The Northern Rivers Times Edition 120.pdf

ALP conference reveals regional focus

By TIM HOWARD

Clarence Valley voters can be assured a NSW Labor Government will have a strong focus on the regions, says the ALP candidate for Clarence, Leon Ankersmit. Mr Ankersmit, has just returned from the ALP’s NSW Conference in Sydney on October 15 and 16. “It’s the first one I’ve been to,” he said. “It was a real eye-opener.” Mr Ankersmit said while it was a personal thrill to mix with some of the party’s leading lights like Federal Minister for Indigenous Affairs Linda Burney and Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, it was the nitty gritty of policy development which was most important. “This NSW Conference, ahead of the 2023 State election, has been important for the party to develop policy to take to the electorate,” he said. Mr Ankersmit, a former CEO with Anglicare, was

concerned the response to the flooding which has ravaged the northern end of the Clarence electorate, improved at state level. “It was good to see those issues high on the agenda,” he said. “Overall it was rewarding to see the focus the party has on

New ALP candidate for Clarence Leon Ankersmit spent time with Federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney when he attended the ALP State Conference in Sydney earlier this month.

rural areas.” He said an incoming ALP Government would be focused on providing more affordable housing. “The conference discussed a range of policies which would help tackle this issue in both the short and long term,” he said. He said the ALP,

which aimed to return to government next year after more than a decade on the opposition benches, had a clear focus on the regions. “From the way discussions were going if we’re able to form government, we’re going to see a number of cabinet positions for

regional MPs,” he said. Mr Ankersmit said his concerns unions might dominate the conference did not eventuate. “The unions were not as powerfully represented as I thought they might be,” he said. “There were several matters where I thought they might take control,

but the vote did not go their way.” He said the ALP proposals for regional areas would mean a focus on things like funding for the Grafton Base Hospital redevelopment and an increased focus on flood recovery. Mr Ankersmit, who learned during the conference former Clarence Mayor Richie Williamson, had won pre-selection for the Nationals, said there was a clear decision for Clarence voters. “From the polls its nearly certain there’s going to be a Minns Labor Government in NSW in March,” he said. “Does the Clarence want to have its representative sitting on the government benches or have an inexperienced, newly elected MP in opposition?”