JODI’S BRIDGE BACKFLIP: TOO LITTLE TOO LATE FOR TOURLE STREET BRIDGE
06 Sep, 2010
Jodi McKay’s admission the new Tourle Street Bridge should be four lanes instead of two is too little too late, with taxpayers expected to be out of pocket more than $30 million over the blunder, Member for Port Stephens Craig Baumann said today.
USELESS LABOR: MC KAY’S MEETING WAS A WASTE OF TIME
03 Sep, 2010
Member for Port Stephens Craig Baumann said the State Labor Government’s meeting about the rejuvenation of Newcastle today was a farcical waste of time.
WHAT PROJECT DO YOU THINK SHOULD BE A STATE GOVT PRIORITY FOR PORT STEPHENS?

Upgrade Tomaree Community Hospital
Widen Nelson Bay Road
Build a high school in Medowie
Fix the Myall River
More affordable housing
More police on the beat

HUNTER MISSES OUT AGAIN IN LABOR’S LATEST ‘TRANSPORT BLUEPRINT’ FARCE

Member for Port Stephens Craig Baumann today said not only had the Hunter region been neglected in the State Labor Government’s latest ‘transport blueprint’, local motorists would now have to pay higher vehicle registration fees to fund the billion dollar upgrade to Sydney’s transport system.

Mr Baumann said the latest farcical transport announcement was the State Labor Government at its city-centric best. “The incompetence and arrogance of this Sydney-centric State Government knows no bounds,” Mr Baumann said.

“For this Government to expect a pat on the back for slugging local motorists with a $500 million vehicle registration tax when we get nothing in return is mind boggling.

“This Government actually believes it makes sense to charge to all motorists in New South Wales, including those in Port Stephens who have virtually no access to public transport, an additional $30 in registration fees to pay for upgrades to pay for an upgrade to Sydney’s transport system that they’ll never use.

“I am at a loss to comprehend how a State Government could get it so wrong – once again it is charging the innocent tax payers of regional New South Wales to make up for its appalling mismanagement of Sydney’s infrastructure.”

Mr Baumann said the $271 million the State Government had so far admitted to wasting on the now-dumped CBD Metro could have funded many desperately needed projects in this region.

“In Port Stephens alone, that money could have been spent duplicating Nelson Bay Road, upgrading Tomaree Community Hospital – including the introduction of x-ray services, fixing the ongoing problems in the Myall River, building more affordable housing and replacing demountable buildings in our schools,” Mr Baumann said.

“Instead, that money’s gone down a Sydney drain, and now we’ll be slugged even more taxes to spend on Labor’s farcical Sydney transport promises. “Perhaps we can take some comfort in the fact this State Government is utterly incapable of delivering on any of its promises - hopefully we won’t see this $500 million tax come to fruition.”