The National Party are set to campaign on what they see as a strong track record in their bid to retain the seat of Murray.
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NSW Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro introduced their candidate for the upcoming Murray by-election – Murrumbidgee councillor Austin Evans – in Griffith on Monday.
“Since 2011 the Nationals have delivered, but sometimes perception trumps reality,” Mr Barilaro said.
“Our track record over the six years is about delivering, and investment, and we will continue to prosecute that case”.
The Nationals have dismissed suggestions, made by NSW Labor, that Mr Evans is a second or third choice candidate, after it was alleged that Shooters, Fishers and Farmers’ Helen Dalton was the Nationals first choice.
“Austin beat off a star-studded line up.. [we picked] a great local champion,” Mr Barilaro said.
Mr Evans said, “I’ve lived my life about service delivery”.
“For Coly Irrigation and the [Murrumbidgee] shire, and that’s what I’m offering up for Murray.. to work really hard to deliver to them”.
Austin Evans was mayor of the previous Murrumbidgee Shire, and then served as administrator of a new council that merged Murrumbidgee and Jerilderie Shire.
Earlier this month, he elected as a councillor of the new council, unopposed in the ward centred on Coleambally.
“If I get elected for Murray, I will resign from Murrumbidgee Council at a time that suits them,” Mr Evans said.
The by-election is being held on October 14 due to the resignation of sitting member Adrian Piccoli.
On the big issue of health services, Mr Evans said he will push to see a timeline on a new hospital in Griffith.
But unlike other candidates, he does not support an external investigation into the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD), who have come under fire for targeting Griffith and Temora for health cuts.
“We need to get more board members out to the west... you do that through good processes, not a knee jerk reaction”.