Is it time that our local Federal Member Michael McCormack, really stood up for the residents of Harden-Murrumburrah and surrounds…..? Yes. It’s time he not only stood up and delivered on what he said, but also provided much needed funding.
Yes, the Murrimboola Creek Project received some Federal Funding but more could be done in our tight-knit community.
With a population of approximately 3,700 people (former Shire boundary) from a Riverina electorate population of over 116,000 possible electors, we are simply small fry. Do we matter in the big scheme of things in Federal Pollie’s eyes?
Your very own local paper, the last bastion of claims to being a country town before a town becomes a village, has missed out on several rounds of funding under this government.
One of the most recent and high-profile cases being the Regional Innovation Fund where we received zilch. The Public Interest News Gathering Program (PING) yielded more than ten times less on average than many Australian Community Media papers.
Many of which don’t print anymore including the Coota Herald and the Yass Tribune. Something is amiss. When it comes to the demise of a local newspaper there are far more important issues such as the care of our elderly, who should be able to live in this town and die in this town if they so wish.
More importantly we have lost our Retirement Village and it doesn’t look to be re-opening anytime soon. In February 2021, the then Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, said, “I’ll do everything I can” and that he would use the “little bit of sway” he has as Deputy Prime Minister to ensure the future of aged care services in Harden.
Nothing has been ensured. The doors remain shut while a Royal Commission into the sector has handed down a damning report. On the other end of the age spectrum, our local Preschool, Bunyip, run by hard-working locals is overflowing with children and yet nothing has been done at a State or Federal level to solve the problem.
Some of the waiting lists for different classes and age groups are the longest they have ever been. They have simply outgrown the site and need a modern building on a greenfield site which suits the needs of the educators and the students. Some Federal intervention is sorely needed.
So if our youngest and oldest residents don’t matter who does? Mr McCormack recently responded to questions on the recent announcement that newspaper publications such as this masthead face a paper price increase of more than 80 per cent from the country’s only newsprint supplier.
“I know the government is working through that,” he said.
“Certainly, the government will be happy to work with not only ACM, and with the newspapers that [Country Press Australia] and others have, to see what we can do.”
ACM has already received the lion’s share of funding, how about sending some to the independents?
He “went on to say that the Government is in caretaker mode, and of course, there are a lot of competing pressures on the money that is available.”
Well, why hasn’t more been done in the 12 years he has been the local member. Despite stating the importance of local print newspapers in regional Australia, Mr McCormack did not commit to emergency financial assistance.
Labor’s communication spokeswoman Michelle Rowland said she is prepared to work with the Coalition to formulate a “crisis response” under caretaker conventions.
However, the silence is deafening. As Labor and the Coalition compete for your vote over the next 9 days it appears many are straying away from the major parties.
There’s 8 candidates in the race.
There should have been 9, however, one independent didn’t get their paperwork in after campaigning hard for several months.
A major oversight.
The 8 include Richard Orchard-One Nation, Mark Jefferson-Labor, Daniel Martelozzo-United Australia Party, Steve Karaitiana-Shooters-Fishers Farmers, Michael McCormack-The Nationals, Darren Ciavarella-Independent, Dean McCrae-Liberal Democrats and Michael Organ-Greens, who now actually lives locally in Murrumburrah.
McCormack has been the only one who is actually spending in traditional print media and therefore newspaper digital media.
We must highlight that and offer a thanks for the gesture.
With just 9 days to go it’s expected that McCormack will romp this election in. The stats don’t lie. The seat is one of the safest in the country. The ALP hasn’t held it since 1977. McCormack received 60,493 votes in 2019 or 59.93 percent.
Expect a similar result with small inroads made by Labor and the other candidates.
But only small. McCormack’s vote has increased every election since 2010. If the people of the Twin Towns and surrounds want more from their politicians they must voice their opinion.
Voice it now and continue regardless of who is in power.
