Troy Grant: More than ever, the community needs to act in its own self-interest

SINCE announcing last week my intention to retire from public office after 30 years, although my family and I feel a great sense of relief and comfort, I’ve realised quickly that it’s not a time to simply reflect on what’s been, thank everyone for the very kind tributes, or undertake some kind of victory lap. There’s time for that later.

With eight months left in my tenure, I need the community to understand I haven’t resigned or walked away from the post.

With my remaining time, I will be focused on ensuring that the last seven years of success isn’t squandered. I want to set the next local member a platform that will continue to keep the prosperity we’ve worked so hard to gain. It’s vital that the community appreciates just how important the next election is. The Dubbo electorate needs the right person for the job. Understanding how we got here and why we got left behind in the past is important too.

The world has certainly changed dramatically over the last eight years, and the old adage that ‘a week is a long time in politics’ is now more true than most people would appreciate.

So too, our region has changed from the issues that challenged us in 2010-2011 when I put my hand up to represent the Dubbo electorate. More often than not, the challenges are overcoming the perception of an issue rather than dealing with the reality of the issue. Today, unsubstantiated claims trump the truth.

A worldwide 24-hour news cycle, declining capability in quality and resourcing of media outlets, and the unaccountable and relentless social media platform demands more accountability from the establishment combined with unrealistic demands and timeframes.

How times have changed. And not necessarily for the better! But these changes mean the onus is on the community to switch on in their own self-interest. It has never been more important.

In 2010 the main issue for Dubbo (Dubbo Electorate) was that, after 12 years of Independent representation, and despite the gallant and best efforts of the quality individuals who represented us, we were ‘out of sight and out of mind’ of State Government decision-makers.

Commitments – and there were many – specifically related to promises of new hospitals for Parkes and Dubbo that were never realised. Only some token efforts of funding for a Masterplan (later discarded) in the last throws of a dysfunctional government were realised.

My brief was clear to me: make Dubbo relevant, have a plan ‘New Horizons’, secure a voice at the decision-making table and get investment flowing to our area.

We had been known for a long time as a ‘Hub of the West’ – both our geographical location and the number of government, retail and Industry sectors that were represented here made us a natural drawing card for communities north, south, east and west of us. How to achieve more interest and subsequently more investment was the challenge, and the answer laid in one word: TEAM.

Independent Member Anthony (Tony) Mcgrane, who was adored locally and respected in State Parliament, lamented late in his life that he wished he stayed on as Mayor of Dubbo rather than enter State Parliament. The greatest evidence supporting his statement was his admission he achieved more in his Mayoral role. Tony could orate all the virtues of the needs of Dubbo better than most; he shared, as I do, a passion for our area and demanded a fair go.

However, despite how popular and how respected he was, the State Labor Government largely ignored his and subsequently Dubbo’s needs. Not his fault. Because the harsh reality was he was isolated as an Independent and had no one backing him up. His neighbouring MPS or communities were not going to advocate for his cause over their own.

It’s an extremely competitive environment in Macquarie Street Sydney, salivating over the State Government financial pie. If you do not have a seat at the decision-making table, you can kiss any real financial gains for your electorate good-bye.

Independent Member Dawn Fardell, a local champion, turned up at everything and took up the causes of everyone and had some victories, but they paled into insignificance compared to Orange. Represented by Russell Turner, a Nationals Member in opposition, a 30 per cent favourable difference in funding to Orange over Dubbo during her term was the harsh reality. I cite the Orange Hospital as Exhibit Number 1.

Her poisoned chalice was that Orange was united from Local Government to State to Federal. Not by political alignment but by a common cause – and Dubbo was not. She suffered again from the isolation experienced by Tony, in that Labor could easily ignore her with little political consequence. And she was also hampered by the lack of unity in the Electorate.

Dubbo City Council was an ego-driven dysfunctional entity and gave her no consequential help. Her other areas were patriotic to their own detriment. Her greatest conquest in my view was the work she did with local Police responding to the Gordon Estate issues and these were local achievements garnered in partnership.

So in 2011, the challenge lay and the work began in earnest with a coalition government and a sitting National Party member. Seven years on, over 100 Ministerial visits to the electorate, eight visits by the Premier, and $1.19 billion in funding grants for programs and projects above and beyond core government funding has flowed into Dubbo. The description of this period by Roger Fletcher as a ‘Golden Age’ of infrastructure investment for our region is probably appropriate, and I am very humbled to have played my role. The secret to the success though is one I credit to the Team.

My office and I have obviously formed strong relationships from day one with the key decision-makers in Government in the key areas where Dubbo needed investment. Not the Ministers alone, but members of the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC), key policy and political staff and key Government bureaucrats.

Following the Local Government elections in 2012, Dubbo City Council joined with me and the other Councils in working together for common local and regional goals collectively rather than patriotically, and of course Federal Members Mark Coulton and John Cobb played a supporting role.

The business community, government agencies and community groups also joined in working together in the same direction – and success followed. No longer were the merits of our submissions competing across the State, we were on the strength of our relationships at the front of mind for Government for investment.

We became and remain the first place considered regionally to announce new government initiatives and to trial new programs or policies. That focus remains today and is the clearest distinction between Independent representation (good people doing their best on the outside knocking on doors) to a member of the Government on the inside, with access and a capability of bringing everyone on board, supporting the same mission.

We have moved from a hub of the west to the Capital of the West, and it’s vital we hold that standing.

The voting public has grown to be cynical and fickle, and the silent majority has become its weakest link. Large and loud vitriolic headlines now dominate without evidence or merit. Hints of self-interest or bias set the tone of political debate, and some of the Dubbo Regional Councillors are leading the diminishing of the Team Dubbo concept, taking us back towards the bad days pre-2012.

How does maligning the State Government you rely on for funding serve the community’s interest? In 2018, we again have those arguing that an Independent voice would be a voice for Dubbo’s best interest.

Please, I ask, how can it be in Dubbo’s best interest to isolate yourself from a Government with $4.15 billion to be distributed and not have a front row seat at that decision-making table?

The decision will be the community’s ultimately, and I respect your right. My obligation, having been your servant since 2011, is to inform you as best I can of the realities of what has been done and why. To articulate the investments I’m securing for the electorate before I leave the post and to make sure the established Team Dubbo mentality endures. Please consider carefully what is presented to you by those seeking your vote, as Fact or Fiction, in their interest or yours.

Many thanks for all the support for Toni, the kids and myself. It’s been truly appreciated, but I’ll get to that in greater detail later, when my time in the Electorate finishes. With sincere gratitude and humility for the trust in me, and the opportunity to serve, I say thank you.