1. 4 SNNEWS SHEPPARTON NEWS, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015
Turnbull is congratulated
MEMBER FOR MURRAY SAYS HOPE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IS IN THE AIR AFTER ELECTION OF NEW LEADER
By Elaine Cooney
Voice of Murray: Sharman Stone speaking at a protest about irrigation costs at Tatura last month. Picture: Ray Sizer
Federal Member for Murray
Sharman Stone said there was a
great sense of optimism in Can-
berra yesterday following the elec-
tion of the new prime minister,
Malcolm Turnbull.
Dr Stone, along with 53 other
Liberal members, voted for Mr
Turnbull in Monday night’s party
room spill.
‘‘There was quite clearly ongoing
tension over the way that Tony
(Abbott) was failing to communi-
cate a sense of purpose,’’ she said.
She said Mr Turnbull would be
able to aptly express the party’s
future direction.
‘‘The problem with Tony is that
he was a superb Opposition
Leader and was excellent in point-
ing out the faults of the Labor
Party but when it comes to govern-
ment, it’s a different story,’’ she
said.
She said Mr Abbott continued
this tactic during his time as prime
minister.
‘‘Continuing factions on leader-
ship is not good for the country,’’
she said.
Dr Stone said it did not give busi-
nesses and investors confidence.
She said people were ‘‘angry and
depressed’’ about the way the
party was performing.
Dr Stone said she hoped Mr
Turnbull would change the ‘‘conf-
rontational, barefisted’’ attitude
parliament members had been
displaying during question time.
‘‘Maybe with the new leadership,
it will not be a case of forever being
told how bad the opposition is,’’
she said.
She said one issue, which was
not clearly communicated to the
public, was the Liberal Party’s free
trade agreement with China.
Dr Stone said the main issues for
Murray were youth unemployment
and the price and loss of water in
the district.
‘‘I’m hoping (Shepparton’s) 25
per cent youth unemployment rate
might be greeted with a greater
sense of enthusiasm,’’ she said.
‘‘I hope in our schools there is a
stronger sense of greatness in our
country and that we are pulling
way above our weight.’’
Dr Stone, who is concerned
about alleged corruption and ris-
ing costs in the temporary water
market, said Mr Turnbull was
‘‘very understanding’’ of the mar-
ket’s pitfalls.
When asked if she will be
awarded with a ministerial posi-
tion, Dr Stone said she ‘‘would
serve in whatever capacity’’ neces-
sary.
‘‘Being the Member for Murray
will always be my priority,’’ she
said. She said there were many
portfolios she was interested in.
Dr Stone believed there should
not be a designated Minister for
Women or Minister for Indigenous
Affairs but instead these roles
should be imbedded across all
portfolios.
She said the new ministerial
appointments would not be made
until next week.
Angry Abbott slams media on way out
Changing times: Malcolm Turnbull (left) is sworn in by Australia’s Governor-
General Sir Peter Cosgrove. Right: Tony Abbott. Pictures: AAP
Tony Abbott says his govern-
ment achieved much but was
‘‘white-anted’’ by a media culture
that rewards treachery.
Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in
as the nation’s 29th prime minis-
ter yesterday, a day after defeating
Mr Abbott 54-44 in a Liberal par-
tyroom ballot.
The ballot followed months of
disenchantment with Mr Abbott’s
management style and a failed
leadership spill in February,
which many coalition MPs felt left
the issue unresolved.
Mr Abbott asked reporters in
Canberra not to print ‘‘self-
serving claims that the person
making them won’t put his or her
name to’’.
‘‘A febrile media culture has
developed that rewards treach-
ery,’’ he said.
Mr Abbott said he was proud of
what his government had ac-
hieved, saying it remained
focused despite the ‘‘white-
anting’’.
The outgoing prime minister
said he would not engage in
wrecking, undermining or sniping
but did not say whether or not he
would contest the next election
due next year.
The government’s record
included 300 000 new jobs, the
abolition of Labor’s carbon and
mining taxes, free-trade agree-
ments with Japan, South Korea
and China and the biggest infra-
structure program in Australia’s
history. Meeting with Liberal MPs
Mr Turnbull promised to bring
together the liberal and conserva-
tive traditions of the party.
SHARMAN STONE:
FEDERAL MEMBER
FOR MURRAY
Parliamentary service
Elected to the House of Represen-
tatives for Murray, Victoria, 1996,
1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010
and 2013
Ministerial appointments
1998-2004: Parliamentary Secre-
tary to the Minister for the Environ-
ment and Heritage
2004-2006: Parliamentary Secre-
tary to the Minister for Finance and
Administration
2006-2007: Minister for Workforce
Participation
Committee service
1996-1998: Primary Industries,
Resources and Rural and Regional
Affairs
1997-1998 and 2008: Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Affairs
2013-2014: Indigenous Affairs
(chair from February 2014)
2008: Infrastructure, Transport,
Regional Development and Local
Government
2010: Education and Training
2010-2011: Regional Australia
2013: Social Policy and Legal Af-
fairs
2015: Education and Employment
1996-1998: Joint Statutory: Public
Accounts
1998 and 2013-2014: Public
Accounts and Audit
2008-2010: Joint Standing:
Migration
2013: Foreign Affairs, Defence and
Trade
2014: Treaties
Parliamentary party positions
2007-2010: Member, Opposition
Shadow Ministry
2007-2008: Shadow Minister for
the Environment, Heritage, the Arts
and Indigenous Affairs
2008-2009: Shadow Minister for
Immigration and Citizenship
2009-2010: Shadow Minister for
Early Childhood Education and
Childcare
2009-2010: Shadow Minister for
the Status of Women
People have not voted: Syed
Federal Labor candidate for
Murray Imran Syed
(pictured) is not concerned
that the new prime minister
could improve the Liberal
Party’s chances of re-
election in January 2017.
‘‘Being popular does not
mean you’ll get votes,’’ he said.
‘‘Nothing is going to change in the Lib-
eral Party. People have not vot-
ed for Turnbull.’’
He said Mr Turnbull ‘‘whole-
heartedly’’ supported the Fed-
eral Budget.
Mr Syed described the Lib-
eral’s policies on refugees and
pensioners as ‘‘disgusting’’.
He said he was ready for an election,
‘‘the sooner the better’’.
Indi priorities top: Mirabella
Liberal candidate for Indi So-
phie Mirabella (pictured)
congratulated Malcolm Turn-
bull in his new position.
‘‘Tony Abbott has been a
close friend of mine for over
25 years and I have enormous
respect and admiration for
him and his long-term commitment to
making Australia a better place,’’ she
said. ‘‘As Communications
Minister, I have regularly
made (Mr Turnbull) aware of
our priorities for Indi and of
our broader concerns.
‘‘In his new capacity as
Prime Minister, I will con-
tinue my discussions with
Malcolm to ensure Indi priorities are
top of mind.
FEDERAL LEADERSHIP SPILL