Today, Nationals Local Member, Melinda Pavey, replies:

I’d like to thank the Labor candidate for Oxley, Susan Jenvey, for flagging the NSW Government’s continuing record investment into regional NSW. 

Ms Jenvey highlighted that the Mid Coast Council (amalgamation of Great Lakes, Taree and Gloucester councils) has received a $50 million grant, a dollar value matched by the local government, to address the backlog of roads in their region. Let me emphasise, these thoroughfares were in danger of being reduced to rubble.

This project is just one of many the Nationals have fought to secure for their regional and rural constituents – because that’s what we do, we get money out of the cities and into our country towns.

Ms Jenvey also seemed to question what the Nationals have done for the Nambucca Shire. Here’s a brief refresher, in case she’s missed the unprecedented amount of State Government investment – $4.8m in block and repair grants to Nambucca Shire Council; the Pacific Highway bypass (including Macksville exit signs); a new $73 million Macksville Hospital; a replacement for Lanes Bridge; $14.8 million for the Bowraville Dam; a HealthOne facility for both Nambucca Heads and Bowraville; a $2.18 million new cycleway linking Florence Wilmont Dr in Nambucca Heads to Nursery Rd in North Macksville; a grant for Rotary Lookout Nambucca Heads worth $29,080; Nambucca River District Agriculture Association $15,000; Scotts Head Tennis Club Incorporated $18,000; Gumma Reserve Boat Ramp upgrade for campers; Scotts Head Tennis Club’s fence replacement $18,143; Nambucca Heads Island Golf Club Ltd bridge repairs $13,250; Nambucca River District Agricultural Association Ltd pavilion painting $15,000; Nambucca Valley Cricket Association $18,000.

And with specific regard to road funding, Oxley has had $3.1 billion since 2011.

And sometimes, what the Nationals don’t do is just as important as what we do. What we don’t do is take punitive measures against rural people because their councils have made poor financial decisions. We address the root cause, find a solution, and then get on with the job of making life better for those on the ground.

When Ms Jenvey uses such rhetoric as “galling”, “desperate” and “sitting on its laurels”, one wonders if she is referring to when Labor was in power – a time when being ‘rewarded for hard work’ meant handshakes in Sussex St. Or maybe she means the decade-long Labor Government whereby NSW had the lowest jobs growth of any mainland State. Or, by the time Labor left office, when NSW had the lowest business confidence of any mainland State, the lowest housing growth in the nation, and the lowest average annual growth rate of any State for retail trade. Perhaps she refers to the undisclosed $5.2 billion hole in the budget forward estimates, the $30 billion infrastructure backlog and when NSW was on track to lose its triple-A credit rating due to out of control expenses growth. 

In contrast, the Nationals are now overseeing a $9 billion investment into rural and regional NSW targeting vital infrastructure and community assets. This unprecedented direct capital injection is cementing world-class facilities in our region now, as well as for decades to come. 

We are undertaking large-scale upgrades of schools to ensure every child has access to high quality educational facilities along the Mid North Coast. 

We are rolling out a health infrastructure program that will give quality care and improve the range and delivery of services as close to home as possible for people in local communities.

The Nationals have secured $4 billion through the sale of Snowy Hydro from the Federal Government, of which, the entire proceeds will be directed to regional NSW.

In other words, we are doing what we always do – working hard to deliver for you.