Friday 1 July 2016

Paterson - The Key Battleground

BY GARY LYSAGHT

In the final day before Australia go to the polls, the candidates for Paterson have made a last ditch effort to shore up votes.

Paterson is one of the key seats this election, sitting on a razor thin margin of just 0.5 percent, but swinging towards Labor.

The electorate was previously a safe Liberal seat until redistributions across the Hunter saw that margin slip away as it lost part of the north-east coast and gained traditional Labor territory.

Because of the margin, both parties have promised big for the electorate with Labor candidate Meryl Swanson saying the groundwork’s been done for a Labor government.

Meryl Swanson & Karen Howard
“We have got the ball rolling on making our policy announcement about Williamtown.  The government has played catch-up on that,” she said.

“We will save Medicare, we’ll properly fund our schools and we will give people the 21st century NBN.”

Labor have promised big for Paterson, with $20 million allocated for national blood testing for 10,000 people expected to be effected by PFOS and PFOA as a result of RAAF base contamination.

Other promises include funding for a Heddon-Greta carpark and an accessibility lift for Maitlald RSL.

Labor have also promised up to 19,000 homes will be connected to the full-fibre NBN instead of the Coalition’s hybrid one.

Meanwhile, Liberal candidate Karen Howard echoed Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, calling for a return of the Coalition Government.

“It’s very important at the moment that we stick together.  We need stability, we need majority government,” she said.

“The worst possible thing for the Hunter region will be a sea of red.”

The Coalition have also made big promises, with a $55 million package for Williamtown and other RAAF bases – more than double Labor’s promise.

Upgrades to Kurri Kurri sports ground and mobile black spot reduction have also been promised should the Turnbull Government be returned on Saturday.

“I will be working extremely hard on behalf of the communities of Williamtown and surrounds to fight for them, to make sure we deliver on everything we’ve promised,” said Howard.

While not promising to do the same, Swanson said she would make sure the Prime Minister knew what he constituents want, regardless of whether that PM is Malcolm Turnbull or Bill Shorten.

“I intend to be … an absolute champion and a strong advocate for them in Canberra,” said Swanson.
“I’ve spend my whole life talking to people.  More importantly, listening to people.”

With the Hunter being a very pro-Labor region, with local heavyweight Joel Fitzgibbon being a stalwart in the region since 1996, Howard is now urging residents to switch sides.


“What we’ve seen is it has been very difficult to deliver from Opposition and that’s not an arrogant comment, that’s the reality,” she said.