Almost half of all midwifery positions advertised at country West Australian hospitals last year went unfilled, leaving pregnant women and newborn babies vulnerable. The McGowan Government was unable to attract a single midwife to major regional centres Esperance, Carnarvon, Narrogin and Kununurra over the last 12 months despite ten positions being advertised in those locations…
Lead Senate candidate Nick Fardell has called for the fringe benefits tax (FBT) to be suspended for a decade to allow the Goldfields to recover from the damage of fly-in, fly-out work practices. Mr Fardell urged businesses and residents to make a stand against the “insidious” FBT at a Productivity Commission forum in Kalgoorlie-Boulder on…
The Nationals WA will make entry to Albany’s National Anzac Centre free for all visitors if elected on May 18. Senate candidate Nick Fardell and candidate for O’Connor John Hassell announced the commitment in Albany this week. Mr Fardell said reducing the barrier to entry would help local residents and visitors from interstate and abroad…
The McGowan Government’s last minute decision to continue the Enhanced Prescribed Burning Program has been welcomed by The Nationals WA. Member for Warren Blackwood Terry Redman said funding for the program appeared to have gone up in smoke until The Nationals put considerable pressure on the Labor Government. “Funding was set to run out on…
The Nationals WA have criticised the McGowan Labor Government for retreating from a previous commitment to review drone legislation in Western Australia. Agricultural spokesperson Colin de Grussa raised the issue of drone laws during Question Time this week in response to concerns around the use of drones to support criminal activities in regional areas, and…
The Nationals WA are demanding an explanation from the Racing and Gaming Minister after all five members of the Thoroughbred Racing Committee (TRC) resigned en masse. Racing and gaming spokesperson Colin Holt said the concerning development came at a precarious time for the industry as the Government ambled toward introducing enabling legislation into Parliament for…
South West communities will be at a higher risk of bushfire next summer amid revelations this year’s prescribed burning program has suffered due to McGowan Government budget cuts. Questions by The Nationals WA in State Parliament last week revealed the Royalties for Regions-funded Enhanced Prescribed Burning Program has been cut by $2.1 million in 2018-19.…
The Nationals WA have again called for a Parliamentary inquiry into Labor’s failed Albany wave energy project to ensure the gross waste of taxpayer funds isn’t repeated. Energy spokesperson Terry Redman said an inquiry – which The Nationals first called for in November – was needed to get to the bottom of the McGowan Government’s…
The Nationals WA Leader and Member for Central Wheatbelt Mia Davies was in Merredin today to open the third International Women’s Day event at Cummins Theatre. Ms Davies, who joined guest speakers Tanya Dupagne (Camp Kulin), Stacey Dadd (Champagne and Gumboots) and Anita Radcliffe (Westpac), said the event was growing in stature every year. “We’ve…
The Nationals WA have again called on the McGowan Government to lift the payroll tax eligibility threshold in light of WA’s worst unemployment figures in almost two decades. In November 2017, the Government pushed legislation through State Parliament which resulted in a payroll tax hike for 1300 WA businesses. It was one of the Premier’s…