A local entering Wellington's pre-polling station as the NSW Deputy premier Troy Grant and Country Labor Candidate Stephen Lawrence waited to meet voters leaned over to the ALP man and said ''You're brave''.
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His flippant comment summed up the task ahead of the opposition candidates in Saturdays NSW Election. Wellington is now voting in the seat of Dubbo.
Bookmaker Sportsbet has Troy Grant $1.01 to Labor's $13.00 in the latest betting in a field of seven candidates.
Mr Grant at the Wellington Pre-polling station said '' Wellington's future can be brighter and people believe I can make that happen. Wellington has had its difficulties, I think the community is a very honest one and they understand where the challenges are. Wellington is looking for leadership so everyone can get want they want more prosperity, cohesion, more investment into the community and looking after the vulnerable as well'' he said.
On one of his few visits to Wellington during the state election campaign Mr Grant headed to Nanima pre school and the Wellington Community Children centre where he handed out $5,000 for acquiring books or resources, meeting training and development costs for staff renewing infrastructure incorporating play equipment and building maintenance assisting students to participate in exceptional learning experiences such as incursions and excursions.
The Deputy premier and the Labor candidate then headed to Dubbo, an election forum at the Dubbo RSL where candidates debated issues.
Christian Democrats man Peter Scherer said ''Spiritual values impact us all'' as he lobbied a Dubbo centric audience but nobody had faith in the election's most controversial the leasing of electricity poles and wires.
Independent Rod Pryor said he was gravely concerned for the pivotal effect of the state government selling off assets as he put it.
'' The sale of public assets, the sales of the poles and wires, the public don't want it'' he said.
The country Labor candidate Stephen Lawrence said his party was deeply opposed to the lease of the electricity network.He called it a sell off.''This is a just term sugar hit'' he told about 100 people at the forum.
Independent candidate a fifth generation farmer from Narromine Colin Hamilton said Coal Seam Gas and privatisation were enemies of the community.
''Keep state owned assets, more renewables'' saying he was also against the lease of the electricity networks.
Greens candidate Matt Parmeter said he and his party was against privatising 49% of the electricity network'' The Greens believe in 100% renewable energy in 15 years''
The Nationals leader shook his head several times during the debate and as he did at the polling station reiterated his disappointment at the debate over the lease of the electricity network.
''This is driving me nuts'' he said '' What the candidates are saying about the electricity lease not sale is nonsense''
Mr Grant looking frustrated said his party had turned around Labor's mess, handed out money in the restart programme to regional NSW. ''I am disgusted with this debate. We are not pork barrelling. The electricity is a lease not a sale and its not a sugar hit''
''We are not privatising, we are fixing up the mess like the Cobbora mine and we have a plan and I'll work my guts out for you'' Mr Grant said ''I gave 37 election commitments when I was elected and I have fulfilled everyone of them''
''Luke Foley (The NSW Opposition leader) has gone to the Wayne Swan school of economics'' he said.
He launched his reply to a creative exhibition by Independent candidate Colin Hamilton who stole the show holding a lollie bag ''These are the electoral sweeteners, the pork barrelling'' claiming the nationals had done nothing for the area and had come with a bag of promises before the election ''This is the silent hand. Deals with multi nationals and mining mates'' Mr Hamilton held a knife with his other hand '' They will then with this hand make more cuts to Tafe, hospitals.''
Mr Hamilton, Mr Pryor and Mr Parmeter also threw their opposition forward over Coal Seam Gas projects. '' Its NO to Coal Seam Gas'' Mr Parmeter said.
A community member asked the forum whats the government would sell off next.
''100% of Transgrid (which Wellington has a substation) is going to be sold what will we get for that'' she said ''We're selling everything'' she said.
Her followed comments by a campaign by unions. Stop The Sell Off's Lance McCallum said "National Party MPs Paul Toole, Andrew Gee and Troy Grant last year voted to sell 100 per cent of Transgrid, which appears to be the next item on the Chinese Government's shopping list.
''They will sell Essential Energy next and this be next affecting thousands of jobs'' he said.