One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham is in the Hunter today to talk policy ahead of next month's state election.
Mark Latham will meet with farmers in Singleton this morning to discuss the restoration of property rights before heading to Maitland to launch Neil Turner's campaign as the party's state election candidate.
Neil Turner has lived in the Hunter for nine years working as a fitter machinist in the mining industry and says he sees things in the local neighbourhood which can and should be done better.
Mr Turner believes there isn't enough money being spent on the Hunter, which he says is a "powerhouse" of the state, and wants to see better ways of dealing with family breakups and getting youth more engaged in community activities.
Mark Latham's visit coincides with One Nation's announcement it plans to "revive" TAFE by going back to basics and correcting imbalances caused by both state and federal governments in recent years.
The former Labor leader says the state government has under-invested in TAFE, leading to poor conditions for teachers and a "marketisation" which encourages teachers to prioritise student completion rates over quality instruction and sophisticated workforce skills.
"All the emphasis is on competing in the competitive market," said Mr Latham.
"They call it tick-and-flick, just trying to get the students through, everyone passes and throughput is the emphasis rather than quality."
TAFE funding has become a hot election issue for the Hunter in recent weeks, and like a number of local candidates, Mark Latham has also drawn attention to reports funding cuts have seen local TAFE teachers bringing their own supplies to work.
Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery, Port Stephens MP Kate Washington and Independent candidate for Port Stephens Bill Doran have also raised concerns recently about the state of local TAFE campuses.
Mark Latham has also revealed a One Nation NSW government will seek to abolish the state's Electricity Tax and tender out a contract for reliable baseload power to replace Muswellbrook's Liddel power station, which is set to close in 2022.
"We need to diversify the power base and the Hunter needs to have viable coal, aluminium and manufacturing industries into the future," he said.
"It's a region that needs those traditional areas of employment otherwise things will really struggle."
The announcements form part of One Nation's 8-point Hunter Plan, which also includes plans for local schools, hospitals and the racing industry.
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| One Nation NSW leader Mark Latham. Image: 2GB |
