Country Labor diaLogue

COnnECTInG COunTRY COMMunITIES OCT 2012

nSW nationals and Liberals cut $1.7 billion from nSW schools
Barely a week after pledging support for the Gonski Report, the nSW nationals Education Minister Adrian Piccoli announced that they would be cutting $1.7 billion from all nSW schools public, independent and Catholic.

Message from Country Organiser

The cuts to nSW schools announced by the nSW nationals Minister Adrian Piccoli are the sharpest contrast yet of what Country Labor and the nationals will do in Government. While our Federal Labor Government has doubled funding to schools since 2007, the Nationals and Liberals in NSW are cutting funding to every school public, independent and Catholic. Labor understands that education is the great equaliser, and every child should be able to achieve their potential, regardless of where they come from. Our State and Federal MPs, Senators and MLCs have all been out at schools, talking to the community about these cuts. Make sure you visit www.stopthecuts.com.au to download material for your local area. Courtney Roche NSW COuNTry OrGANiSEr

These cuts will affect every school and every student.

these Cuts wiLL mean:

First, make sure you can sign our petition at www. saveourschools.net.au Then, visit www.stopthecuts. com.au to see how you can campaign in your local community letterbox a flyer, write a letter to your local newspaper, talk to your neighbours about the cuts and share our page on Facebook or Twitter.

Larger class sizes; Less teachers; Less computers; Less textbooks; and Less support staff.

We need your help to campaign against these cuts.

PACIFIC HIGHWAY LIBERAL & NATIONAL PARTY LIES

Government tries to claim it never supported 2016 duplication

The OFarrell STOner GOvernmenTS lieS Over The duplicaTiOn OF The paciFic hiGhway have cOnTinued in The nSw parliamenT.
The roads minister is now trying to claim they never promised to duplicate the highway by 2016. This directly contradicts numerous statements by the premier and deputy premier:

hundreds of jobs to go, offices to close, services under threat

Only the NSW Liberals and Nationals are committed to completing the upgrade of the Pacific Highway by 2016.
Barry OFarrell 08.03.2011

lies in tatters Steve whan says the promised decade of decentralisation now on the biggest centralisation in dpi history. with the nationals embarking

Andrew Stoner 03.02.2011

The Coalition is absolutely committed to not only continuing the upgrade of the Pacific Highway, but to actually speeding the process up to make sure the job is done by 2016.
This is yet another attempt by the OFarrell Stoner Government to try and wriggle out of their responsibility to upgrade the pacific highway to prevent further tragedies on the road.

Shadow Minister for Primary Industries, Steve Whan, says the OFarrell Governments decision to amalgamate Livestock health and Pest Authorities (LhPA), Catchment Management Authorities (CMA) and Agricultural Extension services is about massive job cuts in rural nSW, office closures and, in the longer term, the likely removal of vital agricultural extension services. There is no doubt that hundreds of jobs and dozens of offices threatened. This is in direct breach of the promise made before the election that there would be no jobs cut from DPi and no offices closed, Steve Whan said. i am not opposed to considered change to the LHPA model, but it has to be based on better service, not no service. i am greatly concerned about the idea of rolling Extension Officers into these new agencies. Will they go from being permanent Government employees to contractors? Will they be expected to source funds from industry bodies to continue their vital work? All unanswered questions. Critically for our whole state, there is nothing in these plans that talks about how we respond to major animal and plant emergencies. The Minister is breaking down the network that responded to the equine influenza outbreak and which would be the first line of defence against devastating threats like foot and mouth disease.

OFarrell redirects $8.5 million from regional nSW to Star Casino

The regional relocation Grant scheme was always a dud, with the Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner today confirming just 1,232 grants have been taken up, well short of the 10,000 grants per year the government anticipated. The OFarrell Government should be spending the hundreds of millions of dollars left over from the grants in regional NSW like it promised not redirecting it to the Star Casino, Shadow Minister for regional and rural Affairs, Mick Veitch said. The OFarrell Government has redirected $8.5 million in funding that was meant for regional nSW this year to Sydneys Star casino. This was revealed in a budget estimates hearing. The budget papers also show the government has cut the budget for the failed regional relocation Grants from $187 million to just $28 million over four years and reallocated the money away from regional NSW. Barry OFarrell should reinvest the hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to the regional relocation Scheme back into meaningful assistance for regional communities.

Maitland rallies against cuts to education, health and public sector jobs
Member for Cessnock, Clayton Barr and Labor Duty MLC for Maitland, Sophie Cotsis joined local residents at a rally in Maitland to protest the OFarrell Governments unprecedented cuts to education, health and jobs. The rally was organised by the Maitland Community union Alliance, which has repeatedly called on local Liberal MP robyn Parker to fight these cuts on behalf of families and workers. Local families are up in arms over the OFarrell Governments $1.7 billion cut to education funding and $3 billion cut to the health system. The Maitland community is also going to be hit hard by the OFarrell Governments 15,000 public sector job losses. Hunter hospitals will suffer because the OFarrell Government is ripping $3 billion out of the health system. it will be impossible to quarantine quality health care from funding cuts of this magnitude, Clayton Barr said. The people of Maitland are sending a very clear message to the OFarrell Government and robyn Parker that we wont stand for huge funding cuts to education and health. The OFarrell Government has launched the biggest attack on

maitland mp robyn parker und er pressure from angry residents at the community rally.

education in NSW in more than 20 years. Every single student in NSW will be affected by this $1.7 billion cut to education funding.

Campaigning in our communities

PORT MACquARIE PETITIOnS

rie Country uSu Organiser and Port Macqua Rich presented Labor Branch President narelle Compensation more 150 signatures on Workers n Sharpe MLC for delivery to Joh Petitions to Penny d from e collecte Robertson. The signatures wer es at Kempsey members and Council employe uSu ncils. and nambucca Shire Cou

Cessnock Branch used a novel campaigning idea during the recent Council elections with Country Labor Member Mark Lyons coming third in the Cessnock Bachelor of the Year Awards. Cessnock MP Clayton Barr and Mayor Bob Pynsent joined other Country Labor Members to support him on the night.

CESSnOCK BAChELOR OF ThE YEAR AWARDS

Eddie Graham Dinner 2012

TICKET ORDER FORM
6pm Friday 19 October 2012 | Keynote Speaker: Dr Mike Kelly AM MP Garden Court Restaurant, Botanical Gardens, Wagga Wagga
Tickets must be presented at the door. Tickets: $60 / $45 (Concession) Please note that tickets need to be booked and paid for by Monday 15 October 2012 Contact: Emily Johnson on 0406 277 539 or Email: eandp4@bigpond.com

Name:
Number of Tickets Purchased Name of Ticket Holders: @ $60 /$45 Total payment enclosed

1. 2. 3. 4.
Please return this form with a cheque or money order payable to Wagga Wagga Branch ALP and send to Wagga Wagga ALP, PO Box 5540, Wagga Wagga 2650. Please note that tickets need to be booked and paid for by Monday 15 October.

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