Saffin makes maiden speech in Parliament
Member for Page Janelle Saffin has repeated her election promises, in making her first speech in Federal Parliament this week.
“I will cite the monetary election commitments that I gave, supported of course by the leadership,” Ms Saffin said.
“There was $780 million for Pacific Highway projects from Ballina to Ewingsdale, covering the two electorates there, Page and Richmond, and $90 million for the Alstonville Bypass; $23 million for Grafton Base Hospital to upgrade the operating theatre and emergency department and for a GP superclinic with no strings attached; $15 million for radiotherapy services at Lismore Base Hospital to accelerate its opening; $3 million for the Casino community centre; $2 million for the Casino town centre revitalisation; up to $2 million for the Yamba Sport and Recreation Centre; $1 million for the South Grafton town centre; $250,000 recurrent funding for the Northern Rivers Business Enterprise Centre; and $200,000 for the Lismore homeless shelter.
“That was the first commitment that we made, showing our concern for homelessness.
“There was also $125,000 for the upgrade of the Grafton saleyards and about $2 million spread across the region for community projects under the Stronger Families and Communities Strategy so that they could have continuity for the next three years.
“I will be working over the next three years to add many more much needed projects to my list of priorities.”
Ms Saffin also gave ‘two compelling reasons’ why she ran as a candidate for Page.
“The first was that John Howard’s coalition government had taken Australia to a place I did not like,” she said.
“I was working and living in Timor Leste, or East Timor, as we call it, and coming home to the Northern Rivers every few months. I had the advantage of looking through another lens at my beloved community and homeland and did not like what was happening.
“Mr Howard played wedge politics on so many issues. His brand of ruling, not leading, encouraged us to give vent to our most unkind view of others. He never managed to lead us and inspire us to be better human beings.
“I never thought I would see attack dogs and men in black balaclavas on our wharves, locking out workers. I saw it with my own eyes the first night it happened. I was then a member of the Legislative Council in the New South Wales parliament, and we went down to express our solidarity with the workers on the wharves. I was stunned. ‘Children overboard’ was the last straw. This was not the Australia of the fair go.”
PICTURE: Janelle Saffin on the campaign trail with Kevin Rudd at the Ballina RSL Club last November.
