On the evening of Wednesday the 24th of September a Q&A session was hosted at The Central Coast Leagues Club (Gosford) titled “Leaders Listen“. Organised by the Central Coast Union Alliance the event was billed as an opportunity to ask questions of Mike Baird (NSW Liberal Premier), John Robertson (NSW Labor Leader), Dr. John Kaye (NSW Greens Party), Rev. Fred Nile (Christian Democratic Party), and Robert Borsak MLC – Shooters and Fishers Party NSW.
As it turned out here is who turned up to Listen to their constituents. Clockwise from top left we have An Empty Chair representing the Liberal Party (seems they had no Leader who wanted to Listen); John Robertson – NSW Labor Leader; Christian Democrats candidate for Newcastle Milton Caine (standing in for the Rev. Fred Nile); and Dr John Kaye – MLC for the Greens Party for the Central Coast.
The representative of the Shooters and Fishers party was also absent as he was apparently busy looking at a map of national parks, planning his next weekend away.
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- Liberal Party’s empty seat
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- John Robertson
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- Dr. John Kaye
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- Milton Caine
We were lucky enough to be picked to ask a question, which unfortunately we did not capture a recording of me asking. Our question was:
“My name is Simon Perry. Together with my friend and colleague John Edye I am co-convenor of a community group that represents all the residents of the Central Coast Mountain Districts and their concerns toward Coal Seam Gas mining. The Mountain Districts are within AGL’s PEL2. The Mountain Districts contain an aquifer tht supplies 50% of the water for the coast, and supports all of the area’s farming industry. We have advice that the aquifer would be placed at serious risk by Coal Seam Gas mining. The coast communities have been exempted from CSG, the Mountain Districts have not. My question is; what personal commitment will you give and what commitment will your party give to permanently protect the Central Coast Mountain Districts, and other communities like ours all across NSW from Coal Seam Gas mining?
This video (approx. 8 minute runtime) shows their respective responses.
– John Robertson’s response is first – after the question displays (skip 60 seconds in if you wish to get to the response)
– John Kayes is at about 2:55 mark
– Milton Caine starts at about 5:35.
– The Liberal Party’s empty chair didn’t have anything to say.
gasfieldfreemountaindistrict 