With exactly a year on Friday to the next state election, Member for Bathurst Paul Toole said he wants to provide a strong future for the region in the coming 12 months and future years.
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Mr Toole was elected in 2011, taking over the reigns from Labor’s Gerard Martin to bring an end to a 20-year Labor rule in the Bathurst electorate.
His win made him the first Bathurst National MP since Clive Osborne in 1981.
Mr Toole said the first few years of his election, and the Liberal-National Coalition’s, were tough years.
“We had no money in the bank, we had to make changes and we did. The tough decisions have paid off,” he said.
“There’s lots of things that are to be announced in the coming months. I believe we’ll have another strong budget for the Bathurst area.
“In government, it’s about looking forward and having visions. I want to make sure there’s a future for my kids and the next generation coming through, so they’ve got jobs, security and that this place is going to have the best facilities possible.”
He said rural NSW, including Bathurst, has benefited from major road upgrades on the Castlereagh, Western and Mid-Western Highway.
There’s also been plenty of money gone to schools and hospitals but Mr Toole said little programs go along way to benefiting the community.
“It might be $5000 to a small organisation. Recently we’ve given money to the bridge club and Lions club,” he said.
“There’s a lot to be proud of in Bathurst electorate. We need to make sure it’s a community that’s growing and is prosperous.”
The government’s plan to rebuild Sydney’s premier stadiums has also caused a stirred in voters because of the $2 billion price tag.
However, Mr Toole said that is just a small fraction of the government’s infrastructure spend of $80 billion.
“We heard from the treasurer that this equates to about one per cent of our infrastructure spend,” he said.
“We just need to make sure we’re still spending on schools, hospitals and community groups. I'm committed that they get the money they deserve.”