Country Labor candidate for Bathurst, Cassandra Coleman, spent Friday and Saturday campaigning in Kandos as the March state election nears.
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Selecting a hot weekend to campaign in the electorate’s east, Mrs Coleman said she and her team received a warm reception.
“People were happy to talk us and some were surprised to see a candidate in town,” she said.
Spending her time either door knocking or outside the Kandos IGA supermarket, Mrs Coleman said there were several issues raised by voters.
“We will mandate that 15 per cent of work on major government construction projects goes to apprentices.”
“The biggest concern was about employment,” she said.
“With Charbon underground coal mine closing last year and the open cut closing this year there are voters who are really concerned about jobs in the area.”
This backed statements from the NSW Labor on Friday, accusing the Baird government of hurting job creation in the Central West.
New Australian Bureau of Statistics data for December published on Thursday showed the unemployment rate hitting 7.9 per cent – up from 6.5 per cent a year ago.
According to Labor, there are now 7974 people out of work across the Central West - a rise of 1230 over the past year.
“Unemployment in the Central West is significantly above the state average – and it’s a major indictment on the Baird government which has no other agenda except privatising assets and axing people’s jobs,” shadow treasurer Michael Daley said.
Labor has promised to restore 100 TAFE Western job cuts recently made across Orange, Mudgee and Dubbo.
“A Labor government will put Central West and other local companies in the driver’s seat when it comes to bidding for contracts with the NSW government,” Mr Daley said.
“We will mandate that 15 per cent of work on major government construction projects goes to apprentices.”
Mrs Coleman said youth unemployment was a big topic in Kandos as was education. Although it is a federal government matter, the medicare co-payment was also a popular issue among voters. She said residents were pointing out services the state government is not currently providing in the area.
Her final stop was a visit to Down The Track Cafe, meeting owners Sue and David Honeysett. She can see the logic behind the Honeysett’s proposal to re-open the train line through Kandos and surrounding areas, providing jobs and more tourism.
