Batlow MPS 'I'll believe it when I see it' says Hodgkinson.

The Nationals' Member for Burrinjuck. Katrina Hodgkinson, said today that she would believe the promised funding for the Batlow MPS when she could see it as a line item in the NSW Capital Works Budget Papers.

"While T welcome the promise by the NSW Minister for Health, to Tumut Councillors, to provide $7million over the next three years to build 'the MPS, it remains little more than that - a Carr Labor Government promise," Ms Hodgkinson said.

"Before getting too excited about the MPS funding residents of Tumut should recall the Carr Labor Government's promise that there would be no forced amalgamations of local government areas."

"Or their promise to open the Batlow MPS by July 2003!"

Ms Hodgkinson said she was becoming increasingly wary about welcoming promises by the Carr Labor Government, because they were rarely delivered on time, if at all.

The Local MP said it could not be taken as gratis that the Batlow MPS was a 'sure thing' just because of the Minister for Health's latest statement.

"Already the Minister's statement indicates that the completion of the Batlow MPS will not be achievable by 2007, a date that he committed to in the NSW Parliament on I September 2004," Ms Hodgkinson said.

"The Minister for Health's latest statement is clearly no more than an attempt to disguise further delays in this important project."

I have and will continue to push the Carr Labor Government to progress the Batlow MPS as a matter of urgency.

"The residents of Batlow have already had too many delays foisted on them by the Carr Labor Government," Ms Hodgkinson said.

Tumut & Adelong Times

Tuesday, June 21, 2005