WED 22 OCT 2014
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Trades & Services Tra Need help at your place this weekend? p.15
Time for a change Member for Maitland, Robyn Parker to depart politics after 12 years
Newcastle gig to kick-off tour
High-rise for Rutherford p.3
A-League 2014/15 Late goal costs Jets again p.17
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M
ember for Maitland, Robyn Parker will not be recontesting the seat in March’s state election. Ms Parker made the announcement last week, saying that she found herself unable to commit to another four-year term. “I just felt that I haven’t the motivation for a full four years and that’s the commitment you’ve got to make, in my view, rather than having a by-election after a couple of years,” she said. “I really didn’t see myself pushing through for another four years, given that by March I will have had 12 years already [as an MP and on the Legislative Council].” Ms Parker said it was not a spur-of-the-moment decision. “I’ve been thinking about this for a few months and having discussions with the Premier over the last couple of weeks, so it’s not an overnight decision,” she said. In a statement, Ms Parker said that it was a great honour to have been the first female member for Maitland and she was proud of what she had delivered for the city, including the $45 million New England Highway roundabout improvements, $20 million for the new Maitland hospital and a $15 million upgrade to Rutherford Technology High School. As Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Member for Maitland, Robyn Parker
in the O’Farrell Government, Ms Parker oversaw the establishment of the Environment Protection Authority, established nine new parks and reserves, including two National Parks, and introduced legislation to parliament to ban solaria in NSW. Despite emerging unscathed from the recent hearings at the Independent Commission Against Corruption, Ms Parker’s decision means the Liberal Party will lose its final Hunter MP following the resignations of Newcastle’s Tim Owen and Charlestown’s Andrew Cornwell in August and the suspensions of Port Stephens’ Craig Baumann, in September, and Swansea’s Garry Edwards, also in August. Nationals Member for the Upper Hunter, George Souris announced his retirement last month. Ms Parker said that a personal commitment of hers had been to stay strong and maintain her integrity. “As recent events have shown, I leave my political career with my head held high and my integrity unblemished,” she said in her statement. “It’s now time for me to explore new career choices and challenges away from politics.” She told the Post that she was unsure of what those new career choices would be. “I’ll still be the member until March, and I’m certainly not going to retire to a rocking chair,” Ms Parker said. “It’s daunting, but exciting.”
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