Country Labor is again running a group ticket at the local Tamworth Elections with a complement of five candidates in an attempt to stop Labor’s “retreat” and “go on the offensive” in regional NSW.
Four out of the five candidates gathered at the Family Hotel on Friday, outlining that the bloc’s campaign will be focused on the outlying villages they feel are under-serviced by a Taworth-centric council, transparency – as well as killing off the Special Rate Variation, and saving Ray Walsh House.
The fifth candidate, Sergio Rindo, was in Brisbane attending the birth of his grandchild.
Currently, the only Labor member sitting on council is Steve Mears, who is running again.
But putting forward a party ticket is not something traditionally done in local government.
“We’re going to hear a lot over the next six, ten weeks ‘Why Labor? Why make it political?’” Mears said.
“Well, Council’s a political animal anyway, and I think I’m brave enough: I’ve put my hand up and said I’m a member of the Labor Party.”
Mears talked of his credentials as a life-long Union member and worker, but promised to represent all who came to him for help.
“When I get voted on the council as it was last time, and if I’m honoured enough, this time, I am actually elected by the people to represent them,” Mears said.
“I didn’t care if they were National. I didn’t care if they were Independent or Green. They were people, people came to me and asked for my support and representation. And I will continue that.”
For accountant Thom Robinson, running for the first time and the only change from Labor’s 2021 Council bloc, said he would take Mears’ “legacy and build on it.”
“We’re going to save Ray Walsh House. We’re going to stop this 36.3% rate rise.”
A Kootingal resident, Robinson said that outlying villages and towns were neglected under the current council, and that the proposed rate rise eroded trust in Council further.
“It’s a satellite community that’s often forgotten by our council: we pay the exact same rates as the rest of the Tamworth Regional Council, we don’t have nearly half the services that they have,” Robinson said.
“So what I’m going to do and what my voice on our ticket is going to be is to fight for the regional communities.
“I’m gonna be out in Nundle, I’m gonna be out in Moonbi, I’m gonna be out in Woolbrook.”
Laura Hughes, who had run Federally for New England against Barnaby Joyce, and has run previously for council, is running second on the ticket, and cited her experience as a union member, a teacher, and a woman.
“My focus is on families. I’m a primary teacher, and I’m pretty passionate about that,” Hughes said.
Hughes had run in the same election that brought Mears in and “nearly got on” herself, but thinks that there was a strong want in the TRC electorate for a more progressive Council.
“People want an alternative voice on Council, and didn’t quite get that.
“They are concerned about the rate rise and how it was handled, the way it didn’t seem like there was consultation.”
Hughes also expressed Mears’ work with Mark Rodda, and the Greens who she called “friends of ours.”
Hughes’ teaching colleague, Denise McHugh, is also running, and stated that Labor on council would result in more transparent dealings and inclusiveness in decision-making.
“It’s about that Labor philosophy: it’s about we, not about me. It’s not about special interests or particular people who want to project their point of view.
“We’ve seen some pretty poor decision-making happening in the last term of Council.”
“It’s about what’s best for Tamworth.”
Special guest was Labor MLC Anthony D’Adam, who said that this election’s Labor Ticket could be a chance to stop Labor haemorrhaging votes in the bush.
“I think in the last couple of decades we’ve seen the Labor Party’s primary vote in regional New South Wales, in decline.
“We’ve been in retreat. And now I think it’s time to go on the offensive,” D’Adam said.
“I think for a long time people in the Labor Party leadership and administration have made strategic calls about prioritising independents that were putting pressure on the National Party in country seats – I think that’s actually affected our capacity to talk to country communities.”
The original version of this story stated that this is the first time Labor is running as a group on the ballot. This was incorrect, and the journalist regrets the error.
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