Jim, I am a little puzzled at Mike Gallacher being "Minister for the Hunter". According to his bio, he was born in Scotland, grew up in Sydney and now lives on the Central Coast. I don't know what local knowledge and insight he brings to bear in this position. How can someone understand a communities needs and desires if he has never lived there? It smacks of being Sydney's representative in the Hunter rather than the Hunter's representative in Sydney.
Actually, I don't think that there should even be such a position. We have five Hunter members in the government - if they cannot help formulate and influence decisions relating to their electorates and the Hunter region then there is something wrong with government in this state.
The government should be a government for the entire state. It should not need a minister for any specific region.
You have a point, Greg. One of the issues from a New England perspective is that we have three ministers each responsible for bits. But will they coordinate?
And, as usual with philistine governments, The Arts come somewhere below hayburners! AND a minister who presumably has absolutely no connection with, no interest in and almost certainly no knowledge! the cultural desert is still alive and well in NSW.
Jim, I am a little puzzled at Mike Gallacher being "Minister for the Hunter". According to his bio, he was born in Scotland, grew up in Sydney and now lives on the Central Coast. I don't know what local knowledge and insight he brings to bear in this position. How can someone understand a communities needs and desires if he has never lived there? It smacks of being Sydney's representative in the Hunter rather than the Hunter's representative in Sydney.
ReplyDeleteActually, I don't think that there should even be such a position. We have five Hunter members in the government - if they cannot help formulate and influence decisions relating to their electorates and the Hunter region then there is something wrong with government in this state.
The government should be a government for the entire state. It should not need a minister for any specific region.
You have a point, Greg. One of the issues from a New England perspective is that we have three ministers each responsible for bits. But will they coordinate?
ReplyDeleteAnd, as usual with philistine governments, The Arts come somewhere below hayburners! AND a minister who presumably has absolutely no connection with, no interest in and almost certainly no knowledge! the cultural desert is still alive and well in NSW.
ReplyDeleteHi anon. Not quite sure where George stands on the arts. I simply don't know his interests well enough. But it sure is a crazy rag-bag of titles!
ReplyDelete