Former Dungog Mayor Cr Tracy Norman runs as Independent for Upper Hunter by-election

FORMER Dungog Mayor Cr Tracy Norman envisages a transition academy for the Upper Hunter as she announces her candidacy in the Upper Hunter by-election.

Cr Norman has exclusively revealed to Scone.com.au her candidacy and stressed the importance of transitioning jobs to other sectors when the “bottom falls out of the market”.

Cr Norman said she will make alternative jobs and alternative training, central issues and would like to see a training academy to equip everyone with new skills required for alternative career paths.

Cr Norman has joined other party candidates in making training for alternative jobs a centrepiece in the NSW Upper Hunter by-election. 

“I’ve always been concerned about the issues in the Upper Hunter and the Hunter Valley in general. It gets a raw deal from both State and Federal governments.

After feeling “despair” at not knowing who to vote for, Cr Norman decided to throw her hat in the ring. “I was just not happy with the current crop of candidates, it’s what they’re talking or not talking about that’s really annoying me.

“I think in the Upper Hunter particularly, yes, coal mining has been sensational for the Upper Hunter and coal miners and their jobs are incredibly important but we need to be talking about transitioning so when the bottom falls out of the market which looks pretty inevitable that it will, that the coal miners have alternative work in the Upper Hunter.

“We need to be transitioning and nobody’s talking about it. We all know it needs to happen but we’re not talking about it.”

“The Scone TAFE sell-off has put the area at a real disadvantage. I’ve spent a lot of time with Hunter mayors and general managers and CEOs. Education and tertiary education are some of the most important issues we’ve identified otherwise we’re losing our young people. We’re losing them to other areas. We’ve got a top-class university in Newcastle, and that’s fantastic but it’s hard to get there but one can’t get there because the transport is so poor.

“We’re having a brain drain. We need to be increasing our educational offers in the Upper Hunter, not selling them off.” Cr Norman said she’s also been troubled with manufacturing jobs going overseas.

Having worked in the Hunter for an extended period of time, Cr Norman said she would be a true local member because her work in the region to date and collaboration with Singleton Mayor Sue Moore and other mayors, lends itself to the type of work she would be doing as a member in the Upper Hunter.

“I’ll be a true local member because I don’t have the constraints of the party stopping me.”

For more information on where candidates stand: Voting 101: Upper Hunter by-election.

More stories on Tracy Norman:

• Norman criticises cash splashing.