The Newcastle Institute will again partner with other organisations to present two more of our well regarded Candidates’ forums which aim to give a broader insight into the policies, priorities and ideas of the various candidates for the by-elections coming up on October 25th.
The Charlestown By-Election Event will be on Wednesday 15th of October at the Charlestown Bowling Club.
The Newcastle Event will be at Souths Leagues Club on October 16th.
Both events will open to the public at 5pm to commence at 5.30, to finish at 7pm.
The events are being hosted by the Newcastle Institute, The Hunter Business Chamber, and The Newcastle Herald and we’re happy to announce that there will also be live streaming of the event via the Herald website.
The events will be hosted by Newcastle Institute Patron, Dr Bernie Curran, as Master of Ceremonies.
Each candidate will be invited to present a short ‘policy speech’ or ‘pitch’ in favour of their election, and then each candidate will have an individualised ‘interview’.
There will then be a chance for a final ‘summing up’ by the candidates, whose order of call will be randomised by a draw on the night.
The Public are invited to participate by submitting questions through the Herald and Newcastle Institute websites.
Questions will be considered by an advisory panel prior to the events. The panel will select or formulate questions to be put to each candidate individually. These questions will be given to the interviewer on the night.
To see questions which have already been submitted, click the word ‘comments’ at the base of this post.
If Newcastle and Charlestown are regarded as safe labor seats, are we doomed to be treated with contempt by the bureaucrats of Sydney? Specifically to Harrison and Crackanthorp:- how will you exert influence against the State ALP machine (“Sussex Street”)
Newcastle University’s New Space project, planned for the Civic precinct, has no on-site car parking for the forecast thousands of students and staff. The inevitable huge increase in the demand for parking this will generate will negatively impact surrounding businesses, residents and other visitors.
My question for all Newcastle candidates is –
If elected, will you lobby for extra funding for the Uni’s New Space project to enable it to include underground car parking which will help offset its impact on the surrounding parking amenity?
The population and commercial hub of Charlestown has no safe cycleway connection. What does Jodie Harrison as Mayor and prospective State Member intend to do to correct this anomaly?
At the recent Parliamentary Inquiry into Workcover,Workcover’s own actuary,said under oath that the government’s prediction of a $4 billion deficit in the NSW workers comp scheme was only a temporary problem because of the global financial crisis.This information has finally shamed the Baird Government into returning some benefits for seriously injured workers.Question–Will your party————–Restore “journey claims” to cover workers for injuries occuring on ther way to and from work.
-Give injured workers the financial assistance they need to pay their medical bills.
-Reinstate protections for workers with total and permanent disabilities.
-In other words,scrap the changes to workers compensation introduced in 2012.
In the most recent NSW state budget the Baird government axed funding for another 375 TAFE teachers’ positions,bringing the total jobs lost at TAFE to 1,088 since the Liberal government came to power in 2011.
The budget also made deep cuts to TAFE infrastructure,with the capital works budget cut from $107 million in 2013/14 to $76 million in 2014/15-a 29% reduction
While TAFE fees have gone through the roof,there have been cutbacks in funding for all traditional apprenticeships in nearly all Hunter Tafes.
A TAFE qualification is the best gift any government can provide for its young people.It sets them up for life with a well paid career to support themselves and their family.It makes a great contribution to the stability of the community and the future of the economy.
This is not only a problem for individuals.It is hurting the entire economy and forcing us to rely increasingly on foreign workers.
Liberal Treasurer Andrew Constance has promised to create 1,000 new apprenticeships for government projects.
-Question—Can you name one project that has employed an apprentice under Andrew Constance’s promised scheme?
———-What will your Party do to reduce TAFE fees and reinstate funding for traditional apprentices at Hunter TAFE’s?
———–If not,then why not?
The Federal Department of Employment says that the unemployment rate in the Hunter is higher than the NSW and Australian average
It also says that our unemployment rate is increasing and the number of job vacancies has decreased.
The ABS also tells us that unemployment and job opportunities for young people are particularly high-30%-much higher than the NSW and Australian average rates.
Th ABS says that since the current state government was elected in 2011,full time employment for men has decreased.
The only employment that has increased is for part-time and casual employment.
The ABS also says that in some parts of the Hunter more than 20% of families with children do not have even one parent employed.
The mining and resources sector that have been major employers in the Hunter for the past decade are now winding down.
There are job losses throughout the resources sector-for example Fox Mining,Sandvik and Resco.
The Hunter community and our economy are facing a crisis.
—-Question–What policies does your Party have to create jobs for working people and there families in the Hunter?
question
the ABS also
TAFE has been traditionally seen as a stepping stone to better jobs, and a second chance at education, but in 2015 the Baird govt are taking funding from TAFE and giving it to private ‘for profit’ Registered Training Organisations. What is your, or your party’s, policy on the severe cuts to TAFE funding, the massive casualisation of TAFE teachers, job losses and in particular the huge increase to students fees as being introduced in Smart and Skilled in 2015?
I’m sorry, but we are not able to forward any more questions to the panel. The questions should still, however, be instructive to the candidates; reflecting a variety of opinions.
To each candidate: Do you support spending NSW infrastructure money on the CycleSafe Network proposal that would see a network of safe cycleways connect every suburb in Newcastle, for just $75 million dollars?