Labor forum compares Robertson to Wentworth

Labor candidate for Robertson Ms Anne Charlton has held a Regional Inequality Forum at Woy Woy on May 3.

The forum was held in the Peninsula Community Centre and was addressed by Labor's Federal spokesperson for Regional Services, Mr Stephen Jones, and Senator Deborah O'Neill.

Mr Jones called on the Turnbull Government to address the ballooning inequality facing Robertson.

"If you compare key indicators such as unemployment, rental stress, digital access, life expectancy and full time participation in education against places like the Prime Minister's electorate of Wentworth, it's startlingly clear Robertson is falling behind," Mr Jones said.

"There are almost twice as many jobless families in the Robertson electorate than in Wentworth.

"Worryingly, one in 10 people in the Robertson electorate delay seeing a doctor because they cannot afford it, twice as many compared to Malcolm Turnbull's neighbourhood.

"Over a third of Central Coast households are suffering rental stress compared to only 10 percent in Wentworth.

"The Central Coast also faces an unemployment crisis with youth unemployment recently rising by 0.7 per cent to 15.6 per cent in February.

"These comparisons highlight how locals are struggling and points to the need for inequality to be on the national agenda."

"There is a clear divide between Sydney and the Central Coast.

"The situation facing regional Australia is shocking, and needs the Government's urgent attention," he said.

SOURCES:

Media release, 3 May 2017

Anne Charlton, Labor Party