Member for Gippsland and Federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester has welcomed a decision by The Nationals to contest the seat of Murray at the 2016 election.
The Nationals State Management met by teleconference following the announcement by sitting MP Sharman Stone that she would not re-contest the seat she has held for 20 years.
“The Nationals have a strong and united Federal Parliamentary team which has grown significantly over the past eight years,” Mr Chester said.
“We have a proven track record of standing up for regional communities and delivering results like increased funding for local roads, reforms to competition policy which benefit jobs in small businesses and investment in mobile phone blackspots and infrastructure to help grow regional Australia.
“There is always more work to be done and we are committed to delivering a fair share of government resources to regional areas, including the Goulburn Valley and broader Murray region.
“Our team is working within the Coalition government to support jobs growth and prosperity for the millions of Australians who choose to live outside our capital cities. As the only party that is 100 per cent focused on policies for rural and regional Australia, I’m confident we will field a strong candidate and offer the electorate of Murray a good choice at the 2016 election.”
Mr Chester said it was too early to comment on the party’s prospects of winning the seat which was once held by party leader John McEwen.
“It doesn’t matter that we’ve held the seat of Murray in the past, this is all about the future and The Nationals are leading the way at state and federal level in the development of policies to support rural and regional communities,” he said.
“The contest in Murray is not about The Nationals, Liberals, Greens or independents: it’s about delivering results for the local community and who people trust to stand up and fight for them in Canberra.
“The Nationals will pre-select a top quality candidate and we will give the local community the choice they have asked for. We will run a positive campaign and I’m confident we will receive plenty of local support.”
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