IN THE months since Pru Goward and her coalition colleagues swept into government earlier this year, many Goulburn residents have been asking the question: “Where are you, Pru?”
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The Post has received a number of letters and website comments over recent weeks wondering if our local member has lost her campaigning clout since becoming a government minister.
On the airport sale, class closures at Goulburn TAFE, and cuts to police death and disability benefits in particular, concerned locals have contacted their local member, and in some cases, have been underwhelmed by the response. Ross Copland wrote to the Post concerned about teachers’ pay and conditions.
“I was interested to hear that Pru Goward believes that teachers are already on a ‘good wicket’,” Mr Copland said.
“I suppose if the Government doesn’t maintain this wicket it will eventually become unplayable.”
An online comment from ‘Micky D’ in regard to the availability of arts courses at Goulburn TAFE being reduced asked: “Where are you Pru Goward? Missing in action again.”
And a number of local police officers have also questioned Ms Goward’s backing of government cuts to the death and disability scheme. Now in charge of three government portfolios – community services, housing and women’s policy – Ms Goward is busier than she’s ever been.
She told the Post on Thursday she’s managing to keep up with her electorate commitments as well.
“It does worry me, but because people’s lives are flexible too, I see people on Saturday mornings and we make arrangements,” Ms Goward said.
“I don’t think I see fewer people than I used to… I mean I’m still doing village visits once a month and I have to say that in opposition I didn’t do as many.
So I reckon that I’m getting around as much as I used to.
“What I’m missing is that I’m not going to community activities during the week as much. I don’t get to chamber meetings, I don’t get to council meetings, I’m just not around much during the week because of the ministry being in Sydney. What’s happened is that I’ve lost a lot of my private time.”
As for her portfolio commitments, Ms Goward said earlier this year she was the first minister in a generation to ask for the family and community services portfolio.
That’s still her major focus, she told the Post.
“How can we have a state with the largest number of children removed, and yet we’re seeing fewer children than we did two years ago? There’s just so much to be done, and I think that if we can’t look after our children…I mean, that’s a basic priority of a government and I’ve got to get that right,” she said.
“And I’m not frightened of it. See a lot of younger ministers, ambitious ministers would not want to be a minister for child protection, because if children die, you get tied with it and they would think it would damage their future and their careers. That doesn’t bother me at my age and the life I’ve had. I just want to do a good job.”
Ms Goward’s ministerial responsibilities will continue over the coming months, but her parliamentary commitments are now finished until parliament resumes next February. She maintains an office in Bowral but does not have one in Goulburn.
