|
MEDIA RELEASES NATIONALS PUT RHETORIC BEFORE REALITY ON LOCAL FUNDING: DRAPER The best strategy for the electorate of Tamworth would be a return to better government funding and services, Independent candidate for the State seat Peter Draper said today. "Even when the drought is eventually over, the electorate of Tamworth looks set for a continuing funding drought for at least the next four years if a National Party representative is returned," he pointed out. He said the National Party strategic meeting in the city this week was a case of "rhetoric over reality" and a desperate cover-up which made no attempt to address the serious shortfall in funding for local projects since John Cull was elected. "He has had a hard act to follow as the electorate of Tamworth was very fortunate to have Tony Windsor as an Independent member who delivered fantastic results," Mr Draper said. "His strength was that he was able to negotiate equally as well with both political parties and represent his community. "Unfortunately Mr Cull has shown he lacks the necessary skills to negotiate with the government from the opposition benches, and as a result Tamworth is the loser. We have disappeared from the radar." Mr Draper said the Coalition had presided over the demolition of country rail services when it was in government and was now in cahoots with acting Prime Minister John Anderson who is still struggling to find a solution to the problems facing regional air services. "All this talk of the Nationals being team players is total nonsense," Mr Draper said. "They are out of form and have been consigned to the bench for a long time. When they dropped the word country from their name, they also abandoned the concept of country interests. In the electorate of Tamworth that means we are the losers and it's about time it changed." Mr Draper said he was not surprised with the desperate 11th hour tactics of the National Party as the support for Independent representation gathers unprecedented momentum throughout the State in the run up to the March election. End Release |