So just how different are NSW Premier Mike Baird and Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott?

Photograph from The Daily Telegraph, Tony Abbott (left) and Mike Baird (right)

Michael Bruce "Mike" Baird MP         Anthony John “Tony” Abbott

Liberal Premier of NSW                       Liberal Prime Minister of Australia

State Member for Manly                       Federal Member for Warringah

on Sydney’s North Shore                     on Sydney’s North Shore

Born April 1968 in Melbourne                  Born November 1957 in London

Almost 48 years old                                58 years old

Attended an exclusive private school,     Attended an exclusive private school,

King’s School                                          St Ignatius College

Bachelor of Arts (Economics)                  Bachelor of Arts (Economics)  

University of Sydney                                Bachelor of Laws      

                                                                 University of Sydney                

                                                                 Master of Arts (PPE)

                                                                 Oxford University

Studied theology with a view                   Studied theology with a view

to becoming an Anglican minister            to becoming a Catholic priest

Regent College, British Columbia            St. Patrick’s Seminary, Sydney

Member of Queenscliff Surf Life              Member of Queenscliff Surf Life 

SavingClub                                              Saving Club

Sometimes boxes for exercise                 Former recreational boxer

Lives in federal electorate                         Lives in federal electorate

of Warringah at Fairlight, NSW                  of Warringah at Forestville, NSW

Announced a budget deficit in 2014-15     Announced a budget deficit in 2014-15

in his first state budget as Premier             in his first federal budget as Prime Minister

Has a policy of privatization of                   Has a policy of privatization of

state assets                                                state assets

Supports petroleum & mineral exploration   Supports petroleum & mineral exploration

including coal seam gas                               including coal seam gas

Cut public service jobs as                           Cut public service jobs as

NSW Treasurer                                           Australian Prime Minister

Sometimes avoids press questions             Frequently avoids press questions 

after a  media announcement                      after a media announcement

"And what a pleasure it is to stand here in   “Mike Baird, my friend, my local 

front of a friend of mine –                             parliamentary colleague” [March 2013]

the Prime Minister, Tony Abbott."                “outstanding individual” [April 2014]

 [March 2015]                                               “I have known Mike for many years

"Tony and I are mates.” [February 2015]     and I know he will discharge

“If everybody had the chance to sit down     his responsibilities with integrity and 

one  on one with Tony Abbott, they would    honour" [April 2014]

come away a fan” [March 2015]

Is Opposition Leader John Robertson favouring a political donor by excising the Clarence Valley from Labor's 'CSG Free' Northern Rivers policy?

Letter to the Editor in the Clarence Valley Review, October 2014:

Opposition betrayal

Ed,
On 30 September 2014 NSW Opposition Leader John Robertson announced that if Labor wins government in 2015 it would establish a permanent total ban on coal seam gas exploration and mining within the Northern Rivers region.
He based this decision on the fact that this region has a clean, green reputation, vital water catchments, World Heritage areas, thriving tourism, dairy, beef and sugar cane industries, businesses which participate in the export market and communities opposed to unconventional gas fields. [John Robertson et al media release, 30.09.14]
However, when making this announcement he was careful to excise the southern-most part of the Northern Rivers from inclusion in this ban – the Clarence Valley 10,500 km² local government area.
Like other residents of this valley I know it also has a clean green reputation, the largest coastal river in the state, a vital water catchment supplying both the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour, a World Heritage area, a small working harbour, an estuary seafood catch valued at est. $47M annually and, a thriving tourism industry estimated to bring in excess of $65 million to the Valley each year from 922,000 visitors annually [Clarence Valley Economic Profile, 2012].
Forestry, beef, sugar cane and commercial fishing industries make up 87% of the Clarence Valley local economy, which along with 4,000 registered businesses (some of which participate in the export market) form the backbone of a local economy worth $2.4B GRP per annum [Clarence Valley Council Economic Monitor, June 2014].
In addition to which, the Valley has a growing population and communities opposed to unconventional gas fields.
I am not alone in wanting to know why the Opposition betrayed both the 2014 NSW Labor Conference resolution and the Clarence Valley.
Is it because it hasn’t held the Clarence electorate since March 2003? Or is it because the principal shareholder in an activated Metgasco tenement in the valley is ERM Power which donated to its political coffers in the past and, if the planned ban is in place this CSG tenement would be the only one that mining company had left in New South Wales?
Judith Melville, Yamba

UPDATE

On 29 October 2014 NSW Labor announced that it had included the Clarence Valley in its policy permanently banning coal seam gas/tight gas/unconventional gas exploration, mining and production in the Northern Rivers region.

Prominent environmentalist seeks preselection for Labor in Ballina

Keith Williams with baby Loggerhead Turtle

The Northern Star 22 January 2014

Australian Seabird Rescue Inc. treasurer and Ballina shire councillor Keith Williams, known to Twitter readers as Captain Turtle, is standing for pre-selection hoping to be Labor's candidate in the Ballina electorate at the 2015 NSW state election.

Media Release 13 August 2014:

Ballina Councillor Keith Williams has announced he will contest preselection for the Labor Party at the next State Election.

Mr Williams, 49, is best known for his work on our region's beaches and rivers rescuing Pelicans, sea turtles and other marine wildlife with Australian Seabird Rescue. He is married to Rochelle, daughter of Seabird Rescue founder, Lance Ferris, and father of 4 year old Finn.

A former CEO in the non-profit sector, Mr Williams says he has spent his life advocating for the disadvantaged, for better health services and for the development of industries that create jobs without trashing the environment.

"I joined the Labor Party 3 years ago because of my concern at the current state of politics in this Australia. I realised I could no longer sit on the sidelines. Labor has a proud history of achievements in Medicare, education, disability, the economy and the environment, but we also need to make a better, more responsive Labor Party to ensure this work continues."

"I am excited to take part in the first ever community preselection to occur in regional Australia. It shows, like the leadership ballots, that the Labor Party is changing. We are throwing open the doors to participation. The days of power being held in the hands of a few are coming to an end."

Mr Williams highlighted the campaign for a Coal Seam Gas Free Northern Rivers as an example of Labor listening to the community.  

"Just like many other members of this community, myself and other local Labor branch members have written letters, moved motions and lobbied senior political figures regarding our concerns about CSG.  This resulted in a unanimous resolution of the Party's State Conference that the Northern Rivers be declared CSG free. This is the policy we will take to the next election. We will give the people of the Northern Rivers a real choice."

Mr Williams said people should have no doubt about his commitment to both protect the environment and develop sustainable jobs. With a degree in Environmental Science majoring in Economics and as a former Executive Officer of the industry body Ecotourism Australia, Mr Williams says that the key is developing sustainable industries, "We do not have to accept high unemployment as a natural consequence of living in regional NSW. Too many families are struggling with part-time and low paid work."

Mr Williams cited his work as a Councillor in establishing the Port Ballina Taskforce, with its focus on dredging, rebuilding marine industries and improving river health as an example of his approach that is already bearing fruit. "We have made more progress on these issues in the last year than we had in the previous ten. We will see a dredge operating in Ballina again, we will have marina facilities and we are making real progress in helping our river recover from decades of neglect."

Mr Williams said he looked forward to the next six weeks as an opportunity to showcase a new approach from Labor. 

The NSW Labor Party announced on Friday the conduct of a Community Preselection to choose it's candidate for the State seat of Ballina. A Community preselection invites every enrolled voter in the electorate to have their say.  Participants will be able to vote online, via postal ballot or in person. The community vote is then weighted 50:50 with a vote of local members of the Labor Party.

Keith Williams