FEDERAL Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson has hit back at claims that Labor has abandoned the region’s mining community.

The Minister for Resources and Water, Keith Pitt, visited Newcastle last Monday, stating now was not the time to risk such an important sector by electing a party “dominated by its inner-city left faction and beholden to the demands of The Greens to take government”.

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“The choice for voters is simple,” Mr Pitt told the media ahead of the 21 May election.

“They can vote for a Liberal-Nationals Coalition that stands side-by-side with the industry and the 1.2 million jobs it supports, or a Labor party that is clearly divided over Australia’s biggest industry.

“While our resources sector has provided the backbone for Australia’s economic security through the pandemic, Labor MPs and Senators have argued among themselves over whether they should support its future.

“Deputy Labor Leader Richard Marles is on the record saying the end of coal would be a good thing.

“Then you have Shadow Minister Mark Butler telling a climate change conference that coal and gas have no future in Australia.”

Mr Pitt told News Of The Area that “coal from the Hunter region contributes to Australian energy and national security, keeping the lights on in homes and powering industry”.

“It also contributes to the record $110 billion in exports forecast for the coal sector this financial year, which means record royalties for the NSW Government to pay for the services we all rely on.

“In these uncertain times, national sovereignty and security continues to be a priority for the Coalition Government.”

In the past, Minister Pitt has also made claims that a Green-Labor alliance would end the coal sector.

“We’ll continue to support the sector, a Green-Labor alliance would end the sector, and I think that’s very clear.

“That’s the risk for every voter out there, every resource worker, everybody that relies on the resources sector for their employment; can you trust an Albanese government?” Minister Pitt said.

Member for Paterson Meryl Swanson has strongly rebutted the Minister’s statements, asserting that she understands the vitality of the local coal mining industry.

“I am the daughter of a coal miner and have friends and family who are coal miners.

“Coal miners are my constituents; I hear from them regularly and I know the issues they face,” she said.

She said that the first time she spoke in Parliament, she took a miner’s lamp as a symbol of her heritage, beliefs and aspirations, and that it remains “important to her today”.

“I am proud of the hard work and sacrifices made by our mining community to keep the lights on and to fill the nation’s coffers to build our hospitals, our schools and our roads.

“I never shy away from that pride and from that support and it has not diminished in any way.”

Ms Swanson said that the Labor Party actively understands the coal industry and shows a commitment to mining.

“Recently, with Labor’s candidate for Hunter, Dan Repacholi, who is in fact a coal miner, Labor’s Shadow Minister for Resources Madeleine King and I went underground at Yancoal’s Ashton Mine.

“The week after that I visited Bloomfield Colliery, as well attended the Mining and Energy Union Northern Region Delegates dinner, where I introduced guest speaker Kristina Keneally.

“All this demonstrates Labor’s commitment to mining.

“To us, miners are not cogs in an economic wheel, they are people who work and live in our communities – whose work keeps our communities going.

“Resources are the backbone of our economy and Labor will continue to support the industry and those who work in it.”

Ms Swanson stressed the party was not obligated to The Greens on any policy.

“We have stated categorically that we seek to form a government in our own right and, when we do, we will continue to be strong supporters of the resources sector.

“It is nonsense to suggest Labor does not support coal miners and coal mining communities,” Ms Swanson concluded.

Brooke Vitnell, the Federal Liberal candidate for Paterson told News Of The Area, “This election is a clear choice between myself, together with the Liberal-National Government, supporting our resources industry, including the development of our critical minerals supply chain; and the Labor party, who want to attack mining and resources and have no plan for a stronger economy.

“We’ll dig them up right here in Australia.

“We’ll refine them right here.

“We’ll look to make the products that use them right here.

“The Government’s recent announcement around Australia’s critical resources is about backing our home grown resources industry just like the Liberals and Nationals always have,” Ms Vitnell said.

By Tara CAMPBELL and Marian SAMPSON