Background and experience in politics: You shouldn't ask a lady her age! But I will say that I have spent 30 years travelling in through Western NSW working in the community health sector, 20 years as a local councillor and I have served as Mayor of Broken Hill since 2016.
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Profession outside of politics? Community Health worker with the Far Western local health service.
Why are you running for the seat of Barwon? Our region is suffering from years of neglect by the National Party and we need a real local champion. This government has its priorities all wrong and they have forgotten who they are supposed to represent. Luckily this is still a democracy and we have the power of the ballot box.
Why should people vote for the party you stand for? Labor will always put people first. We will ensure that people in this electorate get their fair share of funding for hospitals, schools and local infrastructure that our tax pays for and that we deserve.
What are the top three issues in the electorate? Health and education, jobs and fixing out water crisis. I would also add fixing our regional and local roads. On health we are continuing to fall behind the city. Labor will invest in large and small regional hospitals, we will introduce nurse-to-patient ratios and employ thousands more nurses and allied health staff. We will extend pre-school to every three and four-year-old in the State, employ 5000 more teachers and we will air-condition every school and replace ageing demountables with new permanent classrooms.
Why should people vote for you? I am fearless when it comes to standing up for the people I represent. I have been a fierce advocate for health and education in the regions and the need for us to invest in our small towns and address the water crisis.
How do you propose to bring more jobs to the electorate? Labor will make TAFE free for skills shortage areas like construction, electrical trades, child car and aged care. This will allow locals to train in these jobs and for these areas of critical shortage to be filled by locals. We will mandate that 50 percent of the value of NSW government contracts be spent locally, instead of sending jobs overseas like the Liberals and Nationals do.
What do you feel is the biggest issue affecting people in Nyngan? We need to restore the balance of funding so that more flows to regional centres like Nyngan. When the Liberal and National Government sold our precious electricity assets they promised that 30 percent of this money would flow to the regions. Years later barely 17 per cent has been spent outside Sydney. Meanwhile electricity prices are up 60 percent to come of the highest in the developed world.
How do you propose to help with this should you be elected? I will be an unapologetic advocate for services for our region, and unlike the Liberals and Nationals, Labor will not spend $2.2 billion dollars pulling down and rebuilding stadiums in Sydney. This money will be freed up to ensure that schools, hospitals and roads are provided at the standard we deserve.
What is your favourite book/hobby/activity? I am pretty busy, but when I have the time I like reading biographies.
Zaarkacha Marlan
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
