Sunday 17 June 2012

Pacific Highway Stoush: local media fires up the blowtorch


On 14th June 2012 The Daily Examiner reminded its readers of what was said in the past……………….
JOHN HOWARD - OCTOBER 16, 2007
"My Government preference remains for the duplication to be completed by 2016, in line with our 2004 commitment [and] ... is willing to provide our share of the additional funded needed ... if the NSW Government will match our funding commitment..."
BARRY O'FARRELL - MARCH 8, 2011
"Only the NSW Liberals and Nationals are committed to completing the upgrade of the Pacific Highway by 2016."
ANDREW STONER - OCTOBER 28, 2009
"[Premier] Nathan Rees can't pass the buck on this issue. The upgrade of the Pacific Highway is a State Government responsibility, so it's up to them to get the job done.
"If elected to Government in 2011, we will make the upgrade of the Pacific Highway a top priority."
DUNCAN GAY - OCTOBER 10, 2007
"I would hope this time he (then roads minister Eric Roozendaal) would have been a statesman and say, 'Yes I will match that money and save the lives of people in NSW that have to use this highway'."
ANDREW FRASER - OCTOBER 21, 2009
"I pay credit to the Rudd [Labor] Government ... for increasing the funding... The Pacific Highway is a State road that effectively causes the loss of one life a week.
"The State Government must increase its commitment... As ... Mr Albanese pointed out ... the Federal Government is actually carrying the State..."
NRMA PRESIDENT WENDY MACHIN - FEBRUARY 27, 2012
"It was the Howard Government that set the 50/50 funding split for the Pacific Highway from 2006 and the NRMA has supported this approach since day one.
"While in Opposition, the current NSW Government frequently called on the NSW Labor Government to match federal funding for the Pacific Highway dollar-for-dollar and we supported this call too."

The Daily Examiner could have added the local state member of parliament to this list……………….
“Q. What will you do to ensure the Pacific Highway is upgraded to dual Carriageway. When do you expect the upgrade to be completed?
A. The current arrangement of funding for the Pacific Highway is a joint State and Federal Project. The Prime Minister set a date of 2016 for completion and although that is an aggressive timeline, I am committed to working as part of the NSW government to continue to secure funds to enable our side of that funding.
The Liberal National NSW government has increased funding up to $468 Million to start making up the backlog from the previous government and I believe that this has to continue. Having a member for Clarence that is part of the government is a key to pushing this as the most important Woolgoolga to Ballina is mostly contained within our electorate.”
This is Gulaptis on the NSW Nats website after he was elected:
“will continue to fight to ensure the Pacific Highway upgrade is completed as fast as is possible”
In June 2012 this was the limp excuse offered up by this for against can’t-make-up-his-mind MP:
“Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis restated claims that the O'Farrell Government's pre-election promises to complete the highway before the March 2011 election were based on an understanding the Federal Government would continue its 80:20 funding split with the state.”

This is what one Lower Clarence bloke thought of Steve’s latest propaganda effort............
“By suffernofools from Maclean,
The Budget did not kill off the hwy upgrade!
The lack of will by our elected MP's to represent their constituents by standing up to their Liberal puppet-masters is killing off the upgrade.
When I read about Gulaptis playing the blame game again this morning I could actually feel the disgust growing in my stomach.
If he wants to play politics, let him. Stand up for your electorate and start fighting for funds that Mr O'Farrell has decided to allocate to his favourite charity, Sydney. C'mon DEX, shame him into fighting for us with your new campaign. If it is too tough for Chris, well stand aside and get someone else to fight for us. We need a representative, not a token leader.”

And this is the excuse offerd by the Clarence Nats for his backflip.........
"Valleys Unite
THE contributors who write on politically based news articles leave me wondering what party, if any, do they support to assist in running this country. It is very easy to sit back and criticise day in day out. What are they actually doing to be constructive?
Our newest MP Chris Gulaptis is finding his feet, working long hours to represent us. Regardless of individuals' alliance, assistance to rally support for our valleys would be more productive.
Well done DEX for their latest initiative to produce a video petition to submit to governments regarding the Pacific Highway.
We need the voices from all walks of life to be heard. Can you truly expect one person to do all the work. We need to unite, regardless of political affiliation to be heard in regional Australia.
Whether you voted for Chris or not, he is our voice. We should be supporting him in every way possible to achieve what our valleys deserve. This constant political bickering is no different to those at the top running our country. We shouldn't be led by their example, but be the electorate that can unite and achieve.
Fiona Leviny
Chairman Clarence Electorate for NSW Nationals"
{The Daily Examiner on 15th June 2012}
Garn! The bloke’s been in politics one way or another since the 1990s. He was a waste of space then and he’s a waste of space now.
Appealing to community spirit won’t change the politically spineless character of “our voice”.

Positive outcomes happen in spite of Gulaptis not because of him.

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