New England Independent candidate Tony Windsor has written to the Prime Minister asking him to confirm election promises that Barnaby Joyce has made during the campaign will be kept regardless of who wins the seat on July 2.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Deputy Prime Minister and current member for New England Barnaby Joyce has made a plethora of promises leading up to the July Poll.
Mr Windsor sought assurance in writing from the Prime Minister and is awaiting a response.
“It’s imperative that Prime Minister Turnbull reassures voters that, if his Government is re-elected, all the promises made by his Deputy Barnaby Joyce will be kept, regardless of who becomes the next Member for New England,” he said.
Mr Windsor said he does not want the people of New England to be taken for granted, as happened at the 2013 Election.
“News of my not standing at the 2013 Election saw the withdrawal of funding for the Armidale Hospital, and the Legume to Woodenbong Road in Tenterfield Shire, showing the National Party’s contempt for the people of New England,” he said.
“I was shocked to sit down after the 2013 Election and hear directly from Mr. Joyce that funding for the much needed new Armidale Hospital and the Legume to Woodenbong Road projects had their funding pulled, after I announced that I was not going to re-contest that election.
“For the National Party to go back to taking the people of New England for granted so quickly was disgraceful.”
Mr Windsor said the people of New England have every right to be cynical about the promises, and particularly the timing of the promises.
“If Mr Joyce was serious about looking after the people of New England instead of looking after his own job in Canberra, he would have ensured that all the promises currently being made would have been included in the 2016 Budget, announced only six weeks ago, and had all the paperwork done and signed off on prior to the Government going into caretaker mode,” he said.
Member for New England Barnaby Joyce rebuked Mr Windsor claims and said his promises will be kept if Malcolm Turnbull is the Prime Minister after July 2.
“It is clear these promises will be delivered if the Coalition Government is returned,” he said.
“I am working hard and hope to be returned with the Coalition Government as well.”
