I heard recently that the Rudd Labor Government’s Better Regions Program, which apparently replaces the Coalition initiated Regional Partnerships Program, is simply a vehicle for delivering its election commitments and that these projects will not go through the same process of vetting by the Department that Regional Partnerships applications had to go through.

I understand you are now sitting on the House of Representatives inquiry looking at the previous Regional Partnerships Program. I wonder will you be so critical and scathing of Labor as you were of the previous Coalition Government?

I also noted that of the 86 Regional Partnerships applications that the Rudd Government put on hold and now have backflipped on – not one has come to the New England region.

Come on Mr Windsor, it’s about time you did something for the New England electorate.

Peter Cookson

TAMWORT