Luke Foley has promised New South Wales country voters they will be knocking on an open door when asking a Labor state government for the same opportunities and infrastructure as those living in cities.
The New South Wales opposition leader, launching the Country Labor regional campaign, continued to pitch heavily his election promise to stop the sale of electricity assets.
He used the launch in Singleton in the Upper Hunter to announce what he described as “modest” increases to funding for isolated medical patients and to say Labor would develop strategies to increase export markets.
“We are connected because country Labor and country communities share an idea,” he said. “Fairness. Country New South Wales deserves a fair go. Equal treatment. A proper share.
“The same level of services, the same quality of infrastructure, the same standard of living, the same opportunities in life, as those who live in the city. And when you ask that of a Foley Labor government, you’ll be knocking on an open door.”
Foley repeated his commitment to spend $3bn of Labor’s $10bn infrastructure fund on regional and remote communities.
Continuing to focus on opposing the NSW government’s plan to privatise some of the state’s electricity assets, Foley said regional NSW would suffer a reduction in services if it went ahead. He said a sale would see the state lose more than a billion dollars worth of returns each year.
“And with them, the reliable revenue that funds our infrastructure, education and health, not just in the city but across New South Wales,” he said.
“This network is a natural monopoly which shouldn’t be in private hands. The only reason someone buys an asset is to make money on it, prices will go up. But the best way to keep electricity prices low is to keep our electricity network in our own hands.”
Foley also paid tribute to the racing industry in NSW, saying a Labor government would be committed to making the state the “horse racing capital of the southern hemisphere” in a bid to strengthen the economy.
“At this election Labor will deliver tax parity with Victoria for this great industry in New South Wales. Thousands of extra jobs in racing will flow from this decision. I know that more than half of the economic activity generated by the racing industry is generated in regional New South Wales,” he said.
“This decision will boost country racing, allowing racing clubs to invest in their facilities and offer bigger and more attractive race meetings and carnivals.”
While Foley spent the day campaigning in the Hunter region, the premier, Mike Baird, was in the Blue Mountains. He had spent the night in Katoomba, where his campaign bus was vandalised.
Graffiti vandals spray painted a penis and a “not welcome” message on Baird’s shiny blue bus, which was parked outside the Carrington Hotel.
Hotel staff washed off the offending tags by the morning while Baird joked about the incident at a campaign breakfast hosted by MP Roza Sage.
“Apparently there’s been a bit of art on my bus this morning,” he said to laughter from guests on Wednesday.
“It is the city of the arts [but] I’m not quite sure I like those arts.”
The premier again spoke about the graffiti after pledging $4m to bring major tourism events to the Blue Mountains.
“We’re very happy to see art but sometimes we’re not as happy to see art,” he joked.
“But in any campaign you’ll see people express themselves in all types of ways and we welcome it.”
The traditional bellwether seat of Blue Mountains is held by the Liberals on 5.4%.
