With the state and federal elections roughly a year away, James Harker-Mortlock, a Yass Valley resident since 2005 and member of the National Party, recently sat down with the Tribune recently to discuss issues in the region.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While the National Party cannot put forward a candidate for the Goulburn electorate due to an agreement with the Liberal Party, Mr Harker-Mortlock said they aimed to have candidates for the next local and federal (Eden-Monaro) elections.
“At the state level, we certainly want to run a candidate as soon as we’re able to within the confines of the coalition agreement.
“We’ll have to wait until Pru Goward steps down or if Dr Ursula Stephens [Labor] wins,” he said.
Mr Harker-Mortlock, who is also managing director at Acquisdata (a financial news publisher), said rural roads, the Barton Highway, Yass District Hospital and education should be top priorities for all governments and that more action was needed.
Yass District Hospital redevelopment
“It’s good to see the the hospital redevelopment, but I also agree with people wanting the maternity department back.
“It’s a start but we want to go further,” he said.
Mr Harker-Mortlock said that action from governments was problematic because “Yass is in this limbo area between the NSW and Commonwealth Governments”.
“No one seems to be prepared to accept responsibility for expenditures. Too often the NSW Government kicks responsibility down the corridor to the Federal Government, who then pushes back on that.”
He said the $8m redevelopment could be viewed as a band-aid solution. “Given the rapid growth of the valley, we need more than band-aid solutions,” he said.
Roads and transport
As for the Barton Highway, he said the Federal Government still regard Yass as a feeder suburb to the ACT.
“They don’t realise that the highway is the final link between the national capital and Melbourne and Central West NSW,” he said.
On the topic of roads, he said rural roads and public transport are important, particularly for older residents.
“The coordination and communication between government and private entities providing these services need to be improved,” he said.
Other focus in Yass Valley
More focus on other villages in the LGA was also an issue on Mr Harker-Mortlock’s radar.
“There seems to be a lot of focus on Murrumbateman and other parts of the valley are often forgotten about,” he said.
While Mr Harker-Mortlock said Murrumbateman needed a public school, governments must also focus on “places beyond this connection between Canberra, Murrumbateman and Yass”.
“A big problem with the local council is that there isn’t enough genuine rural ratepayers on the council,” he said.
Looking ahead
As chairman of the Goulburn State Electorate Council and spokesperson for the Nationals for Eden-Monaro, Mr Harker-Mortlock said preselections of federal and local candidates should be completed by year’s end.
“We believe we have a strong chance of winning that seat [Eden-Monaro],” he said.
As for a local candidate, he said it was “something we’ve done before”.
“But we’re wanting to use that as a way of developing our presence in the area,” Mr Harker-Mortlock said.
