Election's over and it's same old, same old from the Nationals MP for Clarence

Nationals MP for Clarence Chris Gulaptis who has never voted anything but the Sydney-centric Liberal Party line had this to say in The Daily Examiner on 3 April 2015:

CHRIS Gulaptis has defended the downgrading of the Minister for the North Coast saying as Parliamentary Secretary he will have more time to take his constituents' North Coast issues to cabinet.

The Clarence MP's appointment came as part of the Baird Grant cabinet reshuffle announced on Wednesday.

If ever there was an empty promise it would be that one.

For the political tragics out there.....

Although the Nationals retained the seat, only 48.89% of those who voted in the Clarence electorate are known to have put Chris Gulaptis first on their ballot papers on 28 March 2015.  

By 6 April and with final counting not yet completed, the swing away from him was 22 per cent after the distribution of preferences. Currently the margin for his seat stands at around 9.4 per cent - down from 31.4 per cent in 2011 reported by election analyst Antony Green.

A NSW Liberal MLC displays his stupidity

This was one Liberal member of the NSW Upper House on election night.....

How the vote count stood in Ballina, Clarence, Lismore & Tweed state electorates at midnight on 28 March 2015

From the NSW Electoral Commission Virtual Tally Room at midnight on 28 March 2015.
Counting is still ongoing.

Ballina initial primary vote

The Greens Tamara Smith wins.
Swing way from the Nationals 31.9%.

Clarence initial primary vote

Nationals MP Chris Gulaptis likely to be returned. Swing to Labor 22.1%.

Lismore initial primary vote

The Greens Adam Guise likely to win. Swing away from the Nationals 26.3%.

Tweed initial primary vote

Nationals MP Geoff Provest returned. Swing to Labor 19.9%.

Note: Swing percentages taken from ABC Election Results.

Statewide on the night there was an 8.6% swing towards NSW Labor, a swing of 2.9% against NSW Liberals and a swing of 2.6% against NSW Nationals.

NSW State Election 2015: links to Virtual Tally Room, online radio & live TV commentary

NSW Electoral Commission Virtual Tally Room - online from 6 pm AEDT with progressive figures displayed. XML format figures at ftp.elections.nsw.gov.au.

ABC News 24 Election Centre - from 6pm AEDT onwards.

ABC Radio 702 Sydney - election night cover.

Twitter - @702sydney, @abcnews, @AntonyGreenABC

Hashtag - #nswvotes

ABC Election Calculator - predictive tool which gives number of Coalition & Labor seats based on percentage swings.

The Sydney Morning Herald NSW Decides  and ABC NSW Votes – online reading before the polling booths close.

Sausage Sizzle Locator - for the hungry

Will Far North Coast voters significantly change the composition of the NSW Legislative Assembly tomorrow?

The NSW Legislative Assembly as of 27 March 2015:

Graphic from The Australian 

All members of the Assembly by name (alphabetical order) here.

What is at stake for the NSW North Coast tomorrow?

The ability to protect our:

1. farm land from industrialisation by the gas industry;

2. rivers and water supplies from being depleted and/or contaminated by the mining industry;

3. local economies from the effects of Points 1 & 2;

4. state-owned native forests and remnant forest in private hands from clear fell logging or over clearing due to the current state government's ongoing dismantling of environmental protections;

5. communities and local councils from increases in electricity costs flowing from the proposed removal of high-voltage transmission lines from public ownership for the next 4 generations of North Coast families;

6. older people from loss of affordable services to assist them to live at home in their communities due to the current state government's intention to sell Home Services of NSW to an as yet unidentified multinational company combined with the federal government's increased cost to clients of federal home care services including Meals-On-Wheels;

7. TAFE colleges from further teaching cuts so that young people are able to train across a wide range of trades and professions;

8. local legal aid services from further funding cuts through state imposed efficiency and other ‘savings’;

9. regional state government agencies from closure or downsizing so that job losses don’t become entrenched;

10. our local governments from eventually being turned into one large super council reaching from the NSW-Qld border down into the Great Southern Lakes region; and

11. families, villages, towns, and farming communities from local state MPs who have stopped fighting on our behalf or never even began to effectively represent their electorates in the NSW Parliament.

