By DEAN LAWSON

Labor candidate for the Federal seat of Mallee Bob Scates has warned voters about the dangers of fragmenting a ‘good working relationship’ between commonwealth and state governments.

Mr Scates, 60, attempting to dislodge long-standing National’s representative John Forrest, said results of the August 21 Federal Election would have a significant impact on regional Victoria.

He said Prime Minister Julie Gillard and Victorian Premier John Brumby enjoyed a ‘warm and genuine’ relationship which underpinned a strong sense of cooperation. This understanding flowed from the decision-making table into the Wimmera Mallee and Western District.

But Mr Scates said a fragmented connection between Canberra and Melbourne, which would happen if there was a change in government, had the potential to cloud the importance of and destabilise regional issues and projects.

“I can guarantee there is no love lost between opposition leader Tony Abbot, with his slash and burn tactics, and the states,” he said.

“We’ve seen a real era of cooperation develop through education and health services.”

Mr Scates acknowledged Mr Forrest’s strong character and record of service to Mallee but suggested he ‘didn’t have the ear’ of Tony Abbott.

“John is a terrific bloke, very civil and the electorate owes him a lot. But one of the first things Abbot did when he took over the coalition leadership was to remove him as shadow parliamentary secretary for regional development,” he said.

“I believe the Liberal Party is very Sydney-centric with its last four leaders all coming from the richer suburbs of Sydney.”

Mr Scates dismissed Mr Forrest’s concerns about a shortfall in Federal Government money for the Wimmera Mallee Pipeline and pointed to developments at regional schools such as Minyip, Rainbow and Edenhope as examples of the how the government’s Education Building Revolution was working.

He added that coalition obstruction to broadband internet development across Australia didn’t make sense.

“To have faster information-technology connects is just so important, particularly for the Mallee. This is a gold-medal project to move the Mallee forward and they do not want it, full stop.”

Mr Scates, who lives in Murtoa and is a disability services worker, said he would establish an electoral office in Horsham if he won Mallee next month. He would also lobby for greater rail-passenger services for the region’s ‘railway towns’.

Election nominations close on Friday and there will be a ballot draw for Mallee in Mildura at noon.