Tuckey attack on Royalties for Regions shows a man blinkered by politics, Holt

Author: Colin Holt
Published on: 16-August-2010

The Nationals WA State President, Colin Holt, has said Wilson Tuckey’s attack on Royalties for Regions was a sign of a desperate politician clutching at straws.

He said Mr Tuckey was not only at odds with his own State colleagues, who all support the iconic program, but was also insulting the thousands of country voters who backed the scheme at the State election.

“In criticising Royalties for Regions, Wilson Tuckey is saying the Boarding Away from Home Allowance, the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme, funding for the Kalgoorlie Hospital, building housing for essential workers, new jet planes and equipment for the RFDS and helping country pensioners with the cost of travel are not important,” Mr Holt said.

Royalties for Regions has delivered more benefits to regional communities in three years than Wilson Tuckey had during his 30 years in Federal Parliament.

“Is Wilson Tuckey so blinkered that he can’t recognise a good idea, just because it wasn’t his idea?” Mr Holt said.

“It’s not surprising, but none the less disappointing, that Wilson Tuckey would attempt to play politics with Royalties for Regions.

“This is a clear indication that Wilson Tuckey has lost touch with what is important to people in regional WA.”

Mr Holt said as one of just four Members of Federal Parliament representing regional WA, Wilson Tuckey should be fighting to promote a fair share for regional communities in WA.

“If Wilson Tuckey had a bit more sway in his Party room he’d have been able to deliver on some of the projects he’s been talking up for 30 years,” Mr Holt said.

“If he’d actually been able to deliver some of these projects he wouldn’t now find himself in the embarrassing position of having to attack Royalties for Regions or The Nationals positive plan to secure matching Federal funding for the initiative.

“Wilson’s argument that Royalties for Regions has contributed to higher electricity prices is simply wrong.

“Royalties for Regions is 25 per cent of the State’s mining and petroleum royalties – less than 3.5 per cent of the State’s total revenue, which is around the same amount the State Government spends on subsidising public transport for Perth metropolitan residents every year.”

Mr Holt said The Nationals plan was to guarantee Federal funding for regional WA, not new money – just a fair share for regional communities that would otherwise be spent in marginal seats in Western Sydney.