State Infrastructure Strategy disappointing - Hodgkinson

The Nationals' Member for Burrinjuck, Katrina Hodgkinson has characterised the State Infrastructure Strategy recently released by the Carr-lemma Government as a lost opportunity for rural NSW:

"This much touted, so called, strategy is little more than a grab bag of existing commitments dressed up in a glossy booklet," Ms Hodgkinson said.

"Important projects such as the Tumut Hospital redevelopment, the Bowning Deviation, Junction Point Road and the Tumut-Cootamundra Rail Line do not even rate a mention."

"Other projects such as the Yass and the Taralga Sewerage upgrades are mentioned, but are notated as yet to be approved."

Ms Hodgkinson said that no Police Stations in the Burrinjuck electorate are mentioned in the document and the rural centres of Adelong, Crookwell and Gunning do not even rate a mention.

"Disability accommodation in Gundagai is ignored in the document and upgrades of Gundagai Health Services are only listed under potential future new works," Ms Hodgkinson said.

"Labor's glossy document does nothing other than reinforce State Labor's 11 years of discrimination against rural NSW:"

"All of the announcements for Burrinjuck are just rehashes of existing promises which should have been delivered years ago," Ms Hodgkinson said.

Batlow MPS is on the list.

June 2, 2006

Tumut & Adelong Times