Federal Member for Macquarie Louise Markus with opposition regional affairs spokesman Bob Baldwin and Heather Sressard of Crazies Cafe in Richmond.
Federal member for Macquarie Louise Markus says a Coalition government will create one million new jobs within five years and two million jobs over the next decade, “delivering a stronger and more prosperous economy [with] more jobs, higher wages and better services for families”.
“It is at the heart of the Coalition’s plans for Australia,” Mrs Markus said.
But Labor candidate for Macquarie Susan Templeman said the Liberal MP’s promises “were empty words with no policies attached, particularly for the local area”.
“The Coalition’s own documents show they will have to find $70 billion over four years to pay for its promises, including $27 billion to cover the cost of scrapping the carbon price scheme.
“By contrast, the current Labor government has a strong track record of managing the economy well, through a global crisis, to achieve growth and the creation of 840,000 jobs since coming to office, as well as investing in health, education and the National Disability Insurance Scheme.”
Mrs Markus said as well as scrapping the carbon tax the Coalition would “cut red tape by $1 billion per year each year; invest in infrastructure to remove bottlenecks, lift workforce participation through our paid parental leave policy and get the budget back under control, [with] more jobs announcements in 2013.”
Dave Garner, president of the regional Chamber of Commerce for the Blue Mountains, welcomed the news from Mrs Markus.
“We would welcome any move by all levels of government to actively build sustainable business performance across the Blue Mountains region. If the Coalition could be instrumental in increasing jobs in the Blue Mountains, providing jobs for our children and keeping people working in the mountains that could only be beneficial for our local economy.” Mrs Markus said the Coalition’s plans for a stronger and more prosperous economy and a safe and secure Australia recognised “that we must strengthen the whole economy, rather than just rely on mining.”
“These are the right policies that will allow Australia to once again have competitive manufacturing industries, a dynamic services sector, and a growing knowledge economy as well as strong agriculture and mining.
Ms Templeman said the International Monetary Fund (IMF) revealed last week that the Coalition was responsible for Australia’s most needless wasteful spending in our country’s recent history.
“The IMF found that only twice in recent decades has ‘fiscal profligacy’ occurred, both during John Howard’s term in office.
Ms Templeman said Labor in contrast was building “sustainable 21st century” commercial businesses in the Blue Mountains, including the development of the Lawson Business Park which had been funded by the Federal Government and would provide about 350 new jobs over the next five years.
“The sorts of businesses intended to be housed at Lawson will focus on clean technology and infrastructure - just the sort of things that would be impacted if the Coalition reversed the price on carbon.”And as far as the claim that wages will be higher - well we all know that all Work Choices delivered was lower wages and worse conditions for workers.”
Mrs Markus said she was looking forward to talking with residents and local business people about “restoring confidence, cutting taxes and creating jobs.”