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RELATED COVERAGE: Final hours: Battle for Tamworth is on

On Saturday, Gunnedah will help decide who will be the Member for Tamworth for the next four years, and help select the 21 members of the Legislative Council.

Seven people will contest the seat of Tamworth. They are, in the order they will appear on the ballot paper: Peter Draper (independent); Pat Schultz (the Greens); Richard Nock (No Land Tax); Joe Hillard (Country Labor); Michelle Ryan (Christian Democratic Party); Kevin Anderson (the Nationals); and Stan Heuston (independent).

Candidate: Stan Heuston

Party: Independent

About myself: Former high school teacher, Teachers’Federation official, farmer, now write books and songs.

Overall priorities: 

- Strip political party factions of as many powers as possible

- Eliminate financial influence on parliamentarians of outside finance

- Secure a strong 1 Heuston vote for party reform but preference-neutral between Peter Draper and Kevin Anderson.

 Priorities for Gunnedah:

- Improved quality in government from elimination of factions

- Greater community connectedness with political process throughout the parliamentary term

- Elimination of outside financial influence on parliamentarians.

Candidate: Kevin Anderson

Party: Nationals

About myself: I’m getting things done in Gunnedah. You only have to look across the region to see how things have improved in four years. I will continue to take the fight up to Macquarie Street. I don’t want us to go back to the inaction of the previous Labor government.

Overall priorities: It’s clear that things are going ahead. The Tamworth Hospital was talked about for years and the funding commitment to deliver it only came after a change of government and a change of local member.

 Our schools are millions of dollars better off each year because NSW signed the Gonski Agreement.

 In the next term of government my priorities for the region are:

- Health — securing further funding for the specialist health services we need in the north-west

- Police — I will fight for more police services and the modern facilities that our police need

- Roads — I will continue to fight for the major road upgrades that are needed across the region.

Priorities for Gunnedah:  Gunnedah has had some fantastic wins in this term of government, including a major upgrade of the GS Kidd School, worth $6.5 million. The school now has the facilities it needs to support students with a disability.  

 Work has started on the $32 million Gunnedah Rail Overpass, again, a project that was talked about for years but actually delivered by the Nationals. The Nationals have also delivered a $300,000 upgrade of the emergency department at Gunnedah Hospital.

I have secured a multi-million dollar upgrade for the Gunnedah Police Station and a further $2 million to upgrade Gunnedah Hospital.

In the next term of government my priorities for Gunnedah are:

1. Build the Gunnedah Rail Overpass

2. Upgrade the Gunnedah Police Station and Gunnedah Hospital

3. Strike the right balance between mining and agriculture.

Candidate: Pat Schultz

Party: The Greens

Pat Schultz says her concerns for issues of social equality, economic justice and ecological sustainability have motivated her to nominate as the Greens’ candidate for Tamworth.

Candidate: Michelle Ryan

Party: Christian Democratic Party (Fred Nile Group).

No details were available for Ms Ryan, however the party is fielding candidates in all 93 NSW seats.

The Christian Democratic Party lists itself as “unique in Australian politics”.

“We are the only Christian values party sitting within an Australian parliament,” their website states.

“This gives the voter a unique representative in politics, because we represent you.

“As our principles are based upon Christian values, our policies will always be consistent with your values and needs. Especially in this political climate, it is refreshing for a values-based political party to be thriving.”

Candidate: Richard Nock

Party: No Land Tax

No details were available for Mr Nock, however the The No Land Tax Campaign says on its website it has been formed to fight for a fairer deal for property investors in NSW.

“The next NSW state election will be held on March 28, 2015,” the website says.

“With over 150,000 people (and their families) paying land tax – our votes count.

“Now is the perfect time to put pressure on the NSW state government.

“We intend to stand candidates at the 2015 state election – to fight for our rights (just like the Shooters Party does for gun owners). It can be done. Land Tax can be abolished – just like Death Duties were in 1981.”

Candidate: Peter Draper

Party: Independent

What Mr Draper had to say:

The campaign that the National Party has run in the seat of Tamworth has been the most despicable example of gutter politics and trying to buy votes that I have ever seen.

Their  lies and distortions have offended many local people, and it shows exactly how desperate they are to retain what they see as their birthright – being the electorate of Tamworth.

I am keen to restore integrity and honesty into the political system should I win the trust of local people to again represent this wonderful part of the world in Parliament.

I will not sit quietly by defending the indefensible, while the government encourages coal mining on the Liverpool Plains.

I will vigorously defend local communities from the scourge of coal seam gas.

I will fight for a return to appropriate funding for TAFE, and a recognition that the current model is unfair and unworkable.

Equitable fees and equitable access to courses is critical to give local kids encouragement and opportunities.

Gunnedah people have been incredibly patient watching new hospitals be built in Tamworth, Walcha, Manilla and Werris Creek. It is Gunnedah’s turn. The Nationals plan for a $2 million dollar roof is disgraceful. As is the bandaid proposed for the Gunnedah police station.

I will stand beside local electricity workers to protect country jobs and fight for a reduction in electricity prices - not the inevitable increases that will occur under the Nationals privatisation plan.

Candidate: Joe Hillard

Party: Country Labor

Country Labor candidate Joe Hillard has said a Labor government would restore the funding to schools, TAFE and hospitals cut by the Baird government.

He said Labor would explore the use of medical marijuana, particularly for terminally ill patients, and had committed to the Gonski education reforms.