WHILE the starter’s gun on next month’s Federal vote has been unofficially firing for awhile, and the nationwide trigger pulled officially almost two weeks’ ago, the race in the seat of Farrer got more real during the weekend.
Michelle Milthorpe, who’s putting in a coordinated and independent tilt at the seat, launched her campaign in Albury on Sunday in front of about 150 people.
The seat of Farrer is huge. It covers much of New South Wales’ southern Murray River border spanning from South Australia to east of Albury, and north almost to Cobar.
Since declaring her challenge to sitting MP and Federal Liberal Party deputy-leader Sussan Ley, Ms Milthorpe said she’s been racking up time on the road.
“We’ve clocked over 1000 kilometres in the last few days visiting communities, and I think over 40,000kms since September, which I think is the important work, listening to people and hearing what is going on for them,” she said.
“It’s these conversations that energise me to keep going.”
With all that time on the road, Ms Milthorpe said she’s been getting a clearer picture of the things facing the electorate.
“We know we have issues here in Albury, and there are things we need and things we can do better,” she said.
“We know that we need a greenfield single-site hospital and I am committed to keep advocating for that. We want the best and we deserve the best.
“But when you get outside of Albury you don’t have to go far to find communities that are doing it tough.
“It’s not good enough that the people at Barham have 90 children on their child care waitlist, that the people of Tocumwal have lost their community banking, that people in Deniliquin who used to be able to have oncological care in their hometown, now have to travel to Albury.
“GPs can’t move to regional and rural towns because there is no housing or childcare.
“These are the things that I will be standing up and advocating for.
“While it’s wonderful to get new lights, it’s a slap in the face for the people of Barham when $480 000 could go a long way towards their child care centre extensions.”