Is NSW Premier Baird trying to hide the Chinese connection in his electricity network privatisation plans?

The Sydney Morning Herald 26 March 2015:

A Chinese government-owned energy company that is a potential buyer of NSW electricity assets, State Grid Corp, was the subject of a "major" state audit last year which uncovered allegations of corruption amounting to more than $1 billion.

As Premier Mike Baird on Wednesday was asked more questions about the company and its dealings with the NSW government it has emerged that State Grid Corp's president, Liu Zhenya, was named as a key focus of the probe.

Mr Baird's office confirmed that a State Grid Corp executive, Shu Yinbiao, was one of those present at a business roundtable addressed by Mr Baird during his trip to China in September, not its president Mr Liu as previously advised……

However, the Wall Street Journal said in June the audit, which also involved another state-owned electricity company, China Southern Power Grid Company, focused on contracts for a west-to-east electricity transmission system.

The newspaper said China's national audit agency alleged that "more than $1 billion was misappropriated in less than four months [during 2013] in the construction and running of portions of a major electricity grid system".

Asked if Mr Baird knew about the revelations before his China visit, his office said it had "no further comment".

Fairfax Media can reveal that State Grid Corp's attendance at a roundtable addressed by Mr Baird was omitted from an official report on his trade trip to China last year.

Mr Baird on Wednesday repeatedly refused to detail meetings held during the trip to China last September, which aimed to drum up interest in NSW infrastructure projects.

The Coalition government's plan to partially lease the electricity "poles and wires" and spend the proceeds on infrastructure is the centrepiece of its re-election campaign…..

Under Mr Baird's reforms to political lobbying, ministers are required to publish details of external meetings.

But on Wednesday Mr Baird said the rules did not apply to trips abroad, saying "there's a different process for international trips, that's well established".

A spokesman for Mr Baird later said the Department of Premier and Cabinet had been advised that details of ministers' meetings on official overseas missions "should not be disclosed through the ministerial diary process as there is appropriate disclosure of such meetings through mission reports".

However the mission report from Mr Baird's China trip does not mention a meeting with State Grid Corp.

Asked later on Wednesday why the meeting was omitted, Mr Baird said he had complied with disclosure obligations for overseas trips.

At the news conference he declined to say who else was at the September roundtable meeting.

"I am not going to go into individual meetings. As Treasurer and Premier I met with hundreds if not thousands [of potential investors]. My job is to encourage investment into NSW," he said…..

Not impressed by Liberal-Nationals plan to privatise NSW electricity networks across the NSW Northern Rivers

Letters to the Editor in The Daily Examiner on 23 March 2015: 

Whole truth 

On March 15, NSW Nationals Leader Troy Grant was quoted in the national media as stating of the Baird Government's electricity privatisation plan that: "Country poles and wires will remain 100 per cent in public hands".

On June 13, 2014, the Member for Clarence, Chris Gulaptis, was quoted in The Daily Examiner: "With Essential Energy exempt from the deal it will remain in public hands and retain control of the poles and lines".

Both politicians are not being as truthful as they could be.

Power to businesses and homes on the NSW North Coast does not just magically flow from Essential Energy.

What Grant and Gulaptis are not saying is that an estimated 12,700km of high voltage transmission lines and 94 substations which criss-cross the state are part of the state-owned Transgrid network and these will be offered for sale with a price tag in the billions for the 99-year lease. Transgrid's transmission lines supply electricity to "electricity distributors such as AusGrid, Essential Energy and Endeavour Energy" [www.transgrid.com.au, March 2015].

In other words, the main conveyer of power to regional electricity networks in the Clarence, Richmond, Brunswick and Tweed valleys will be effectively sold-off if National Party candidates standing in the Clarence, Lismore, Ballina and Tweed electorates succeed in winning these seats on March 28.

This will eventually translate into price increases for local business and residential users, because a privatised Transgrid will not absorb the future cost of infrastructure maintenance/replacement and will pass this cost through to Essential Energy in its contract rate [TransGrid's Transmission Prices July 1 2014 to June 30 2015].

