Ross Cadell (NSW, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

tor CADELL (—) (): In my nine short months in this place, I've tried to keep it very apolitical and to never overstep the political boundaries. But, today, with two days to go until the state election, I feel I may be about to be severely heckled. There are two days to go until the New South Wales state election in my beautiful home state. So many of my friends are out there seeking re-election or election. Across the regions, the New South Wales Nats are facing many, many different opponents. We are facing the so-called Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party, which I regard as the co-branded new Country Labor. We are facing Independents. We are facing all sorts of people—a couple of Liberals in a seat; I must say that. Even in one or two country seats, Labor candidates are standing. They must've got lost! But I notice they haven't gone too far, because the electric bus on that campaign can't even get to outer metropolitan Sydney and back.

I would like to say good luck to my good friend David Layzell in Upper Hunter; my good friend Nichole Overall in Queanbeyan, who's in one of those seats where we're facing Labor; and also my friend the honourable Scott Barrett in the trigger seat in the upper house. This is an election where people know the storm's coming. We are seeing interest rate rises, we're seeing $1,700 extra a month in mortgage repayments, we're seeing energy prices going up and we're seeing the cost of living going up. A storm is coming, and it is on the horizon. One thing that the people of New South Wales—especially the people of country New South Wales—can't afford is more surprises. I urge you to get out there and support your New South Wales Nationals candidates to avoid the surprises we saw in Canberra, such as the interest rate rises, the energy price rises and all these things that will make life harder for you. If you stay the course, back the horse you know and support your local Nats, you will have a much better ride through what is to come over the next few years for the whole country.