Julia Gillard’s first three weeks – only part of one day spent outside the big cities
15th July, 2010
Regional Australia has been largely snubbed by new prime minister Julia Gillard. “Three weeks into her prime ministership, Julia Gillard has only visited regional Australia once to hear the concerns of regional people about the direction of this country,” the Leader of The Nationals, Warren Truss, said today.
“That one trip, to Mackay, was a quick fly-in fly-out purely for electioneering purposes in the marginal Labor-held seat of Dawson.
“Even Kevin Rudd, who was an abject failure for regional Australia, managed a trip to a safe Coalition seat in country Queensland during his first few days in the job.
“Ms Gillard is an ALP Left faction member from inner Melbourne. Her public record is almost bereft of commentary and understanding about what happens outside the capital cities.
“Even today, when asked at the National Press Club in Canberra about her snubbing of the regions, Ms Gillard was only able to make a series of insincere motherhood statements.
“Well Prime Minister, we are all Australians but Labor cannot ignore the regions and expect our country to remain prosperous. One size does not fit all when it comes to regional policy.
“Julia Gillard talks a lot about fairness and equity, but Australia’s regional communities and the seven million people who live outside the capital cities do not get fair treatment in return for the huge contribution that the regions make to the nation’s security and prosperity.
“The damage that will be wrought on the regions by the mining tax and the emissions trading tax shows just what Labor thinks of the communities outside the capital cities.
“Australia has gone off track under Labor, and the regions have borne the brunt,” Mr Truss said.
