New slogan won’t stop Nationals from going extinct

New slogan won’t stop Nationals from going extinct

The Hon Anthony Albanese MP

The Minister for Infrastructure, Transport,

Regional Development and Local Government

Leader of the House

Member for Grayndler

August 22 2009

This weekend’s National Party federal council meeting will be like watching re-runs of Walking with Dinosaurs.

Paying a Public Relations agency to come up with a new logo will not help the National Party escape extinction.

The National Party’s federal council meeting will allegedly unveil a new slogan today to cover up their disastrous record on failing to stand up for regional Australians.

The Nationals have become a rabble, unable to contribute to serious policy to assist regional Australia.

In contrast, the Rudd Labor Government has delivered record funding to support jobs and infrastructure in regional communities. Our investments include:

• nearly $22 billion in regional railways, highways and local roads, including the Pacific, Bruce and Hume Highways;
• more than $14 billion in the largest school modernisation program in the nation’s history;
• more than $1 billion through the Regional and Local Community Infrastructure Program – with more than 3,300 projects funded already;
• $1.9 billion to support local infrastructure and services provided by local governments; and
• $176 million through the Better Regions program for community projects.

Over the past 18 months, the National Party has voted against programs which are assisting regional Australia such as the Economic Stimulus Plan.

It is no wonder that the National Party has continued to decline at the federal level and was forced to merge with the Liberals in Queensland.