City-based politicians must stop sabotaging regional development

Instead of standing before communities to justify decisions, the likes of Tanya Plibersek opt for distant, insulated environments far removed from the realities of rural life, says NSW shadow minister for water Steph Cooke.

It’s no secret that regional communities in New South Wales have unique needs and ambitious aspirations, both of which require the support of government. Yet, we’re witnessing the exact opposite - a disturbing trend where decisions made by federal leaders, particularly Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek, are leaving us high and dry—both figuratively and literally.

Now well reported, Minister Plibersek has dealt a significant blow to Blayney and Orange by blocking a project that would have created 800 jobs and injected nearly a billion dollars into our Central West.

Her decision is questionable, leaving us to wonder: was this really about cultural heritage or more about securing votes in her inner-city electorate, where such issues resonate with her base?

But it doesn’t stop with the McPhillamys project. It’s one of many decisions that show a complete disregard for the socioeconomic realities of rural and regional New South Wales.

Local butcher owner Tanya Cassel says she had hoped the Regis gold mine would bring more business into Blayney. Picture: Ellie Dudley / The Australian

Right now, Minister Plibersek is buying back 70GL of water from the Southern Basin of the Murray Darling Basin -yet another blow to our farmers and rural communities.

These water buybacks are nothing short of an economic disaster for our state that will cost the NSW economy millions every year, push up food production costs, and devastate rural communities.

These decisions are clear examples of how out of touch she is with the needs of rural communities.

The entrance to McPhillamys Gold Project. Picture: Rohan Kelly

More concerning, however, is the broader pattern of behaviour that has become all too familiar under Minister Plibersek’s watch—a pattern in which she avoids facing the very communities her decisions affect the most.

Whether it’s the people of Blayney, who are left grappling with hundreds of potential job losses, or the small communities in the south of the state who will suffer from water buybacks, Plibersek consistently fails to front up and explain her actions.

Instead of standing in front of these communities to justify her decisions, she opts for distant, insulated environments far removed from the realities of rural life. This approach not only undermines trust, leaving communities everywhere wondering if they will be next affected by a bad government decision but also shows a disturbing lack of accountability from a federal leader whose decisions have far-reaching consequences.

Shadown minister for water, Steph Cooke. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

It’s difficult not to interpret these federal interventions, which are done under the guise of environmental and cultural protection, as nothing more than political game-play – that there’s one set of rules for projects that benefit regional communities and another for those that align with the government’s inner-city agenda.

It’s time for Minister Plibersek to stop playing politics with the lives of regional Australians. Our communities deserve better. We deserve leaders who understand our challenges and are willing to stand up for our future, not just cater to the whims of their inner-city constituencies.

Regional NSW is resilient, but we need support, not sabotage, from our government. The decisions being made today will echo for generations, and if Minister Plibersek continues down this path, it’s our rural communities that will bear the brunt of her misguided policies.

Steph Cooke is the NSW shadow minister for water