Judith M. Melville

Yamba

People to pay

Regarding Brian Haselum's letter (March 18), I believe the proceeds from the privatisation of our electricity is to be spent on new infrastructure.

This will result in a shortfall of the State Government's income by around $1.7 billion per annum.

Whether it is electricity prices that go up or something else, it will be the people of NSW who will have pay for the Government's annual shortfall.

People should keep this in mind when they vote on the 28th.

Trevor West

South Grafton

NSW State Election 2015: Not happy, Mike!

Letter to the Editor in The Northern Star, 24 March 2015:

Poles apart

The NSW Lib/Nat state government wants to privatise the electricity network by leasing the distribution network for 99 years.

Most NSW residents will therefore never again see it in public hands and when the lease expires in 2114 it would probably get renewed for another 99 years meaning it will never return to public ownership.

The state will not benefit financially for another 99 years after blowing the original booty on a stack of hasty re-election promises.

As with all privatisation of the people's assets, staff are sacked, service declines and prices rise, just look to Telstra.

When Telstra was in government hands they were Australia's biggest employer and there were works yards in every town with trucks, tractors and local qualified Telstra linesmen ready to attend promptly to faults and new installations.

Now that is all gone, mostly contractors do the work, employment and training of school leavers has all but stopped, service doesn't exist and prices have risen.

The NSW Lib/Nat government claims we will not be affected on the Far North Coast, however Transgrid which supplies most of our power from the high voltage distribution network will be 100% privatised.

Maybe when the electricity prices go up we can resort to using the methane bubbling out of the ground for heating and cooking once the government covers our land in leaking CSG wells.

GARRY OWERS

Meerschaum Vale

Letter to the Editor in The Daily Examiner, 25 March 2015:

MP loses trust

BEFORE you vote remember that once the electricity network is sold off it's gone for good, and no amount of bleating from our ineffective member Chris Gulaptis is going to get it back or stop the Sydney-based liberals selling off Essential Energy at a latter date.

This is the same member for Clarence who had to clarify with his party who he represented over the closing of the Grafton goal, i.e. his party or the people who elected him.

How can he be trusted to look after his electorate?

How can he be trusted again?

Paul Macdermott

Lawrence

Letter to the Editor in The Northern Star, 25 March 2015:

Poles an asset

Why sell a publicly owned monopoly guaranteeing a $1.7 billion return every year?

Privatising publicly owned utilities like electricity assets and water supplies puts states at risk of being held to ransom, especially if foreign owned (e.g., South Australian electricity assets are Chinese owned). There is significant foreign interest in our electricity assets. How simple to cripple a state by turning off the electricity supply.

The $20 billion from leasing these assets is illusory. In truth the NSW public sector's net financial worth will be substantially reduce adding $1-2 billion annually to the budget deficit, weakening the state's financial position.

It displays the worst features of past privatisations of public assets with the financial loss at the top end of the range of past ventures. 'Asset recycling' won't occur as non-income generating assets - hospitals, schools, roads - will replace an asset generating income.

The claim that 49% of the poles and wires will be leased is very misleading. One hundred per cent of Transgrid and 50.4% of both Ausgrid and Endeavour Energy will be privatised representing about 67% of electricity assets, not the 49% oft quoted by the coalition. Government will lose control over the underlying infrastructure.

Who wants a Premier with only a Plan A or a government that deceives the electorate for political gain?

MEG PICKUP

Ballina

NSW State Election 2015: former federal minister & current gas industry lobbyist accused of lying about privatisation

Martin Ferguson reinvented himself after leaving parliamentary politics and, became a group executive in natural resources at Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings, a non-executive director of the BG Group an international exploration and LNG production company and, chair of the advisory board at Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association (APPEA), a peak national body representing Australia’s oil and gas exploration and production industry.

This was Martin Ferguson in November 2014:

FORMER federal Labor energy minister Martin Ferguson has urged the party to support Premier Mike Baird’s electricity network privatisation push while also delivering a stinging rebuke to Opposition Leader John Robertson, who he said was stuck in the 1930s.

