FEDERAL MP Rob Oakeshott's community forum in Taree was well attended yesterday, demonstrating that representative democracy is alive and well in regional Australia.
At the top of the community's agenda was the carbon tax and coal seam gas mining exploration currently happening across the region. The community also expressed their concerns regarding foreign investment regulation and ownership of Australian agricultural resources.
Mr Oakeshott spoke of the benefits a carbon tax would bring to the region and in particular the proposed $10 billion renewable infrastructure fund to drive research and investment in the renewable energy sector.
"Large-scale renewables can't be built in metropolitan areas, so there will be good opportunities for industry investment in regions like ours in the future."
He agreed there needs to be greater transparency regarding foreign investment in Australia with a clear mechanism in place to determine who owns what.
Land use planning � agriculture versus mining � was discussed at length with the community voicing strong concern over the future of our agricultural industry in the region and nationally.
Mr Oakeshott described access to high quality education as the 'moral and economic challenge of our time' underpinning the long-term economic stability and sustainability of our region.
Other items of discussion included: the health of democracy in Australia, the Building Education Revolution, National Broadband Network and the high speed rail proposal.
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