Nationals need new policies, not just a new leader

Ed, New Nationals leader, Michael McCormack, will have a tough job distancing himself from his poor voting record on regional issues. He says he will “fight” for regional Australia and “never be silent”, well he needs to explain why he has consistently voted to make life harder for people living in regional communities. He needs to explain why he voted for cuts to penalty rates costing low paid workers $77 a week. Why he cut regional University funding when there is a 14 per cent gap in higher education participation between regional Australia and our capital cities. He needs to explain why he supports a Medicare freeze when out of pocket expenses are costing Australians an average of $47 to visit a GP. And why he supports a second-rate copper NBN leaving regional Australia stranded with slower speeds and substandard service. If Michael McCormack wants to be taken seriously then he must start living up to his rhetoric and stand up for regional Australia. Stephen Jones MP Shadow Minister for Regional Services, Territories and Local Government Shadow Minister for Regional Communications