Member for Orange Phil Donato officially put himself forward as the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate at the party’s NSW campaign launch at Robertson Park on Saturday.
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Mr Donato said he would continue to hold the NSW government to account if he’s returned at the state election on March 23 and he presented a snapshot of what he fought for and helped deliver since being elected at the Orange byelection in November, 2016.
“We’ve been able to see record investment in regional NSW for things I’ve been able to call the government out upon,” Mr Donato said.
“I’m sure we can continue to hold any government – Labor or Liberal, it doesn’t matter who it is – to account and fight for the best interests of regional NSW.”
We’ve been able to fight for four additional police, there’s still more work to be done in that space.
- Member for Orange Phil Donato
Mr Donato said in the past two years he’s campaigned for and helped bring about several subsidies and projects to benefit Orange and people in regional NSW.
“Things like a four-bed palliative care facility that they’ve only just announced the other day, nearly $200 million in drought freight subsidies for drought affected farmers that I was fighting for well before the government was even inclined to even talk about drought,” he said.
“The primary producer concessions where primary producers on the registration of their vehicles had been ripped off knowingly for many many years, this government knew about it, and in February this year we saw the reimbursement of $113 million to primary producers for the concessional registration of their vehicles.
VIDEO: Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party’s Robert Borsak and Phil Donato ...
“We’ve been able to fight for four additional police, there’s still more work to be done in that space.
“Lower registration on caravan fees, lower LLS [Local Land Services] rates, these are all things I’ve been fighting for and are a snap shot on the things I’ve been able to deliver.”
Accompanied by NSW Legislative Council member Robert Borsak and number one and two upper house ticket holders Mark Banaziak and Brett Cooke, Mr Donato said his party was an alternative party for the bush.
I’m sure we can continue to hold any government... Labor, Liberal, it doesn’t matter who it is, to account and fight for the best interests of regional NSW.
- Member for Orange Phil Donato
“We are not the tail of the dog of the Liberal party, we don’t have a party line that we have to follow that we know is not advantageous to the bush,” Mr Donato said.
“What happens if the Nationals don’t even win government? You will see nothing for Orange.”
Mr Borsak also spoke at the launch and denied the Coaltion’s statements the party would give guns to 10-year-olds.
“That’s not out policy, never has been, this is a typical scare campaign by the losing government that has no policies that actually work for the bush,” he said.
Mr Borsak also rejected a claim by the Australian Conservatives Party made at the launch of Orange candidate Garry McMahon on Tuesday, when he said the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party sided with The Greens and Labor in state parliament.
“We are a centre-right party with progressive attitudes to certain things,” Mr Borsak said.
“We believe in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work, we believe in looking after farmers and if that requires price control we will be in that but when it comes to social issues we’re very much to the right, that’s what we are all about.
“We are not bible thumpers, we don’t care what race, colour or creed you are. If you want to be for the bush, if you want to be an Australian, if you want to work in NSW – we’re for you.”
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