COPY CAT NATS - Nationals rebrand Butler’s Public Service Teleworking policy as their own
Member for Barwon Roy Butler is today calling out the NSW Nationals Leader on his policy copy-paste, wasting the time of the NSW Parliament.
“In May 2020 I publicly – and through letters to all regional Parliamentarians and the Premier – announced my intention to pursue changes to allow public servants to work remotely in regional NSW, by September I introduced a Regional Teleworking Bill to the NSW Parliament, and in November the NSW Nationals voted it down,” said Mr Butler.
“They sat opposite me in the Chamber thumbing their nose at people in regional NSW – denying them the opportunity to take up Government jobs in the bush because their own egos wouldn’t allow them to support a Bill brought by me.
“Now we see the Deputy Premier blatantly hitting copy and paste on my proposal and slapping Nationals branding on it – you cannot make this stuff up.
“I’ve always said I’m not in this for personal glory – I’m in it for positive outcomes for our communities – but the actions from the Deputy Premier have hit an all-time low.
“It’s a waste of the Parliament’s time, and to me shows that positive changes for regional NSW isn’t the aim of the Nats game, they’re it for the glory.
“This is just another instance of the NSW Nationals rebranding Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Policy as their own – from the extension of drought relief, to our water policies and Right to Farm Bill.”
Despite the politicking around these changes Mr Butler welcomes the opportunities this will bring to for people living in the bush.
“Allowing public servants to choose a life in the bush, and allowing people in our communities to apply for jobs that traditionally would have gone to people in the city is a good thing for our communities,” said Mr Butler.
“Public servant salaries in our towns will have an enormous economic benefit to the community. This is absolutely a good thing.
“These changes are common sense, they’ll have tangible benefits to our communities, and importantly our public servants have shown through the pandemic that they’re more than capable of working remotely.
“Let’s just get it done and stop wasting people’s time – there’s a lot of work to do in the bush – too much to worry about game playing.”
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You can read the Bill I introduced to Parliament here: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/bills/Pages/bill-details.aspx?pk=3778
My speech introducing the Bill here: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/'HANSARD-1323879322-112848'
You can read the debate on the Bill here: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Hansard/Pages/HansardResult.aspx#/docid/HANSARD-1323879322-114697/link/2239
Today’s article from the Daily Telegraph and the Nationals announcement here: