Q&A with Labor candidate for Nicklin and current Nicklin MP Rob Skelton

How confident are you of winning?

I’m hopeful the people of Nicklin have seen how hard I’ve been working for them for the past 3 .5 years, and they’ll give me another opportunity to keep getting things done for our region.

What are your top priorities for the Nicklin electorate if elected?

The Sunshine Coast Satellite Hospital will be a real game-changer for our community. It will mean the people of Nicklin will be able to access better healthcare, closer to home.

And importantly, it will take pressure off the emergency departments of the Nambour and Sunshine Coast University Hospitals.

This is all at risk under the LNP who have a track record of cutting services, and sacking health professionals.

My focus is on doing what matters for the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland.

What people tell me is that they love our beautiful part of the region and want to see a positive plan for infrastructure and jobs in the future.

Only Labor has a plan to deliver over 4,500 local jobs and new opportunities for business across the Sunshine Coast by delivering Borumba Pumped Hydro, Sunshine Coast Direct Rail, B2N Rail Duplication and a new Sunshine Coast Satellite Hospital.

I also will continue advocating for our fair share of upgrades to our local schools & sports clubs, as well as upgrades to aging infrastructure in our towns, especially the intersections in Palmwoods & Cooroy.

What do you see as the biggest issues facing Nicklin in particular?

The biggest issues constituent raise with me is cost of living and access to healthcare & GPs.

Thankfully, as a member of the Labor team, I’ve seen first-hand how the government is acting to address these concerns through initiatives like our $1300 electricity rebates, 50c fares, 20% off rego, $200 Fair Play vouchers & Free TAFE.

I was proud to recently open Labor’s upgrade of the Nambour General Hospital which has delivered an additional 118 beds and expanded emergency department.

But I know we need to do more, that’s why I advocated to the Premier to build a new Satellite Hospital on the Sunshine Coast to deliver more GP services and take pressure off our emergency department.

And he joined me recently to announce we’ll deliver one here.

What’s the main thing you have learned over the past four years?

Patience. So many people come into this role thinking they can snap their fingers and have buckets of money raining from the sky.

In reality, securing investment for our region is a complex task involving many stakeholders, across multiple departments and levels of government to ensure we’re delivering good value for tax-payers’ dollars.

It actively requires someone willing to dig deep and go in to bat for our region, fighting each and every day for the best outcome for local constituents, which I honestly love doing.

My best days are the ones where we can deliver positive outcomes for hard working locals.

What are you most proud of achieving in the past for years?

On top of projects like the Maroochydore Road Interchange, Nambour Hospital Redevelopment, new police stations in Nambour & Cooroy, my proudest achievement as an MP would have to be the enormous investment I’ve delivered for local education and particularly the schools themselves. 

During my term, I’ve secured over $63.5 million in extra investment for new building at Yandina State School, Burnside State High, Nambour State College and Noosa District High School.

Our kids are our future and I want them to be ready for the future. Good schools with good facilities produce good citizens.

We have some of the very best teachers here in Nicklin and I am proud to have helped them by making new classrooms and equipment available.

Why should people vote for you and not your opponents?

Locals should vote for me because they know I’ll fight for the best possible outcome for Nicklin in every possible way, be it discussions or negotiations with government or private sector, council or federal, street by street, town by town, the best possible outcome.