NSW: Stoner says no changes til rural impact statements prepared

AAP General News (Australia)
12-04-2003
NSW: Stoner says no changes til rural impact statements prepared

SYDNEY, Dec 4 AAP - NSW Nationals leader Andrew Stoner said today governments should
prepare genuine impact statements before making decisions affecting rural communities.

Mr Stoner said there was unprecedented anger across country communities over moves
to merge local councils, possibly withdraw CountryLink services, restrict land clearing
and raise gaming machine taxes.

He said he would introduce a private member's bill forcing governments to prepare genuine
Rural Communities Impact Statements before making decisions affecting the social and economic
wellbeing of rural communities.

"It will introduce and codify the premier's own promise made in 1996 to introduce Rural
Communities Impact Statements as part of the cabinet decision-making process," Mr Stoner
told reporters.

"We have legislation which protects threatened species in NSW but no legislation to
protect threatened communities, and many small towns in country NSW are saying they are
being threatened, they are being disenfranchised by this government and they've had a
gutful."

In August 1996, Premier Bob Carr announced that changes proposed by government departments
in rural NSW would be subject to a Rural Communities Impact Statement to assess their
economic impact.

A spokesman for Mr Carr said every cabinet decision is required to include a Rural
Communities Impact Statement.

"Every government agency gets consulted on it," he said.

AAP jph/kbw/rcg E

KEYWORD: RURAL

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