The comments came as Mr Ferguson compared the proposed long-term lease of 49 per cent of the electricity assets to raise $20 billion for much-needed infrastructure to the reforms of the Hawke and Keating governments in selling off Qantas and the Commonwealth Bank.

In a speech to be delivered at an Infrastructure Partnerships Australia lunch today, Mr Ferguson will call on Mr Robertson — an ardent opponent of the sale who he also compared to a 1930s Labor leader — to pass through the upper house the sale of the networks, should Mr Baird, as expected, win the election next March. [Martin Ferguson, Repowering NSW]

While this is Martin Ferguson today..........

Electrical Trades Union of Australia media release 24 March 2014:

Martin Ferguson caught on a lie with claim his position on privatisation is the same as during his political career.

Former Federal Energy Minister Martin Ferguson has been caught lying to The Australian, after reportedly claiming that the position he held on privatisation was the same as what he had argued for throughout his political career.

Far from being a consistent position, it is a complete backflip from the speech he delivered at the launch of his parliamentary campaign which savaged privatisation, claimed the sale of power companies led to higher prices, and warned that cheap and equal access to services was best delivered by publicly owned companies.

During Mr Ferguson's speech at the launch of his campaign for the Victorian seat of Batman, in October 1995, he told the room of supporters:

“We’ve seen what the privatisation policies of the Liberals have done in this state — the education system in Victoria is reeling from the changes; the sale of the electricity companies will mean higher prices for ordinary consumers…

“Jeff Kennett’s privatisation plans hurt the battlers. And John Howard’s privatisation plans will also hurt the battlers.

“I am convinced that Telstra must remain in public hands… If our regions are to grow and compete they must be able to rely on a publicly-owned telecommunications company who will provide them cheap and equal access to the information super-highway.”

The Electrical Trades Union said Martin Ferguson had no credibility left and was simply parroting the messages of the major corporations he is now paid to represent.

“This was an Energy Minister who — between 2007 and 2013 — presided over the worst period of electricity price rises in Australian history,” ETU national secretary Allen Hicks said.

“According to the Federal Government’s own Australian Energy Regulator, national power prices increased by around 50 to 60 per cent from 2009 — under Mr Ferguson’s watch.

“Here we have one of the worst energy ministers this country has ever seen, blatantly contradicting the position he advocated to get in to parliament, all on behalf of corporate giants in the energy sector that stand to gain out of his new-found passion for privatisation.

“He has performed a backflip on this issue worthy of an Olympic gymnast.

“With Mr Ferguson’s record of failure, he simply has no credibility left when it comes to electricity privatisation or energy prices.”

A copy of Martin Ferguson’s 1995 speech can be found at: http://www.actu.org.au/actu-media/speeches-and-opinion/martin-fergusons-speech-at-launch-of-campaign-for-batman

NSW State Election 2015: No CSG No Coal says Yamba

The Daily Examiner 23 March 2015:

THE people of Yamba have spoken, with more than 87% of households saying yes to a gasfield-free future.

At an anti-CSG declaration at the Yamba River Markets yesterday morning, state election candidates for the seat of Clarence, Trent Gilbert, Janet Cavanagh, Debrah Novak and Bryan Robins, spoke publicly on their stance on the issue amid heavy rain.

Co-ordinator Dave Irving said that the downpour hampered entertainment and plans to make a human sign, it was not enough to keep people from turning out to support a declaration.

The move was the culmination of a year of planning, doorknocking and collating results which will be presented to Clarence Valley Council in the next few weeks.

During the project, volunteers surveyed 1501 households, with one respondent for each household.

Sixty-four respondents said they would welcome the coal seam gas industry, and 116 were not sure.

The remaining 1321, equating to 87.8% of those asked, said they did not support the introduction of the industry to the area.

As well as asking individual households if they wanted their land and roads to be gas-free, the question of whether they wanted their neighbourhood to be coal free was raised.

Just over 85% of respondents said they wanted to be coal free, with 8% not sure.

Eighty-nine people, representing 6.1% of those interviewed said they did not want Yamba to remain coal-free.

Mr Irving said concerns about coal came from a Regional Development Australia proposal to turn Yamba into a coal port.

"We don't want to be alarmist about it, because we have absolutely no idea of the viability of that, but as a proactive measure we decided to enter that question in there," he said.

The announcement comes a week after Iluka presented its own 91% gas-field free declaration to Clarence Valley councillor Sue Hughes, and Mr Irving said the movement was growing.

"I think people have been empowered by CSG movement, because they feel they can get up and have a say," Mr Irving said.

"If there wasn't opposition and it wasn't as broad as it is, it would be knocking on our front door already.

"The CSG movement has proven that we can make a difference, and hopefully people can take that confidence and apply it to other areas, whatever their concerns may be."

NSW State Election 2015: The Nationals must be worried that the Far North Coast might kick over the traces at the ballot box

First it was NSW North Coast Nationals who were sprung trying to increase their chances at the ballot box on Saturday by rather dubious means.

The Northern Star editorial on 24 March 2015:

The Northern Star has been used by the Nationals for electioneering purposes and I'd like to set the record straight for our readers.

There's an attack ad doing the rounds with the line that The Northern Star agrees Labor is full of 'hot air on CSG'.

In the television version of the advertisement, there is even a copy of an article written by our reporter Helen Hawkes. It appears below a headline with the same sort of line in it.

But that headline, quoted out of context from the article beneath, does not convey the true meaning of the story.

It was basically a yarn about Labor's political foes, most notably the Nationals, criticising Labor leader Luke Foley's announcement of a moratorium on CSG in NSW.

In effect the headline summed up that that Nationals and Greens were sceptical of Labor's call for a moratorium.

That view doesn't come with the ringing endorsement of The Northern Star as we have been striving to be fair and impartial in our coverage of the CSG issue.

My own personal view is that Labor's moratorium is like having an each-way bet at the races.

It's neither having a plan to introduce CSG, which the Nationals have been plugging, nor a ban on mining as the Greens want to do.

Moratoriums are only good for fence sitters who can't make up their mind.

Labor has further promised a permanent ban on CSG on the North Coast.

The waters have been muddied sufficiently on CSG with Labor and the Coalition blaming each other for its implementation.

I'd simply urge our readers to make up their own minds and vote accordingly on election day this Saturday.

Then it was the Catholic hierarchy in the Lismore diocese attempting to influence parishioners’ votes as though it was still 1950s Australia.

The Northern Star 24 March 2015:

PARENTS of local Catholic school students have received a State Election guide in school newsletters emailed to them.

It is understood some parents have lodged objections with their schools about the appropriateness of being sent a "form guide".

The guide includes information on where the three major parties stand on "abortion and protection of the unborn", euthanasia, marriage, Catholic schools and religious freedom, and has previously been inserted into Catholic church bulletins.

The guide features a foreword by Bishop of Lismore Geoffrey Jarrett, in which he said: "This is the moment to cast our vote and, for us Christians, it means a vote in accordance with our conscience: that's a conscience tuned to the deepest truths, among other things the dignity of the human person, their right to religious freedom, the preciousness of life, marriage and the family, and the rights of parents to educate their children in a way that respects their religious and moral beliefs".

"Apparently there is a saturation campaign being conducted," said Neville Kelly, a Ballina resident and Labor party member who was among parishioners who objected to what they saw as an infringement of democratic rights.

"As a Catholic, I abhor this disgusting behaviour."

The principal of St Mary's Catholic College in Casino, Aaron Beach, said parents had received election information from the diocese in the past.

"We have had no feedback either way," he said. "I don't have any concerns with putting out anything from the bishop - it is his prerogative to give information."…..

The NSW Liberals are getting desperate and a North Coast Voices reader is getting angry

How not to win friends and influence people in a NSW state election. 

The NSW Liberal Party have a winning hand when it comes to election campaign funding, but they still have to muddy the waters for voters in order to win some sympathy dollars..

Which sometimes has the opposite effect on the NSW North Coast......

