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Tony Windsor will challenge Barnaby Joyce for seat of New England Tony Windsor will challenge Barnaby Joyce for seat of New England
(35 minutes later)
The former independent MP Tony Windsor will attempt a return to federal politics by challenging Barnaby Joyce in the NSW seat of New England.The former independent MP Tony Windsor will attempt a return to federal politics by challenging Barnaby Joyce in the NSW seat of New England.
He made the announcement at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday.He made the announcement at Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday.
The Nationals leader holds the seat on a notional margin (after electoral redistributions) of 19.9%. Joyce, the leader of the Nationals, holds the seat on a notional margin (after electoral redistributions) of 19.9%.
Windsor retired in 2013 after the 43rd parliament, when he joined fellow independents Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie to back Julia Gillard’s minority Labor government.Windsor retired in 2013 after the 43rd parliament, when he joined fellow independents Rob Oakeshott and Andrew Wilkie to back Julia Gillard’s minority Labor government.
Windsor said he would be running because the issues he believes are important have stalled. He mentioned climate change, the stalling of the National Broadband Network, the doubt over Gonski funding as factors in his decision. Windsor said he would be running because the issues he believes are important have stalled. He mentioned climate change, the stalling of the national broadband network and the doubt surrounding Gonski funding as factors in his decision.
Windsor won't be preferencing anybody. It is an "insult" to voters, can't tell them where to direct preferences.
Windsor: "We need across the nation to stand up and demand things that are about the future." #NBN, #climatechange, #Gonski, water.
“The electorate I live in, the electorate I love, the electorate I’ve worked for over many years, I see things stalling,” he told reporters.“The electorate I live in, the electorate I love, the electorate I’ve worked for over many years, I see things stalling,” he told reporters.
“I’m not prepared to see regional people, people in the electorate of New England, treated as second-class citizens with their education of their kids, the Gonski [reforms], with their telecommunications ... in relation to climate change.”“I’m not prepared to see regional people, people in the electorate of New England, treated as second-class citizens with their education of their kids, the Gonski [reforms], with their telecommunications ... in relation to climate change.”
Windsor said climate change was a factor in his decision and said of Joyce, the minister for water and agriculture: “We’ve got a current member who thinks renewable energy is a bit of a joke.” Windsor criticised Joyce for doing “absolutely nothing” for the Murray-Darling basin plan and accused Joyce of ignoring climate change in the agricultural white paper.
Windsor said he made the decision after much consultation with his family.More to follow. Related: Tony Windsor expected to announce return as showdown with Barnaby Joyce looms
“We’ve got a current member who thinks renewable energy is a bit of a joke,” he said.
Windsor told reporters the prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, had been talking about the future a lot but had been “handbraked” on many issues.
“It is this small group of right-wingers of which Barnaby Joyce is one, Tony Abbott, [Eric] Abetz, you all know who they are, that have a handbrake on progress.”
Windsor said if he held the balance of power in parliament again, he would not formally support one side over the other as he did in 2010.
“My leaning would be to being absolutely independent,” he said.
While he wasn’t opposed to coalmines, he said he had huge concerns about the proposed Shenhua mine and the impact on water supply in the Liverpool Plains region.
Windsor said he expected a “David and Goliath” battle for the seat and he had made the decision to run for the seat after much consultation with his family. He said he would not be preferencing anyone, describing preference deals as “an insult” to the voter.
More to follow.