Party To Run For Councils

Newcastle Herald

Saturday March 22, 2008

By KYLIE WILLIAMS

IN a move to return from the political wilderness, the NSW Liberal Party will for the first time endorse candidates to contest the September local government elections in the Hunter Valley.

Unlike the Labor Party which has a long history of endorsing candidates in local government elections, particularly in the Hunter, the Liberal Party has steered clear of having identifiable party representatives at council elections.

Instead the Liberals preferred conservative "independents" with Liberal leanings.

But NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell and shadow minister for the Hunter Mike Gallacher believe this may have cost the Liberals the opportunity to win votes by allowing the electorate to become familiar with the party at a local government level.

They also believe it would help them nurture talent to step into state politics.

"We have one Liberal councillor in the entire Hunter Valley, and that's Ken Paxinos at Lake Macquarie," Mr Gallacher said.

He said the last state election showed that people in the Hunter were looking for an alternative to the Labor Party but were unsure what the Liberals stood for.

"We've got to be serious about the Hunter Valley because at the last election the people of this region showed they want an alternative to this Government and they're prepared to make the change," Mr Gallacher said.

"People voted for the independents, and that was a sign they were prepared to walk away from Labor. The challenge for us is to show what we stand for and to give them an alternative."

The Liberal Party plans to endorse candidates in council elections at Newcastle, Cessnock and Maitland in September because, along with Charlestown, they are in seats which it believes it has a chance of winning at the next state election.

Mr O'Farrell said the Liberals were currently selecting candidates for Hunter council elections and should have finalised their plans in the next six weeks.

"I think the Liberal Party can make its mark in areas like the Hunter Valley where we haven't traditionally been prominent," he said.

H2 Barry O'Farrell

talks to Joanne McCarthy

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

Back to News Index | Back to Home