From: redacted [redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, 25 March 2015 2:01 PM
To: redacted
Subject: Fwd: <URGENT> Blackout

Don't where this mob obtained my e address.
They have a bl**dy hide thicker than Jesse/Jessie the elephant.

From: redacted [redacted]
Sent: Wednesday, 25 March 2015 2:01 PM
To: redacted
Subject: Fwd: <URGENT> Blackout

Begin forwarded message:

From: "Tony Nutt" <chq@nsw.liberal.org.au>
Date: 25 March 2015 10:27:04 am AEDT
To: "redacted" <redacted>
Subject: <URGENT> Blackout
Reply-To: chq@nsw.liberal.org.au

 Friend,

It’s now just hours before the election advertising blackout commences. The blackout means TV and radio advertising is now prohibited for the rest of the campaign.

However, the blackout doesn’t apply to our targeted online advertising. We’ve identified 31,984 key swing voters we need to reach over the next 2 days before polls open.

But there’s some bad news: to reach these voters we need to raise $14,734 by midnight tonight.

Please, if you can chip in even $10 to help us reach voters in these must-win seats it would make a huge difference.

We've seen what Labor's union campaign machine can do in other states. Don't let them do it here. Contribute $10, $25, or $50 before our midnight deadline! $10 $25 $50 Other Tony Nutt Campaign Director NSW Liberal Party Authorised by Tony Nutt, Liberal Party of Australia (NSW Division) 100 William St, East Sydney - (02) 8356 0300 Clarencegirl: Please note that the Liberal Party of Australia (NSW) has the highest political donation tally in all of New South Wales over the last 8 months.

So how much money did political parties raise in the eight months leading up to the 2015 state election in NSW?

During the eight months leading up to the NSW state election on 28 March 2015, the main political parties were in fund raising mode as set out in the mandatory disclosure of political donations for that period:

Australian Labor Party NSW raised $1,043,516.58

NSW Country Labor raised $31,700

National Party of Australia NSW raised $170,902.18

The Greens raised $129,414.08

Christian Democratic Party raised $92,417.29

Shooters & Fishers Party NSW raised $42,645

Liberal Party of Australia NSW raised an amount that was not totalled in its disclosure of political donations. However as listed donations ran to 44 full pages (compared to Labor’s 15 pages) and, most of these were for sums $1,000 and over, I would suggest that this party raised the largest amount of all the political parties.

In the Clarence electorate the sitting Nationals MP raised zero dollars, as did the Nationals MP for Lismore, the outgoing Nationals MP for Ballina and the Nationals MP for Tweed – so it appears any money being spent on NSW North Coast campaigning is coming straight from head office in Sydney.

Interested political tragics can go to adp.elections.nsw.gov.au for the disclosures of all the registered political parties in New South Wales.

NSW State Election 2015: What the candidates said at the Yamba Meet the Candidates event on 23 March

The Yamba Chamber of Commerce held its Meet The Candidates on Monday night 23 March, at Yamba Bowling & Recreation Club which kindly hosts this event most election years.

Only five of the eight candidates came to this event which drew a reasonable crowd of interested voters. 

Carol Ordish (Christian Democrats) sent her apologies and it was stated that the remaining two candidates were unable to come.

          Debrah Novak (Independent)                                 Trent Nathan (Country Labor)

          Janet Cavanaugh (Greens) &

            Bryan Robins (Independent)                                     Chris Gulaptis (Nationals)

 

There did not appear to be any mainstream media there to report on what the candidates were saying in response to the questions.

All the candidates spoke to every question put to them and the 'meet' lasted for over two hours.

The five candidates present were invited to submit two short quotes on their policy positions to North Coast Voices. Those that did have these quotes included below in highlights.

Here is a summary of the majority of the candidate answers without comment.

Janet Cavanaugh (The Greens)

Coal Seam Gas: The Greens are the only party totally opposed to coal seam gas, tight gas and other unconventional mining. We have been opposed for years. The Greens want an enforceable legal right for communities to reject unconventional gas mining. The Nationals support coal seam gas and the state government has spent years renewing PELs (petroleum exploration licences).

