Nationals leader David Littleproud says both sides of politics need to do more to listen to regional towns

Federal Nationals leader David Littleproud has called on the Prime Minister to visit more regional communities. Mr Littleproud spoke to local governments and members of the fishing industry in Geraldton on Wednesday, February 22, following on from his visit to Carnarvon. The main message of his coastal tour has been that politicians need to do more to meet locals in regional Australia, listen to their concerns and solutions, and implement measures that give communities agency. Mr Littleproud said Anthony Albanese needed to speak with more people on the ground to understand their situation. “I’m not saying he should visit every town, but he should spend some quality time in a couple of these communities where there are highlighted problems and understand it,” he said. Mr Littleproud acknowledged previous Coalition governments also could have done more to listen to regional communities. “There’s been failures of governments of all persuasions in the past,” he said. “That’s why it shouldn’t be about a bigger bureaucracy, it should be about a better bureaucracy.” One social issue where he believes the Federal Government is delivering and State governments need to do more is housing in regional towns such as Geraldton. “Housing and planning is a State and local government responsibility and the fact that the Federal Government has stepped in with millions of Australian taxpayers dollars, because of failures of State and local governments of all political persuasions, says that they really bear the responsibility of a shortage of houses,” he said. Another key focus of Mr Littleproud’s tour has been pledging his support for live sheep export, which the Albanese government aims to end, although it is unclear when. Mr Littleproud said this would only punish Western Australian farmers, who he said had made efforts to improve their welfare standards while importing nations will turn to other countries with lower standards of care. “This is going to cost 3000 jobs in Western Australia. 3000 families won’t have a job,” he said. “It’s close to $100 million into the Western Australian economy that is gone because east coast politicians are saying Western Australians can’t do this.” Mr Littleproud said reinstating live sheep exports would be one of the first things the Coalition would do if it returned to power. Another topic Mr Littleproud has received national attention for has been his opposition to the Voice to Parliament. This is despite the stance of the WA Nationals, now led by local MLA Shane Love, who support the Voice. Mr Littleproud said disagreement was a natural part of how politics worked in the Nationals party. “We in the Nationals have a different culture to other political parties, we actually celebrate diversity,” he said.