IT was a very straight-talking NSW premier who visited Orange on Wednesday, but what started out as a charm offensive by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian soon turned into something else.
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Ms Berejiklian was here to commit to giving $25 million to fund a new sporting precinct, but only on the condition that Kate Hazelton was voted in as the member for Orange next month.
If it the precinct does go ahead it will allow Orange to host major sporting events including NRL, Super Rugby, A-League and AFL games.
It will draw thousands of sporting people and spectators to Orange and finally allow the city to host the kind of premier sporting events that have until now remained firmly out of our reach.
The people of Orange want this sporting facility and have been campaigning hard to get it, it would be a shame to think they may still be waiting for years to come if the election doesn’t roll the way Ms Berejiklian would like it to.
The premier unashamedly acknowledged that there would be a price to pay for securing the funding, and that came in the form of votes for Mrs Hazelton.
Member for Orange Phil Donato called this deal a “threat” however Ms Berejiklian preferred to use the term “carrot” to encourage voters to see the light.
“I don't want Orange to be a voice in the wilderness I’d rather Orange have a voice in government and get things done rather than be on the outer,” she told the Central Western Daily.
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There’s no doubt Ms Berejiklian came to Orange for one reason and that’s to secure votes, and she took delight in reminding voters exactly what was at stake. In this case it’s $25 million.
It’s a risky move on Ms Berejiklian’s behalf and one that may backfire big time come March 23.
Some punters took to social media when the funding announcement was made calling it a straight out bribe with others questioning the integrity of such a deal.
The people of Orange want this sporting facility and have been campaigning hard to get it, it would be a shame to think they may still be waiting for years to come if the election doesn’t roll the way Ms Berejiklian would like it to.
The premier has got a job to do and she is happy to employ a risky political strategy to get what she wants.
This time she went so far as to flatly tell the Orange electorate that she, and the government she represents, will only acknowledge an electorate’s existence when it is represented by one of their own.
Only time will tell if Ms Berejiklian’s bold strategy is a winner.
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