Privatisation: The state can be rebuilt without cannibalising assets. What the Baird Government wants to do is rob the state of an ongoing revenue stream for a one-off payment which will soon be spent on its election promises.

Police: I agree that the Lower Clarence needs more police. You are distant from Grafton and often isolated by flood. Sawtell which is only minutes from Coffs Harbour has a fully manned police station, but Yamba doesn’t. The Greens stood by the police when they were trying for better working conditions and compensation. We will stand with them to get police numbers up.

Renewable Energy: The Greens’ vision is a state powered by 100% renewables. We are concerned that the Abbott Government has cut renewable energy funding. The first few years of the O’Farrell government scared away private renewable energy investment in this state.

Mental Health Services: Access to mental health services in the Clarence electorate should not be based on “ability to pay or ability to travel”. This needs to change.

New High School in Lower Clarence: Yes, I support a new high school. Maclean High School needs to close. Flying foxes aren’t the only problem - it’s old, tired and deteriorating. These issues were talked about five years ago but nothing has been done. It should relocate to a new site, but this may not be in Yamba.

Forestry: State forests don’t have the same level of weed and fire control as national parks. The Forestry Corporation has lost $43 million over the last four years.

Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: I wasn’t aware that public and social housing tenants were not allowed to apply for installation subsidies that were available to their neighbours and yes, I think it is a good idea to look into whether social housing companies could be funded to install roof top panels on their houses and use the money from this electricity generation to help fund their services.

Quotes submitted to North Coast Voices:

"The Greens' vision for NSW is one powered by clean energy. It is now technically possible, and it is also economically and environmentally essential. The dispersed nature of renewable energy promotes job creation in regional NSW. It’s a win-win for everyone, except coal and gas miners."

"The Greens are opposed to the sale of state-owned assets. We were opposed to it under Labor and we’re opposed to it under the Liberals-Nationals. ... We don’t need to do it. The Greens have a fully costed program for a $20 billion investment in infrastructure without privatising any existing assets."

Chris Gulaptis (Nationals)

Coal Seam Gas: Short sharp answer is No to coal seam gas. However, it is not that simple as the miners have a valuable product and the state government would have to buy them all out from finite resources. So that is not going to happen. The mining companies cannot be stopped if they meet the conditions of their PELs. That is why we have developed a Gas Plan.

Privatisation: Nothing is being sold it is being leased. Nothing in the Clarence Valley is being leased. The $6 billion that regional NSW will get from the sale is better than waiting for a share of over $1 billion annual [electricity network] revenue

Police: There has been a “significant increase in the number of coppers”. There are two 24hr police stations in the Coffs Area Command – at Coffs and Grafton. The Nationals worked really hard with NSW Police to get extra numbers.

Renewable Energy: New South Wales is leading the country in renewables.

Mental Health Services: Bringing mental health services to Yamba is a complex issue. I don’t have the answer – I don’t know.

New High School in Lower Clarence: I suspect you will receive “a yes from everyone because we are all in campaign mode”. We do not have the student numbers in the education catchment to get a new public high school in either Maclean or Yamba. Relocating the bats from around Maclean High School is one option instead of rebuilding.

Forestry: The Koala National Park was a Labor thought bubble. Turning state forest into national park “will make koalas extinct”. In a national park they will get burned out. Koalas are very sexually active. We need to look after the chlamydia infections first. National parks encourage weeds.

Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: No, I didn’t know that some people were locked out of solar power subsidy offers. It would cost a lot of money to install rooftop solar power in public and social housing and I can’t see where the funding would come from. The government only has so much money – the capital cost option would need squeezing into the budget.

Trent Nathan (Country Labor)

Coal Seam Gas: Labor is for a Gas Ban not a Gas Plan. We will ban the gas industry from the Northern Rivers forever. People on the ground do not want the gas industry in this region. Labor has recently added the Pilliga region to its total ban policy.

