Kalgoorlie - WA - Marginal Liberal
Many of Kalgoorlie's issues are also national issues. Some have special significance for Kalgoorlie such as indigenous policies, industrial relations and housing.
Many will be hotly debated by the parties and
candidates. It is not an exhaustive list and there is a lot of overlap.
Training is an issue which runs through and has an impact on most of
the others.
Work Choices & AWAs
Both major parties believe that Industrial relations can be a winning
issue. The electorate has a high number of workers on AWAs. In the
mining sector this is believed to be a plus for the government but
there have rumbling about safety issues and the union, the CFMEU,
claims that research shows that mining workers on awards are actually
better off. The pilots who fly in the workers threatened strike action
recently over AWA related matters. Given the mobility and turnover rate
in this industry, it would be useful to know how many fly-in fly-out
workers are actually enrolled in Kalgoorlie.
Indigenous Policies
Given the high number of indigenous people in the seat, will the
Fedral intervention in NT aboriginal communities have an impact on
either indigenous or non-indigenous voters?
The Economy
Interest Rates
Has the government plus of 2004 moved into the debit column this time?
Growth
Record growth, low unemployment and generally optimism should help the
Coalition. Or are they seen as complacent without plans for the future.
Prices
Basic prices such as food and petrol are often mentioned,
especially the further away from Perth you get. Petrol went up 2 cents
this week after staying static for a long period.
Remote tax offsets
The local member Barry Haase has lobbied the Treasurer for an
increase in the tax offset for people living in remote areas. So far he
has been unsuccessful.
State Government services
There hasn’t been a Mersey hospital intervention yet but Haase sees
it as his role to pressure the State government over its service
delivery. The Kimberley seems to have a rebuilding program for its
hospitals and the Broome Police Station is being upgraded. Other
regions of the electorate will have their own experiences about
government services, including Federal ones.
The Environment
Mining, oil and gas and the infrastructure which goes with them are the
source of conflict over a fragile environment especially in coastal
areas. These are also linked to aboriginal issues such as the
preservation of the rock art sites in the Burrup Peninsula.
Housing
Availability
The Statewide shortage of houses to buy or rent is particularly
acute in many parts of the electorate. Boom towns like Port Hedland and
Broome are especially hard hit.
Affordability
Interest rates and availability are keeping houses prices at
record levels. Shortages of skilled labour and land are making it hard
to start building or renovating and expensive when you do.
Rents
Competition for rental properties has exploded with very few vacancies
in most areas and virtually none in places needing accommodation for
the mining, building and tourism industries. Rents have skyrocketed in
many areas.
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