The Minister for Regional Development, Simon Crean, needs to stop using Regional Development Australia bodies as tools for government propaganda, Senator Barnaby Joyce said today.
"Simon Crean continued his "embrace the challenge" of the fewer jobs, higher prices carbon tax yesterday in the Hunter region. There he co-opted the local Regional Development Australia body to host a community forum and to make media comments favourable to the government's carbon tax and NBN policies.(1)
"The Coalition supports strong Regional Development Australia bodies, indeed in our regional Australia election policy the Coalition argued that they should have access to Federal funds to support local projects and initiatives.
"RDAs should be left to focus on their local area, not to promote Canberra's latest policy thought bubbles.
"I wonder if Mr Crean told the people of Newcastle, Maitland and Singleton the threat that a carbon tax poses to jobs in the area. The NSW Treasury has estimated that there will be 18,500 fewer jobs in the Hunter region by 2020.
"Mr Crean should be brave enough to argue for his own policies on his own. Co-opting government funded regional development bodies is another abuse of taxpayer dollars and cheapens the good work that RDAs could otherwise be doing.
"Regional Development Australia committees are set to receive $76 million over the forward estimates to undertake their work. They should be left to focus on what they can deliver for their local communities not what they can deliver for the Labor party in Canberra."