Prime Minister hesitates to commit, the campaigning has begun.
Nicholls MP Sam Birrell and Farrer MP Susan Ley were both out in their electorates last week
vying for another term in parliament.
Liberal MP Ms Ley was in Corowa, while Nationals MP Mr Birrell met with constituents in Yarrawonga’s main street.
He said people here talk about the same two things he hears everywhere else, the state of the roads and the cost of living.
“Everything has gone up,” Mr Birrell said.
“Inflation has driven up the costs of energy, insurance and food and it’s getting more difficult to operate a household budget.
“The state of the roads is appalling, and that mostly sits with the State Government, but local government needs to be able to access more funding from the Federal Government.”
He said his priority for the Yarrawonga region was infrastructure with the new bridge a major part of that.
“It’s complicated as there needs to be an agreement between the two states with the Federal Government funding most of it, which a Coalition government will,” he said.
“But it’s been too slow.
“In my view we need to move forward.
“The other one is grant funding for parks and amenities.
“Yarrawonga is growing very fast, and developers want to access grant money for parks.
“The current government scrapped the Building Better Regions program and replaced it with other programs with less funding and less opportunity for infrastructure grants.”
He says the next Australian Government will need to navigate a lot of challenges around the economy and global uncertainty, but also our future as a manufacturing and industrial country.
Australia is not a low-wage economy like many of our major competitors and Mr Birrell believes that by competing on productivity, embracing automation, innovation and becoming high tech, we can compete in a global market.
“We produce a lot of food because we embraced innovation, and process in an economically competitive way,” he said.
“But we can’t tie food producers’ arms with water and industrial relations policies that make it hard to navigate.”
So why should you vote for Sam Birrell to represent Nicholls for another three years?
He says that in his experience, Coalition governments are better for country’s economic well-being and encourage policies which help the entrepreneurial and private industry.
“It’s what we are known for,” he said.
“The Nationals always make sure the regions are getting their fair share and form policies that help the regions, particularly in agriculture.
“I’m not a career politician.
“I’ve been a resident here my entire life and I’ve put my hand up to serve this community.”
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