Invitation still open for Bourke to join Calare tour
Posted
The Federal Opposition's agriculture spokesman, John Cobb, says his invitation still stands for the Minister Tony Bourke to join him on a tour of his Calare electorate this week.
Mr Cobb will travel to Warren and Nyngan today, before visiting Brewarrina, Bourke, Cobar, Hillston and Condobolin.
He says he is determined to show the Minister Brewarrina, which is the most drought-affected part of Australia that is no longer classified as being in Exceptional Circumstances.
"We cannot get the Agriculture Minister Tony Burke interested in coming out," he said.
"I invited him a long time ago to come out an visit the most drought affected part of Australia and see if he shouldn't need to change the rules to encompass a place like that along with Bourke which was the first place in Australia to go into Exceptional Circumstances in this drought."
Mr Cobb will also meet western mayors on his tour to discuss their concerns about plans to turn a historic Bourke station into a national park.
The state and federal governments will pay almost $24 million for the property and return its water entitlements to the Darling River.
Mr Cobb says the Bourke council will lose rates income once the land becomes a national park.
"That is something that doesn't just worry farmers, doesn't just worry productivity, it worries councils because once it's a national park it doesn't pay rates, it becomes a burden on the community, rather than a productive addition to it," he said.
