by admin | Nov 28, 2014 | Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE DAIRY FACTORY WILL CLOSE IF FOREIGN BUY UP GOES AHEAD ONE of south-west Victoria’s four dairy factories will close and a quarter of the district’s dairy industry jobs will be lost if the Chinese government’s plans to buy up our prime agricultural land go ahead, says Vote 1 Local Jobs founder James Purcell. Linear Capital, an investment company with links to the Chinese Government, is planning to buy dozens of south-west dairy farms. Mr Purcell said it is understood the proposal involves an entire controlled production line that would see hundreds of millions of dollars of infant milk formula sent straight to China. “The 50 south-west dairy farms Linear Capital is planning to purchase contribute 500 million litres of milk per year, a quarter of the south-west’s annual milk supply,” Mr Purcell said. “The direct export plans we understand the proposal involves, will see the milk product directly removed from our economy. “Due to the model they are proposing there will be very little benefit to south-west Victoria, or Australia as a whole. “The whole production line, from the farm to the international customer, could be totally invisible to us.” Mr Purcell said the proposal was deeply concerning for the south-west’s economy, future jobs and the status of our agricultural sector. “If you take out a quarter of our product and a quarter of our income, a quarter of our jobs will also go. “We have four dairy factories locally. Take away 25% of our milk and one of our dairy factories will be without product. “This is hugely concerning for south-west Victoria.” Vote 1 Local Jobs...
by admin | Nov 24, 2014 | Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE A FURTHER five per cent of government services should be relocated to regional areas to increase accessibility and job opportunities, says Vote 1 Local Jobs founder James Purcell. Mr Purcell said it was time initiatives were developed to stop the rural drain to Melbourne and increase regional residents’ accessibility to government services. “The concentration of government departments in Melbourne makes it difficult for regional residents to access services and also denies country people significant employment opportunities,” Mr Purcell said. “Relocating a further five per cent of government departments to regional areas will provide greater job security and encourage future generations to gain meaningful employment in their hometowns. “It will help combat our rising youth unemployment rate, provide more diverse job opportunities and also help with the youth drain to Melbourne which is becoming more prominent.” Mr Purcell suggests rural or agriculture related state government departments be relocated to regional areas. “There has been substantial closures of government departments in regional Victoria over recent years and this must be reversed. “From a job perspective it is important we have a diverse range of job opportunities and relocation of these departments will certainly provide a greater variety of jobs. “Relocating these departments will also increase confidence in the economic stability of these towns and in turn increase economic growth. We need to stop being disadvantaged.” Vote 1 Local Jobs is Western Victoria’s newest political party. It was created by Moyne Shire Councillor and former Mayor James Purcell. It has been inundated with support and has more than 850 members. Mr Purcell stood at the last state and federal election...
by admin | Nov 18, 2014 | Media Release
MEDIA RELEASE VOTE 1 Local Jobs has announced its second Upper House candidate for the Western District – Tanya Waterson. Owner/operator of her own communications business and a mother of three primary school children, Ms Waterson said she had considered a tilt at politics for some time. “I’ve always been interested in politics and was approached to stand for Council at the last election but the timing wasn’t right for my family,” Ms Waterson said. “This year my youngest child is in grade prep so I felt I was in a position to commit to being a candidate at the state election.” Ms Waterson said she was hoping to bring a fresh perspective to the male-dominated political scene. “I think this election is so important because there is a very real risk of the area where we live missing out again. If Vote 1 Local Jobs isn’t elected it is highly likely there will be no local representation for the area where we live in the Upper House; the five elected members will be from Geelong and Ballarat. “My husband and I chose to raise our three children, who are 10, 8 and 6, here and I simply want to secure the best future I can for them and their friends. “I want my children to be able to access quality post-secondary education in Warrnambool and surrounds, if that is what they want to do. I want them to have secure and diverse job opportunities in south-west Victoria and I want safe roads for them to travel to and from school, their social activities and work.” Ms Waterson is running...
by admin | Mar 14, 2014 | Media Release
More jobs and greater investment for western Victoria are the aims of a new local political party established purposely to benefit our region. Vote 1 Local Jobs will be established by Moyne Shire mayor Cr James Purcell and he will stand at this year’s state election with the aim of securing a spot in the Upper House. Cr Purcell agreed to stand in the Upper House when presented with the likelihood of no representation west of Geelong or Ballarat if the Napthine government falls in the Victorian November election. Cr Purcell stood as an independent at the last state and federal election and is the most successful independent candidate in our region’s history. “The purpose of Vote 1 Local Jobs is to make a difference to western Victoria, to enhance our way of life and ultimately secure greater investment and more jobs in our region,” Cr Purcell said. “We’re not intending to change the government or defeat your local member – what we are intending to do is secure the fifth spot in the Upper House and that’s a very real possibility.” In a situation unique to south-west Victoria, two Liberal and two Labor representatives are usually elected to the Upper House, while the fifth elect usually comes from one of the minor parties. Our election system – which sees preferences between parties and a quota allocation – means there is a high probability of securing the fifth spot. “We’re not going to defeat the major parties, but we can definitely secure that fifth spot. To make Vote 1 Local Jobs a reality we need 500 members – and...