Natasha Ledger Independent for New England

About

Born in March of 76, exacting 23yrs of Sydney, exacting 23years of country, lends way to a balanced perspective of the political. Grateful for a perfect upbringing nestled in the hills of old Bathurst road, overlooking city lights, now presently in perfect view of Guyra Mountain directly, blessed with unending scenery west, planted in rural Uralla. Washing everyone’s car within a two mile radius in our teenage years’ afforded us the opportunity to catch the train into the city, to spend time in museums by the harbour, enjoying live street shows, The Imax, aquarium, shopping and fine ice-cream. Public Transport, 24hr Medical Centres, Professional Services, Entertainment Fresh affordable produce, all readily available. Immersed in twenty years of rapid urbanisation witnessed city replace farmland with mammoth infrastructure projects, supply chains and industry. Buddy bee keeping on the Putty, at Colo, led to further farming afield in Edgeroi. Edgeroi led to Narrabri and Narrabri, led to the understanding and the importance of the Pilliga, cotton, water and the mighty Murray. Horse-riding, Yarrie Lake, motorbike riding, all in your stride, a welcome change from clustered city life. Never wanting to leave Narrabri, life led to Armidale, living at first on Bundarra Rd Armidale, settling in at Invergowrie, Uralla. My first distaste of politics after experiencing separate pubs for skin colour in the country was the appalling treatment of the Murray and the government red tape protecting the Pilliga being removed for mining exploration rights. The red tape placed around the Pilliga was a combination of red tape endorsed by three surrounding councils to protect the Pilliga from mining exploration. Understanding the magnitude of importance, mingling with the locals, the story of the ancestors told, of the Pilliga; demonstrated sound scientific understanding of underground aquifers locally and adjoining further afield. Thus the journey of politics, the journey for change ignited.