Country NSW
Country Labor is the country wing of the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party, and has a proud history of representing country NSW. It is the voice of the Labor Party in rural NSW and in turn, the voice of rural NSW in Parliament and within the party.
FAQ
- What is Labor doing for Country NSW?
The NSW Government is introducing Community Cabinets, to ensure that the Government is accessible to, and works with, rural and regional communities. The Community Cabinets so far have visited the Hunter region, the Tweed, the Monaro area, Bathurst, Orange, and various areas in the Murray-Darling.
The NSW Government’s State Plan contains within it a number of Specific Regional Delivery Plans, to ensure service delivery to non-metropolitan areas around the State.
Since Premier Morris Iemma took office, the NSW Government has approved projects in rural NSW worth $2.58 billion since 2005, and has invested $2.6 billion in 2007 to improve country and regional roads. Over $335 million in drought assistance has been provided since 2002.
- How will Labor’s plan for the country help rural Australians?
Community Cabinets allow people from regional and rural NSW to meet directly with Ministers and senior public servants about local issues.
Notwithstanding the outcomes of any Community Cabinet, Country Labor is guided by the objectives of the Rural Platform.
Labor at the Federal level has established Infrastructure Australia, a body which provides advice to Australian governments on infrastructure gaps and bottlenecks that hinder economic growth and prosperity. The COAG Infrastructure Working Group will end buck-passing and blame between different levels of government about infrastructure responsibilities and entitlements.
- What has Labor achieved for rural and regional NSW?
When the Labor Party first formed in 1891, 19 of the 35 Labor Parliamentarians elected represented country electorates.
In 1999, then Premier Bob Carr launched Country Labor, as a concrete demonstration of Labor’s commitment to the rural and regional areas of NSW. Labor is a Party for people who come from everywhere, not just the city.
Country Labor’s Policy is directed towards the enhancement and conservation of the resources of the State in order that the long-term viability and productivity of primary industries dependent on natural resources will be ensured; and that the economic and social benefits will accrue to all people who live and work in rural and provincial NSW.
Labor Governments at the State and Federal levels have held productive discussions looking towards an agreement on water use in the Murray-Darling Basin. A $50 million tender was announced in Febuary 2008 to buy back water from willing sellers.
At the March 2008 COAG summit, the Labor Premiers signed up to Kevin Rudd’s plan for a national water plan, involving a water usage cap enforced across the whole Murray-Darling Basin, with $400 million from the Federal Government going into an infrastructure and water buy-back scheme.
Labor is working to make sure that the bridges on which rural and regional NSW depends are kept in working order. Under the third round of the Timber Bridges Partnership, 59 timber bridges will be replaced, on top of 36 bridges which are set to be upgraded.
The Country Towns Water Supply and Sewerage Program delivers security of supply and improved environmental outcomes for people living in country areas of NSW, and the Government has contributed more than $32.3 million to continue it, while the $50 million Bayswater Power Station Wastewater upgrade is expected to provide 95 new jobs for the Muswellbrook area.
As part of NSW’s commitments to the Kyoto Protocol, the Government is controlling illegal land clearing.
- How can I be involved in Country Labor?
Country Labor is the country wing of the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party. It is the voice of the Labor Party in rural NSW and inturn the voice of rural NSW in Parliament and within the Party.
Learn more about Country Labor.