SCONE resident David Ewings has been nominated as Country Labor’s candidate for New England for the 2016 Federal election.
“I have been encouraged by the local community, local Party members and the trade union movement to put my name forward and ensure that Country Labor strongly contests the seat of New England,” he said.
“People are disappointed with the leadership shown by Prime Minister Turnbull and his Deputy – the current Federal Member – on a vast range of issues including education and health cuts as well as the Coalition’s communications policy which has led to the partial implementation of a second rate NBN at twice the cost.
“I have lived most of my life in country Australia, having been born and raised in Whyalla in South Australia.
“I know only too well that people living in Australia’s regions are feeling a great sense of abandonment by the Coalition government and the National Party.
“The National Party doesn’t represent country people it just represents the landed gentry.
“I’m interested in making sure that all people in New England are fairly represented including the fencers, truckies, coal miners, shearers as well as the people in the villages and towns of north western NSW.”
Mr Ewings believes he can relate to the everyday resident.
“After seven years service in the Royal Australian Air Force, I was employed as a coal miner in the Upper Hunter before being laid off a couple of years ago as the decline in the industry started to take hold,” he said.
“Unfortunately my new job – which I’m really pleased to have – takes me away from home and my family each and every week.
“This is the lived experience for many people in the regions.
“There just aren’t enough jobs being created close to home for people in the bush.
“The need for secure jobs in New England and the desperate need for education and training facilities are among the critical issues I will be campaigning on throughout this election.
“Unlike the National Party who are busily closing TAFE colleges in Quirindi and Scone and reducing staff across TAFE New England, Country Labor wants a strong vocational education sector.
“The Federal and State Nationals have acquiesced to the Liberal Party’s ideological zeal to close down the TAFE system, to introduce high fees for education and training and to see massive cuts to Federal funding for education.
“The National Party do not have the interests of workers and their families doing it tough in regional Australia at heart.
“Country Labor has a responsibility to fight for workers and their families in the bush and I look forward to representing those people who believe in the fair go for all in New England.”
Mr Ewings’ nomination as the Country Labor candidate for New England is expected to be formally endorsed by the NSW Branch of the Australian Labor Party in the coming weeks.
