Locations, Locations, Locations: Baikie Travels Reiverina

My team and I have been travelling hundreds of kilometres all around the electorate. I have visited and spoken to people from the many towns, villages and locations. The real joy of that is the many enjoyable and informative meetings with people who have shared their views and concerns with us.

We have now met with mayors from the LGAs in the electorate; involving in depth discussions. I’ve appeared at community forums closer to home at Gunning, and at the Central NSW Joint Organisation in Orange with other Candidates. I have welcomed the chance to speak about my passion for democracy and true representation for rural and regional Australians.

One thing that stands out for me in our travels is that there are so many regional women running small businesses and having to work very hard to keep them afloat, often travelling long distances each day from home to work and sometimes to two different workplaces. It is these businesses that are the backbone of the towns to keep them afloat.

Another matter that has been raised again and again is the issue of internet black spots.

These are numerous across the Riverina and can lead to lifeor-death situations when accidents or health emergencies occur. Surely rural and regional Australia deserves to be efficiently and economically serviced by the internet and phone service providers.

Regional communities face ongoing problems in attracting and keeping teachers, pharmacists and doctors.

Some communities have found their own solutions to these issues, and this is where things are working better, demonstrating the power of strong local support and action.

Closer to where I live, there has been a lot of change with new housing developments bringing in young families. Small businesses are cropping up, often run by committed young women or families. However, the rise in prices across the board has meant that many people are shopping online, chasing bargains or the cheaper prices which large corporations can offer.

This adds to the burden for all local traders. People often have to travel for work or health services to larger towns and will do their shopping while there, which again has an impact on the smaller townsA less visible issue is that some small rural holdings are being absorbed by large corporations, meaning that the small towns nearby are struggling to thrive. The drain to the bigger cities of young people looking for work is another element of this.

All this sounds quite dismal for the small towns however that is not the case, there is many vibrant initiatives taking place, and great pride of their towns and the community spirit within.

It’s been enlightening and heart-warming to be greeted by so many people across the thousands of square kilometres of the Riverina, and Peter and I would like to thank everyone for their hospitality and willingness to share their life stories with us.

• Topics:
• Politics
• Elections
• Federal Election