It’s time for your fair share
17th July, 2010
The forthcoming election offers regional Australians an essential opportunity – to vote for competence over incompetence, strong economic management over reckless spending and waste, consistency and credibility over spin and broken promises.The Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss, said the election was also the opportunity for the regions to get their fair share of federal funding and attention.
“For nearly three years now, regional Australia has been treated as the ignored poor cousin of the capital cities,” Mr Truss said.
“The first Labor Budget stripped $1 billion out of regional programs. The second took out even more, and included an emissions trading tax. The third has given us a giant new mining tax and even more debt.
“We know that what is good for regional Australia is good for all of Australia. When the regions are prosperous, so is our nation.
“As the only party exclusively devoted to representing regional people and their interests, The Nationals want to turn Labor’s neglect around. We want to start the process of returning to the regions a fair share of the wealth that is created in regional Australia.
“In recent months – and the weeks to come – the Coalition has outlined a positive agenda that has included new funding for regional education, mental health, defence force pensions, roads and bridges.
“We want to create more jobs, opportunity and prosperity, to build the infrastructure we need and deserve, provide better health and education, and to enhance our quality of life.
“And most importantly, we will not rely on giant new taxes on regional businesses that savage jobs and investment to do it.
“We want to get government spending under control, and have your money spent on worthwhile projects that benefit you. We want a tax system that rewards hard work, not one that unfairly penalises those who work hard. We want a world class education system, secure borders, better regional health services, a compassionate welfare system that expects personal responsibility, a strong future for our farmers and other primary industries, vibrant small business, a sustainable population and a better environment and quality telecommunications at a price you can afford.
“This is the best chance to get a fair share for the regions and a fair go for all Australians,” Mr Truss said.
