THE battle for the seat of Upper Hunter is heating up even further, with another group stating its intentions to contest next year’s NSW Election.
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A week after the Shooters Fishers and Farmers unveiled Lee Watts as its candidate to run against Nationals incumbent Michael Johnsen and Country Labor’s Martin Rush, John Murray will represent the True Blue Party Australia.
The new political faction was formed out of a need for mainstream Australians to have a voice on important issues such as energy policies, immigration, security and freedom of speech, according to their chairman who grew up in the Hunter.
“I’ve come out strongly [in the past] against plans by AGL to close both Liddell and Bayswater Power Stations in the Upper Hunter, saying these closures are in themselves bad enough,” Mr Murray said.
“But, the public announcement means that prime investment opportunities would be walking away from the Hunter Valley today and those existing businesses that need reliable and affordable energy would, also, be now making plans to leave the area as well.
“The Hunter has some of the best quality coal in the world and we have it in abundance.
“To close down two of the top three coal-fired power stations in Australia that sit right on top of some of the richest coal seams in the world is madness.
“We must oppose these plans by AGL for the alternative is the losses of thousands of jobs, it will decimate the Hunter and have a massive negative impact on NSW energy supplies as well,”
Mr Murray said “we urgently need to adopt a common-sense approach to securing affordable, reliable base load energy”.
“Coal has been a wonderful resource for the Hunter,” he explained.
“And, we must continue to use it for base load power until the next generation of affordable/reliable power supply comes along.”
To prove his point, Mr Murray will undertake a solo protest walk from the Liddell Power Station to Branxton’s Drovers Camp (at the back of Branxton).
He’ll also push a wheelbarrow load of black coal to raise funds.
The three-day walk will finish at the Drovers Camp on Sunday, November 4, where an Aussie music, bush poems and country barbecue are scheduled between 10am and 4pm.
To be called True Blue Aussie Music, limited tickets are available online with Sticky Tickets.
“If you love the Hunter and are concerned with what these closures will do for this area please come along,” Mr Murray said.
“We have a great day planned.”
