Jeff Drayton stands up for working people

DURING a presser at Singleton’s Burdekin Park today, the Labor Party endorsed CFMEU’s Jeff Drayton as their candidate to contest the Upper Hunter by-election on May 22, 2021. 

Jodi McKay, the Labor Leader who introduced Mr Drayton, said they will not support a ban on new coal mines in the Upper Hunter.

“We do not support a moratorium on coal mines, let’s get that out of the way,” Ms McKay said at the start of today’s presser.

She also pressed the need to pursue renewable energy and protect jobs in the coal industry.

Mr Drayton, a coal miner, has a long history with the coal industry and said he was putting his name forward to represent Labor in the Upper Hunter because he wanted to “stand up for working people”.

“I want to stand up for working people in my community, to fight for secure and good jobs across the Upper Hunter, and to make sure that women and men – and the industries they work in – get the respect they deserve,” Mr Drayton said.

“I’m sick of the Upper Hunter being forgotten when it comes time to benefit from all the heavy lifting we do here.

“Whether it’s people having a go at coal miners who are the backbone of our community, our manufacturing jobs and industries being shipped overseas, or our local TAFE campuses being sold off – we just don’t get a fair go here. We feel like we’ve been taken for granted,” he said.

NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay said: “Jeff will be a fantastic representative for the people of the Upper Hunter. He’s lived here, worked here, and fought for his community for his whole life.

“I grew up in the Hunter and I am looking forward to campaigning alongside Jeff. He is genuine in his love of the area and is a fighter for working people. He’s someone who’ll treat this community with the respect it deserves. He knows the opportunities and the challenges. He knows when things go wrong and how to make them better. He is exactly the person we need in the NSW Parliament.

Labor Leader Jodi Mckay surprises candidate Jeff Drayton with a birthday cake at the end of today’s presser.

“Jeff has raised his family in the Upper Hunter and not only knows the importance of keeping jobs and creating jobs, but also of ensuring that young people have the opportunity to get a safe, secure and reliable job.”

“The Upper Hunter is a diverse region offering a diversity of jobs in agriculture, equine, tourism and viticulture. Jeff will help grow those jobs and support the towns and communities that make this region great.”

“The Nationals have taken this community for granted for far too long. They’ve sold the Scone TAFE campus, sent manufacturing jobs offshore and they supported Michael Johnsen for years. The people of the Upper Hunter deserve better and I am confident Jeff is the person to make that happen.”

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