REBORN independent MP Helen Dalton is confident she will keep the seat of Murray at the NSW election in March next year.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The farmer resigned from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party on Thursday, after being upset at Upper House colleagues failing to back a motion tied to floodplain harvesting in the northern Murray-Darling Basin.
Mrs Dalton's exit was accompanied by a disparaging media release in which SFF leader Robert Borsak accused her of hypocrisy in relation to water trading and doing deals with the Greens.
She labelled it an exercise in "creative writing" and said she spoke to all MPs.
In other news
"I feel betrayed and I don't want to work with people who don't know what side of the street they walk on," Mrs Dalton said.
She said she ran as an independent in 2015 and garnered around 20 per cent of the primary vote, so was upbeat she would hold the seat given her higher profile and track record since defeating National Party incumbent Austin Evans in 2019.
Mrs Dalton is sceptical about the SFF finding a candidate to oust her.
"They don't understand the electorate, they're likely to bring a candidate in from outside the area, they did that with (the) Bega (by-election last month), they got somebody from Sydney," she said.
On Facebook on Friday, Mr Borsak labelled Mrs Dalton the "most unpopular politician in Macquarie Street" and someone who "doesn't know when to negotiate".
"We will be back in Murray with a team player and keep the Nats out," he stated.
Deniliquin district resident and Nationals senator Perin Davey said she would "love to represent the seat, but I don't think this is my time", given her Upper House term runs to 2025.
Senator Davey wants her party candidate chosen early.
"I'd like them to have at least six months to hit the ground," she said.
"It's a big electorate and you have got to get around and show your commitment to the whole electorate."
It runs from Berrigan to Wentworth and up to the MIA and will include Jerilderie from the next election.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Download our app from the Apple Store or Google Play
- Bookmark dailyadvertiser.com.au
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters