw producers from across the Murray-Darling Basin catchment arrive in the grounds of Parliament House to showcase the many varied products which come out of these regions.

The hope was that this brings home to Parliament the importance of getting water management right – all of the producers in attendance rely on water to create everything from the clothes we wear to what we eat and drink.

It was great to see the Parkes electorate represented, with Stahmann Webster pecans grown in Pallamallawa and Grove Juice oranges from Moree. There was even a virtual reality tour of a cotton farm – bringing the experience to city-based politicians who may never have set foot on an actual farm!

 

Threats are not acceptable

 A constituent recently contacted my office to raise alarm about a threatening letter sent to them by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF).

We’re getting a balance at the moment between conserving vital, significant vegetation and making farms more productive. This particular constituent had undergone some land clearing on their property, and had done so in a perfectly legal and sensible way according to the rules before receiving the letter from the ACF.

The ACF need to pull their head in quite frankly, and I said as much in my speech last week in Parliament. Threats are not acceptable, and it is not the role of a foundation to do the work of the appropriate government department.