Mr Hosking says the Nationals have a raft of policies designed to improve things from the grassroots level through to major projects but everyone needs to understand unless Labor is voted out, and a new government with history, with policies, with leadership and with a Victorian vision is voted in, it will be a disaster.
“The last thing Victoria needs is another four years of Labor, and the best protest to make against the past decade of decline is to elect a new government with the plan and the people to get the job done,” Mr Hosking said.
“We face a lot of challenges — and in regional Victoria that has been compounded by a decade of neglect which has seen infrastructure spending slashed to barely 12 per cent of the state’s spend.
“The Nationals’ Fair Share Guarantee is exactly that — we will ensure 25 per cent of all infrastructure spending will be made in regional Victoria, where 25 per cent of us live.
“That’s the big-ticket stuff, but people are also looking for impact on the bottom line because we are all facing the cost-of-living squeeze and we have policies which will help turn that around.”
Mr Hosking says that includes scrapping the VNI West project, which he says was going to add $600 to every Victorian’s power bill.
He says the Nationals will also scrap the Emergency Services and Volunteers Fund levy, which is projected to raise $2 billion.
“And that’s just a start — Labor’s brutal land tax will also go so people can invest in their own futures, not a Labor government’s blown budgets,” Mr Hosking said.
“We will also repeal proposed taxes on schools, GP visits and short-stay accommodation, and restore the $300,000 land tax-free threshold and lift the payroll tax threshold to $1.2 million.
“The Nationals will also remove stamp duty entirely for first-home buyers purchasing properties valued up to $1 million – whether established or off-the-plan.
“And like the Fair Share Guarantee, we guarantee there’ll be no new taxes.”
Mr Hosking says renewable energy is a major topic in many regional areas and says the Nationals will take the debate back where it belongs and restore the VCAT rights of all property owners.
He says “those rights were stripped away by an ideological insanity” and attacked the foundation of the Australian lifestyle.
“Will renewable energy be part of everyone’s future? Absolutely. Does that empower governments to jackboot their way through your farm gate or front door? Absolutely not,” Mr Hosking said.
“We need an orderly approach to long-term energy needs, a strategy which ensures the lights remain on at an affordable price, and which protect the individual rights of property owners.
“That is also crucial because Victoria is essential to Australia’s food and fibre security. While Victorian represents three per cent of Australia’s landmass, it generates 25 per cent of Australia’s agricultural output.
“To achieve that we need farmers with access to land, water, labour and markets, and with my background as VFF president and chair of Birchip Cropping Group I understand how that all works, and how we need to work with Canberra, which controls the water and immigration and impacts on imports and exports.”
Mr Hosking also dismissed claims our region had been taken for granted — he says a combination of projects started under the previous Nationals-Liberals government, and others fought for by Nationals members in opposition, have delivered big time.
He says Echuca’s new bridge, the go-ahead for Swan Hill’s new bridge, the massive upgrade of Swan Hill hospital, the new Cohuna hospital and aged care complex, and the Twin Rivers Primary School and Specialist School combined campus are all examples of what has been delivered in Murray Plains.
“Cohuna is now getting a new combined childcare/kindergarten complex and we have seen new fire, police and ambulance stations across the electorate,” Mr Hosking said.
“Murray Plains has done very well with a Nationals MP, and while I am not Peter Walsh, I believe as a fifth-generation family and business owner in our electorate, I understand it as much as he does, and I will bring new energy and enthusiasm to build on the brilliant job Peter and the Nationals have done for us all.”
