grodscorp@grods.comThe Secret Diary of Brendan Nelson: Bourke
 | Posted by The Editor on Thursday 10 April 2008, 7:35 pm Categories: Politics Tags: Tags: Bourke, BrendanNelson, LiberalParty, ListeningTour |
Today’s episode of Bren-doc Nelson’s Magical Listening Tour diary takes us out to rural Bourke.
Bourke is one of the quintessential towns of western New South Wales. We arrived from Sydney and had the opportunity to spend time with 50 or so seniors in the new ‘Back O’Bourke’ tourist development.
Do you think they bus in seniors to Liberal political functions the way they used to bus in seniors to tapings of The Midday Show because it’s the only way to fill seats?
These are men and women who have either been born in Bourke or spent most of their life in Bourke engaged in backbreaking work that has driven the economic development of this important part of Australia.
No group of Australians know more about drought and water management issues than the people of Bourke.
Except for drought and water management scientists and experts. But, you know…
Surviving on the pension, cost of living pressures…
Drink!
…and of course, water and the sense of isolation that the people of Bourke feel were issues foremost in their mind.
Isolation? Move to Sydney.
Whilst there has been some rain in the north and north-east of the Shire it’s still important that the farming community have the necessary financial support to restock and get their farms and businesses moving again.
Again, as for many parts of remote Australia, getting young people to university if that’s what they choose to do is a real financial struggle in need of further policy development.
Can’t wait to see a bit of, what did you call it again? Oh, policy from the Liberal Party, Dr Nelson.
The Aboriginal people of Bourke and Brewarrina are also after additional funding to support a men’s group that is facing the scourge of domestic violence and also the development of a facility for Aboriginal women in need of support.
Simple, Bren-doc. Ban the booze, ban the porn and abolish permits. Job done.
As one of the Bourke old timers said to me, ‘We’re very proud of the way the Aboriginal people are facing up to their problems. They just need a bit of help from the rest of us and especially in creating and finding jobs.’
Amen to that.
GrodsThink Ep.31 (16/9/08)
