The McGowan Government lavished almost $15 million worth of election promises on Labor-held Perth seats last year while the rural seat of Moore received absolutely nothing in Local Project Local Jobs funding.
The new figures, revealed by media over the weekend, confirm what many regional Western Australians already suspected about the McGowan Government – if you don’t live in Perth you don’t matter.
“At the same time Mark McGowan is jeopardising the education of students in Moore with the closure of the Moora Residential College and the application of a 20 percent tax on income generated at Morawa Agricultural college, his Labor Government is splashing cash across the metro area, with $14.8 million spent in 34 Perth seats in just eight months,” Mr Love said.
“It’s hard not to be cynical when families in Moore have seen the withdrawal of $21 million funding for health programs between Dongara and Guilderton, the cancellation of aged care funding that was to deliver Independent Living Units in Moora, Dalwallinu, Toodyay and Victoria Plains and scrapping of upgrades to the Moora Residential College and now announcing its closure.
“The priorities for this Labor Government are seriously out of whack when you consider they spent $120,000 on two new Perth dog parks, yet the bush is having core services such as education and health slashed across the board.”
Mr Love said since Labor had come to power there had been a systemic abandonment of regional Western Australia. “The dark old days of pre-Royalties for Regions have returned,” he said. “The Labor Government has reduced regional investment and services, depleted funding and attacked the hip pocket of vulnerable families and seniors.
“Royalties for Regions is now a shell of the proud program it once was, with money earmarked for country areas being redirected back to the city and Labor’s unfunded election promises.The McGowan Government’s number one priority is to feather the nest of the party’s Perth MPs in order to secure enough city votes to win the next election.”
Member for the Agricultural Region, Hon Martin Aldridge MLC said the Labor Government had no interest in repairing the State’s finances.
“Rather than pursue a new and substantial revenue source, such as The Nationals’ proposed increase to an existing iron ore levy, the Government is increasing fees and charges in Moore and ruthlessly slashing vital services to pay for their unfunded election promises,” Mr Aldridge added.
