By JO HARRISON
Caption: National Party candidate for New England Barnaby Joyce takes questions during the forum.
“YOU don’t have to like me but I will fight hard for you” was the message that National Party candidate for New England Barnaby Joyce reiterated on the Armidale leg of his listening tour across the New England on Sunday.
A crowd of around 100 people gathered at the Armidale Bowling Club and after a brief introduction Mr Joyce handed the forum over to the audience for their chance to ask the burning questions.
Questions put to Mr Joyce included the Gonskie report, extra funding for the New England Highway, live exports to Indonesia, renewable energy, creation of local jobs, cost of living in the New England, foreign ownership, the National Broadband Network and Armidale’s lagging development compared to Tamworth.
These were answered with the typical savviness of a seasoned political veteran,
However, the underlying message appeared to be that ‘if you don’t vote for me you and the New England you will be left in the political wilderness because if the polls are any indication there will be a change of government’.
Mr Joyce also stated that his colleagues in Canberra would look after him “Giving me what I want” because he is taking a huge gamble running against Mr Windsor for the seat of New England.
This message appeared to hit the mark with local businessman Mark Lowe who came along to the forum to make up his mind about who he would vote for in the September election.
“I was undecided when I came along today but he has my vote now,” Mr Lowe said.
“I wanted to meet him and see what he was all about.”
Mr Lowe, like many people, expects there will be a change of government and he believes that the best chance for the New England is to have a federal representative who is in government.
“I want to vote for someone who is going to be a sitting member not someone who is out on the sidelines,” Mr Lowe said.
“This isn’t the only reason he gets my vote. I like the fact that he opens himself up to be asked any question and doesn’t suggest that he knows it all.”
Mr Lowe said he voted for Tony Windsor in the last Federal election but says that the government has lost touch with the people.
“Mr Windsor made his choice to back Labor,” he said.
“I believe that traditionally this area has been National Party voters and for him to back a government more than his electorate I personally believe he has backed a government that his electorate wouldn’t have wanted.”
