Restoring Australia’s heartlands

The Greens candidates for the Central West are Jan McDonald for Dubbo; Bev Smiles for Upper Hunter; and Sebria Lawrence for Bathurst. They joined Ms Rhiannon and Mr Buckingham in Orange to discuss plans to promote the Greens Western rural policy.

Ms Rhiannon said: "For too long the needs of communities in the West have been sacrificed to the ideology of market fundamentalism, savage cuts to public services and the political power of irrigator agri-business.

"The slow death of many small Western NSW towns, the exit of young people seeking jobs in Sydney or the larger rural centres and the plight of Indigenous people and smaller farmers have been ignored.

"Today we announce a package of measures to bring Western NSW back into the economic life of this state.

The Greens are offering a new release of life for public services in Western NSW with massive increases in public investment in health, dental care, education, housing, and transport.

"We plan to secure the future of smaller towns with targeted economic investment. And we would tackle rural despair by taking water away from cotton and rice agri-business and give it back to smaller farms, communities and the environment," said Ms Rhiannon.

Mr Buckingham said, "Greens MPs in the NSW Parliament have been a strong voice for improved public services, ecological sustainable agriculture practices and water reform.

"The package we are launching today will be the basis of our work in the NSW parliament over the next four years.

"Our commitment is to maintain viable communities with a sense of optimism until the rains return," Mr Buckingham said.

At a glance, the Greens Restoring Australia’s heartlands - a fair go for Western NSW communities package (attached) involves:

• Water allocations that prioritise smaller farms, communities and the environment. Phase out cotton agribusiness irrigators.
• Scholarships to encourage health professionals and teachers to work in Western NSW.
• A revitalisation of social housing, and new social housing for rural areas.
• An upgrade of aged care facilities and home and community care.
• Providing resources for employment and enterprise development in ATSI communities.
• Encouraging investment in flagging country towns.
• Sustainable agriculture and conservation of water.
• A moratorium on GE food crops and legislation that ensures that those liable for genetic contamination are prosecuted and those affected compensated.
• Additional funding for rural TAFE colleges, including courses focused on low water agriculture and sustainable energy systems.
• An increase in emergency, youth and refuge accommodation in rural NSW.

For information: Lee Rhiannon 0427861568; Jeremy  Buckingham 0439460691