Dear Editor,
The Australian Labor Party candidate for Riverina, Robyn Hakelis, wants us to believe that she is a progressive social democrat. The big problem facing Ms Hakelis is the fact that the party that she represents is anything but social, democratic or progressive.
The Australian Labor Party is betraying and selling short public school teachers and students by continuing to fund elite profit-generating private schools – a policy that was devised under John Howard and continued, despite an election promise to end the formula, under Rudd and Gillard.
The ALP promised action on climate change. Lacking the intestinal fortitude to pass the legislation, the Labor government meekly and cynically dumped the ETS at the behest of the NSW factional powerbroker Senator Mark Arbib. Another broken promise.
The ALP couldn’t give a tinker’s cuss about the need for a brand new Wagga Base Hospital. The NSW ALP set aside funds for a new Wagga Base Hospital, then, like a thief in the night, snatched the cash and instead plans to upgrade the current derelict building. Yet another broken Labor promise.
The Australian Labor Party give used car salesmen a good name.
Those many Riverina residents who feel betrayed by the factionally ravaged, directionless and increasingly conservative Labor Party are urged to vote for the only party that places public health, public education and action on climate change at the top of its policy platform: the consistent, accountable and progressive Greens.
The Greens will push to end the cash giveaway to elite private school and channel the money saved directly into our needy public schools.
The Greens will fight hard for a revamped Medicare system that includes a national dental health care scheme, a greater share of federal funding for mental health services and a brand new Wagga Base Hospital that DOES NOT include the failed and discriminatory public-private partnership model.
The Greens believe that action on climate change should be a priority area for government policy and will again seek to negotiate a deal with the new government.
A vote for federal Labor is a vote for the do nothing and get re-elected at any cost mentality that is a carbon copy of the shonky and dysfunctional NSW Labor government.
Yours Sincerely
David Fletcher
Greens Candidate for Riverina