This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/nov/13/orange-byelection-result-nationals-at-risk-of-losing-seat-to-shooters-party

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Orange byelection result: Nationals at risk of losing seat to Shooters party Orange byelection result: Nationals lead Shooters party by 1000 votes
(about 3 hours later)
The New South Wales Nationals are at risk of a devastating loss in the Orange byelection. The byelection for the New South Wales seat of Orange remains tight with only 1,000 votes between the leading candidates in a close race that could be decided by preferences after a massive primary swing against the incumbent National party.
Voters in the central west electorate turned away from them in droves on Saturday, the party recording a devastating 36% primary swing against with half of the vote counted. The figures on the NSW electoral commission website on Sunday morning show the Nationals candidate, Scott Barrett, had won 29.5% of primary votes but Philip Donato from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) party, which has never held a lower house seat in the state, is not far behind.
Nationals candidate Scott Barrett had gained 29.5% of primary votes by 9pm while Shooters, Fishers and Farmers (SFF) party candidate Philip Donato was a close second on 25%. Donato trails with 25% of the vote but may claim victory thanks to Labor preferences.
The Shooters, who have never held a lower house seat in NSW, could secure the result with Labor preferences. Orange has been a safe Nationals seat since the end of World War II and was held on a 21.7% margin.
The unprecedented swing against the Nationals comes after the premier, Mike Baird, spectacularly backed down on his controversial greyhound racing ban last month following intense pressure from coalition MPs. The large swing against the Nationals comes after the premier, Mike Baird, backed down on his controversial greyhound racing ban last month after intense pressure from Coalition MPs.
The deputy premier, Troy Grant, wh attracted heavy criticism for his support of the ban, vowed to stay on as NSW Nationals leader irrespective of the results on Saturday. With half the vote counted, the Nationals had recorded a 36% primary swing against it.
Orange has not changed hands since the end of World War II and has been held by the Nationals on a massive 21.7% margin. The deputy premier, Troy Grant, who attracted heavy criticism for his support of the ban, vowed to stay on as NSW Nationals leader irrespective of the results on Saturday.
The seat became vacant earlier this year when former MP Andrew Gee resigned to run for federal parliament. The seat became vacant earlier this year when its MP, Andrew Gee, resigned to run for federal parliament.
In other byelections on Saturday, Labor candidate Sophie Cotsis appeared to have won the Canterbury by-election to replace former Labor deputy leader Linda Burney who made the switch to federal politics. In other byelections on Saturday, Labor candidate Sophie Cotsis appeared to have won the Canterbury byelection to replace the former Labor deputy leader Linda Burney, who made the switch to federal politics.
She led the two-candidate preferred vote over the Christian Democratic party’s Branka Kouroushis 77.6% to 22.3%.
Labor candidate Paul Scully also claimed victory in the seat of Wollongong, left vacant after long-time MP Noreen Hay quit earlier this year.Labor candidate Paul Scully also claimed victory in the seat of Wollongong, left vacant after long-time MP Noreen Hay quit earlier this year.
The Turnbull government frontbencher Steven Ciobo said there was no doubt the swing away from the Nationals in the Orange byelection was due to Baird’s handling of the greyhound industry and council amalgamations.
Asked on ABC television whether the federal government’s handling of the controversial backpackers tax contributed to Saturday’s vote, Ciobo replied: “At the NSW level, no, I think this is a bigger issue than that.
“I think it is the issue of what specifically happened in relation to greyhounds, council amalgamations and those types of issues.”