With just over a week to go before the March 25 State election, ballot positions have been drawn and the major parties are vying for votes with pledges galore.
The Central Coast’s five electorates will field a total of 25 candidates, with a variety of smaller parties and independents challenging the Liberals (LNP) and the Labor Party (ALP) for the seats of Gosford, Terrigal, The Entrance, Wyong and Swansea.
The region’s five sitting State Members of the Legislative Assembly. From left: David Harris, Liesl Tesch, David Mehan, Yasmin Catley and Adam Crouch inset.
Of the region’s five seats all but one are currently held by the ALP, with Terrigal‘s incumbent Liberal Member Adam Crouch set to run for his third term against Labor hopeful Sam Boughton.
Fighting to retain their seats will be Labor MPs Liesl Tesch (Gosford), David Mehan (The Entrance) and Yasmin Catley (Swansea).
Out to wrestle the electorates from the Labor stronghold for the Liberals will be Deanna Bocking (Gosford), Nathan Bracken (The Entrance) and Megan Anderson (Swansea).
Sitting Labor Member David Harris is almost guaranteed to retain his seat of Wyong with the last-minute dis-endorsement of Liberal candidate Matthew Squires on March 13 (see separate story).
If the state results reflect last year’s Federal election, The Greens could record a marked increase in votes, with their preferences vital to the eventual outcome.
The Greens will field candidates in all five seats: Hilary van Haren (Gosford); Imogen da Silva (Terrigal); Doug Williamson (Wyong); Ralph Stephenson (The Entrance); and Heather Foord (Swansea).
Region specific pledges made by Labor include: $8M over four years to Central Coast Council to fund vital footpath projects across the region; extension of the 24-hour Economy Strategy to include the Coast and provide a more vibrant night life; a funding boost for Central Coast Community Women’s Health Centre with a $100M investment over five years in Women’s Health Centres NSW; three government-funded McGrath breast care nurses for Central Coast Local Health District; and a new mental health specific housing project for the region as part of a $20M state commitment for three such projects.
State-wide pledges which will benefit the Coast include: up to $8,000 in saving each year for Central Coast commuters through a $60 weekly toll cap; extended funding cycles for community services from one year to five years to help combat homelessness in the region; fairer rental rules to benefit thousands of renters in the region, and more appropriate nurse-to-patient ratios in public hospitals.
The Liberal Party has promised: greater protection and support for renters; acceleration of the $5.8B one-year free pre-Kindergarten program; no new taxes on households and small businesses in the next term of government; a Supply Chain Commissioner to work closely with industry to unblock supply chains across the state; legislation to prevent offshore coal, gas, mineral and petroleum mining and exploration in NSW waters and pressure on Federal Government to prevent offshore mining in neighbouring Commonwealth waters; cutting red tape to achieve a target of one million small businesses by 2030; $400M for the Fixing Local Roads program and $600M for the road and rail network; a further $90M for the Stronger Country Communities Fund; and $23M for Surf Life Saving NSW for additional rescue equipment.
Both parties have pledged an end to paying for parking at public hospitals.
See next week’s Coast Community News for a full rundown of candidates in all five Central Coast electorates.
Terry Collins
