Parkes election candidates pitch to voters

A broad range of issues was canvassed by Parkes election candidates at Thursday night’s Meet the Candidates forum in Narrabri.

The event was organised by Narrabri and District Chamber of Commerce.

“This is the biggest gathering of candidates in the region,” chamber president Russell Stewart said.

Candidates presented a brief overview of their backgrounds and aspirations to The Crossing Theatre audience.

The Nationals and Labor candidates for the Parkes federal election re-stated their support for the Inland Rail project but made no commitments regarding a possible route change through Narrabri.

Nationals Member for Parkes Mark Coulton and Labor candidate Jack Ayoub responded to audience questions about the route.

Opponents of the proposed route, while supporting the overall project, argue for the line to be moved seven km west citing flood issues, claimed unnecessarily higher costs and noise and community amenity issues if a 4.9km, elevated rail bridge is built on the northern outskirts of Narrabri. Labor and Nationals candidates said they would be guided by the findings of a Senate inquiry into the project.

“Labor is committed to building the Inland Rail,” Labor candidate Jack Ayoub said.

“This is evidenced by the fact that we committed the first major funds to the project.

“If elected, we will be guided by the Senate inquiry’s report, which we know made clear recommendations in terms of Inland Rail’s effect on Narrabri. Of particular note, recommendation 16, 19, 25 and 26.

“If elected as the Member for Parkes, I will ensure that the deep concerns of the Narrabri community are not railroaded and pushed aside because of arbitrary guidelines.

“We must build nation-building infrastructure in the interests of the nation, and that requires listening and careful consideration.”

Member for Parkes Mark Coulton has been a strong advocate for the Inland Rail project since it was first mooted and restated his belief that the Inland Rail project would ‘transform regional NSW.”

“The route is not ‘my’ route,” Mr Coulton said in response to an audience question.

“I am not an engineer. The route will be the result of a process and I do support the processes in place.”

The project had been a ‘work in progress’ for a long time.

“The last thing we need is ongoing uncertainty hanging over the route,” Mr Coulton said.

In response to an audience question, Mr Coulton affirmed that Australian Rail Track Corporation would soon respond to the Environmental Impact Statement on the project.

A question from the audience sought Labor’s position on the Narrabri coal seam gas project.

Mr Coulton has endorsed the findings of the NSW Independent Planning Commission and other scrutineers of the project who have given it the green light with many provisos.

Mr Ayoub confirmed that Labor saw coal seam gas as part of the energy mix for the foreseeable future, but was an advocate for renewable energy.

“It is an unequivocal fact that as we transition our energy production to renewables, there will be, for the foreseeable future, a role for gas,” he said.

“I know this is not a perfect solution, but in the context of the massive investment and transition of our energy production that Labor will oversee, we must not let the perfect be the enemy of the good.

“Further, if Labor is to win government and provide policy certainty on the question of energy, the market will move at a far more rapid pace.

“My commitment to ensuring our energy transition can be seen by the fact that I secured a community battery for Narrabri if a Labor government is elected.

“This is the first step along the road to a cleaner and cheaper energy future.”

The Meet the Candidates forum was convened by Narrabri and District Chamber of Commerce as a community event, chamber president Russell Stewart said.

“This is in line with the chamber’s historic advocacy for the whole Narrabri district community,” he said.

Mr Stewart chaired the forum, with candidates each having allotted 10 minute speaking times, and audience members’ opportunity for three questions.

The forum heard candidates give overviews of their background and aspirations.

The event was video recorded by Jamie and Annette Condon and interested members of the community can view the Meet the Candidates forum proceedings online at the Narrabri Chamber of Commerce website.

Six of the nine Parkes election candidates attended the forum. Heavy rain prevented the United Australia Party candidate Petrus van der Steen from travelling to Narrabri and Independent Stuart Howe, Newcastle, was unable to attend.

The sequence of speakers was decided by a draw, with the chairman noting that Mr Coulton, whose afternoon flight from Broken Hill to Dubbo was delayed by rain and a subsequent road trip to Narrabri would accordingly be the final speaker.

The Greens candidate Trish Frail was the first speaker. Ms Frail has long been active in community affairs, as a councillor in local government, health administration, housing advocacy, and other spheres.

Her concerns for the future are embraced climate change, free education, women’s issues, doctor and nurse recruitment for the bush and the impact of a coal seam gas industry in Pilliga Forest.

The second speaker, Derek Hardman (Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of Australia), told the audience he would not be aligned with any particular party if elected, but would be an advocate for indigenous and non indigenous people across the community spectrum.

He urged a move for change – ‘not the same old same’ – more effective use of public monies, ‘we must spend it much better on needed things for the community’ – and an effective indigenous voice in parliament.

He was committed to the welfare of country people – ‘and water underpins our rural economies’.

Mr Hardman drew on his community lineage from a long line of leaders fighting on community issues.

However, he emphasised the ‘shared values’ of the community across the generations. “We all want to leave a footprint (of positive change). “We are about change, and working with everyone.”

The third speaker, Benjamin Fox (Informed Medical Options Party), is a family man, married for 20 years with three children, a teacher, a chef, and a former business owner. Mr Fox was standing for election to protest mandatory vaccinations which had seen people forced out of their employment because of their choices.

“I am not the only one. I never dreamed of being a politician but I had to stand up (on this issue),” he told the audience.

Asked how he would have dealt with the mandated vaccination regulations Mr Fox said he would have focused closely on, and protected, the most vulnerable in the community.

The harm caused by COVID lockdowns, the mental, physical and material pain they had caused had been ‘atrocious.’

He said the Informed Medical Options Party was for the whole electorate, and to help small businesses thrive.

Fourth speaker, Labor candidate Jack Ayoub, grew up in Coonabarabran. He had experienced the death of his mother when he was 11 years old and serious injury to his father in a workplace accident very soon after.

His father died suddenly but the community responded so generously Mr Ayoub was able to attend Sydney University, and subsequently military college. His experiences had shaped him, the fact that strong country communities can support young people like himself.

Mr Ayoub would promote ‘net zero’, work to ease the cost of living, advocate for the transition to renewable energy and he is an advocate for ‘making things here’ – manufacturing in Australia rather than overseas.

Liberal Democrats candidate Peter Rothwell grew up on the land and said he was ‘best described as an old school Liberal.’ His targets if elected, would include Australia’s ‘trillion dollar debt’, and dealing with rising inflation and high interest rates.

“I am standing for election because I am disillusioned with the Coalition,” he said.

“I have seen them slowly moving away from the traditional Liberal and Nationals policies.

“If you vote for me you definitely won’t get a Labor-Greens government.”

Final speaker Mark Coulton said he was standing for his sixth federal election.

His career in government had seen him effectively advocate for Parkes electorate across a wide range of issues.

These included active promotion of the Inland Rail project, which could bring significant benefits to farmers and rural communities – ‘we are seeing strong interest from investors’ – the Dubbo cancer treatment centre, infrastructure projects across the electorate, including numerous bridges and major road upgrades down to Narrabri’s main street improvement, funding for agricultural research. Mr Coulton cited his role as former Assistant Trade and Investment Minister, engaged in Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations and other forums aimed at lifting opportunities for agricultural trade.

He served as the Minister for Regional Health, Regional Communications and Local Government from February 2020 until July 2021, and Minister for Regional Services, Decentralisation and Local Government.