Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Hunter region spokesman John Preston said all troubled residents were invited to the Thoroughbred Hotel from 10am on Tuesday, March 13, to discuss the issue further.

“If you live in Sydney and you want to drive on the multi-billion dollar freeway instead of Parramatta road but don’t like the tolls, relax, Gladys Berejiklian and John Barilaro will pay your car registration for you,” he said. 

“If you live in Scone and you use a service that’s essential to life like water and you are paying twice the market rate you are on your own – you also have no choice.

“The reason your water charges are twice the market is simple, Upper Hunter Council, like most councils in regional NSW, is asked to do too much with too little.”

Mr Preston said it was unfortunate “that the Upper Hunter Council has been forced to pass a cost forward to a user of an essential service”.

“Water is life and when a local government is unable to provide an essential service at a price people can afford but is unable to due to circumstances beyond its control, that’s a appropriate place for state government to intervene, not paying tolls on Sydney freeways,” he said.

“It is also unfortunate that like most things that go wrong in the Hunter – like drought assistance – we find out at the last minute.

“Unfortunately, its the last minute again.”