Rees Must Backflip After Timely Warning On Killer North Coast Mini Budget

03 December 2008

Current Premier Nathan Rees had been given a timely warning on the dangers of his slash and burn approach to the North Coast contained in his disastrous mini-budget, Leader of The Nationals Andrew Stoner said today.

As reported in today’s Daily Telegraph, a woman critically injured in a car crash had to be flown to Queensland for treatment because not one NSW hospital could treat her.

In Parliament today, Mr Stoner asked the Premier how he would explain to Georgie Batterson why this car crash was able to take place on the Pacific Highway near Clybucca, which was the scene of the State’s worst road accident where 35 people were killed in 1989. The road has still not been upgraded.

This incident is a timely warning that lives would be lost due to the State Government’s mini-budget cuts, including 400 jobs cut from the North Coast Area Health Service and the $330 million taken out of the Pacific Highway upgrade budget.

“This terrible incident involving Georgie Batterson rings alarm bells as to what will happen if the State Government continues to neglect the Pacific Highway and the North Coast health system,” Mr Stoner said.

“Labor has run down our roads, hospitals and then made things worse in its killer mini-budget.

“It defies belief that Mrs Batterson was injured on a stretch of the Pacific Highway near Clybucca which is still not upgraded, near the scene of the State’s worst road accident.

“The fact that Mrs Batterson could not be treated in any NSW hospital despite a trauma doctor spending two hours on the phone pleading and begging them to take her is absolutely disgraceful.

“This incident sums up everything that is wrong with the State Labor Government.  Critical roads not upgraded, the health system at breaking point – and more cuts on the way.

“Despite roads being underfunded, the Pacific Highway is having $330 million cut from its upgrade budget. Despite hospitals being at breaking point, 400 jobs are going to be cut from the North Coast Area Health Service.

“Mrs Batterson’s ordeal shows these cuts must be reversed. Things are only going to get worse – and the price will be paid in human lives.

“Nathan Rees must backflip on his heartless cuts to the North Coast,” Mr Stoner said.