Privatisation: The fact that Essential Energy has been quarantined from the sale [of electricity assets] does nothing to assist people in the Northern Rivers. Transgrid which sends electricity to Essential Energy is to be sold off completely. An independent assessment of this asset sale is that the state government will only receive $13 billion not the $20 billion it is hoping for.

Police: It’s pleasing to hear more police are coming. Let’s hope they come to the Lower Clarence. One of the issues is that when Grafton police come to the Lower Clarence it leaves the Grafton area short. We’ve had to wait until the 2015 election to get the Baird Government to increase police numbers.

Renewable Energy: I support renewable energy. We lost home grown talent overseas because renewable energy is more respected there.

Mental Health Services: Mental health services are underfunded and funding is often ill-directed. It’s disappointing that some funding for younger mental health suffers has been cut.

New High School in Lower Clarence: Yes I support a new high school in the Lower Clarence but I won’t devalue my support by saying it is because I am in campaign mode. I agree with Chris about the demographics. However, I see a need for more investigation. If Yamba wants a high school let’s keep the conversation going.

Forestry: I understand the timber industry concerns about jobs. However Notaras has been successful negotiating all parties in government and I will help you continue to negotiate.

Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: It’s a good idea. It needs planning, costing and a business model.

Deb Novak (Independent)

Coal Seam Gas: My job is “to keep the bastards honest” - to keep Labor and the Greens honest. These parties haven’t listened to the voice of the people. The Baird Government have brought back some PELs but renewed some as well.

Privatisation: I stand against privatisation of state assets. I support everything Trent has said.

Police: Sixteen new police have been promised for the region and are expected in May 2015.  Grafton has already received 14 extra police and the Lower Clarence 4. I’ve “got to say thank you, Chris” for that, but Casino spending years waiting for adequate police numbers is not good enough.

Renewable Energy: Australia lost its world leadership in renewable energy. We need to reverse this.

Mental Health Services: It is astonishing that the entire Clarence Valley doesn’t have even one mental health unit. “I will advocate for mental health suffer groups even if I’m not elected”.

New High School in Lower Clarence: I support a new high school, but let’s make it a specialist one such as a sports excellence or performing arts focussed high school. This will attract quality teachers. I would be happy to work with your group if I am elected. Chris hasn’t had a conversation with Maclean High School, I have. Student numbers are increasing. Evidence is there that a new high school could be built in the Lower Clarence. The Catholic diocese doesn’t have a new high school on their radar for the next 10 years.

Forestry: I understand how [Mr.] Notaras feels. There was a “lack of consultation” before Labor announced its Koala Park. Even if I don’t get elected please get back to me.

Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: First we need to build extra housing before addressing solar power for public housing.

Quotes submitted to North Coast Voices:

On Saturday if you vote for me you will give the Clarence Electorate their own strong voice, one which will be fully available and present for the four year term.

I bring a life time of skills and knowledge to the position of MP and will work hard for small business, agriculture, youth, aged care, education and health services.

Bryan Robins (Independent)

Coal Seam Gas: From Day One I have called for opposition to unconventional gas mining. “Yamba is heaven on a stick” and the community doesn’t want this toxic gas industry. It’s also a bit rich that the Baird Government blames Labor for coal seam gas exploration when they have been renewing licences themselves.

Privatisation: I am opposed to the sale or lease of state assets. “The Baird Government stands for Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong. Let’s get our feet on the ground and put this region first. The McKell [Institute] report said that privatising electricity is not in the interests of New South Wales.

Police: We need more country cops. I will push for the reopening of closed one-man police stations for the smaller distant villages in the electorate.

Renewable Energy: The Nationals got it wrong. Now NSW is going one way and the rest of the world another. The Northern Rivers per capita solar power installation shows that solar power can lead the way.

Mental Health Services: People in rural and regional areas feel they have been short changed over mental health services.  Adequate services are especially important because in smaller communities  because mental health suffers are more visible and may experience discrimination.

New High School in Lower Clarence: I support a new high school.

Forestry: I have no response on this issue in my notes for this candidate. For this I apologise.

Subsidies for solar power installations in social housing: It’s a good idea. It’s disappointing to hear that social & public housing is not eligible for subsidies to put in solar power.