Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party Cootamundra by-election candidate Matthew Stadtmiller has strengthened his call for the National Party to guarantee 24/7 Police Stations in the Cootamundra electorate.
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Earlier this week the Shooters claimed the State Government was going to forcibly amalgamate the Cootamundra LAC with the Wagga Wagga LAC.
Mr Stadtmiller said he did not believe the National Party won’t cut Police Officer numbers in the Cootamundra electorate.
“My opponent appears eager to do whatever the Liberal Party and National Party Government tells her to do,” he said.
“The National Party must guarantee 24/7 Police Stations in the Cootamundra electorate.”
But National Party candidate for Cootamundra Steph Cooke said she had no problems giving voters an iron clad guarantee on police numbers.
"This is a no brainer ask from the Shooters; I am more than happy to guarantee no downgrade of any police stations operational status across the electorate as part of this process,” she said.
“Further more I will go a step further than they asked and guarantee that there will be more front line police on the ground across our electorate, in our town and on our streets.
“I am committed to making our region safer, our property more secure. This process will ensure that or I won't let it happen.”
The Young police station is not technically manned 24/7 with police often out on patrol, leaving the station unmanned. So the Shooters are calling for assurances on staffing levels that do not presently exist.
Mr Stadtmiller did concede if he was elected the Shooters Party could not offer the same guarantee they are asking from the Government.
“We won’t have the balance of power if I am elected, but we will be pushing the Government to make manned 24/7 police stations one of their policies,” he said.
“We will do our best to put this up in front of the Government, and hopefully they will support it.”
Ms Cooke said it is time the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party stopped trying to scare the electorate.
“It's time for the Shooters to stop playing games with the fears of the electorate,” she said.
“My position is simple - more police boots on the streets.
“Can the Shooters make the same undertakings, no they can't - because they are a single issue party of protest.
“They can say what they want to happen - I will say what I will make happen.”
Craig Thomson
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
I am a media and communications professional with experience across print, digital, social and radio broadcasts. I am currently the Editor of Australian Community Media's Launceston Examiner.
