It comes as no surprise that Labor’s Luke Foley is busy making plans to visit Maitland in his first week as opposition leader.
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With Maitland Liberal MP Robyn Parker stepping down at the March election and the party’s candidate Steve Thomson still to announce his policies, Mr Foley clearly sees Maitland as a seat ready for the taking.
Recent history shows us the party that wins Maitland usually wins government – and that would be reason enough to make Mr Foley a regular visitor to our city in the lead-up to the March election.
He told the Mercury’s Nick Bielby yesterday that he would visit Maitland before Sunday and promised to return to the city as often as he could to support Maitland Labor candidate Jenny Aitchison.
Ms Aitchison announced her election priorities this week, saying a Labor government would conduct open consultation and look at options for a new school.
While stopping short of promising money for the project, Ms Aitchison also identified the need for better health, education and infrastructure as our city grows.
Mr Foley is right when he says Maitland is a vital seat for Labor to win at the election on March 28.
His predecessor John Robertson was a regular visitor to the city and was opposed to the government’s plan to cut the heavy rail line into Newcastle.
It’s pleasing to see that Mr Foley is also “committed to retaining the rail line right into the centre of Newcastle,” a move that will land Labor many votes.
The next 11 weeks will certainly be interesting as the major parties roll out their big guns to try to win voters.
