DEAR News Of The Area,
MS Sandra Bourke (Letters, NOTA, 15 May) sees a letter from Justin Page, spokesperson for Hunter Jobs Alliance in the previous issue as an attempt to silence the powerful and well-funded organisation Advance Australia for which she is the spokesperson.
Both organisations have the right to use every legal means to promote their objectives, including the letter pages of the NOTA.
I disagree with Ms Bourke’s contention that this contest of ideas amounts to an attempt to silence alternative views.
And now to the recent Federal Election in Lyne. Ms Alison Penfold, whom I guess was Advance Australia’s preferred candidate, won on preferences, but with a seven percent swing against the National Party.
With her primary vote of 36.5 percent, most voters did not vote for her.
Her task now is to work for all voters and all residents in Lyne, not only those who voted for her and not only those who rewarded her opposition to offshore wind farms with their vote.
I hope her three years in parliament will not see the continuing neglect of our villages in the south-east corner of Lyne, where fit-for-purpose telecommunications, adequate regional health provision and appropriate housing have been ignored for years.
These issues were not pursued vigorously by the previous incumbent, who wasted most of his last term promoting a fantasy of nuclear power which would have delayed the uptake of renewable energy.
Will our new representative continue her party’s support for a nuclear power station near Muswellbrook?
Regards,
M J SUTCLIFFE,
Hawks Nest.
