FEDERAL Member for New England, Barnaby Joyce has welcomed the Australian Electoral Commissions draft proposal of an expanded New England Electorate with the Gwydir Local Government Area injecting 3,805 electors and the Upper Hunter LGA with 9,805 electors.

 

“I’m extremely happy that Tenterfield and Glen Innes remain in the New England, after investing a lot of money in that area with a new Electorate office,” he said.

 

“We’ve also done a lot of work in the Tenterfield Shire on the Mount Lindesay Road, the Tenterfield Heavy Vehicle Bypass and the Bolivia Hill realignment.

 

“There has been a lot of work in the Bridges to Recovery Programme with the Bookookoorara Bridge and the Seven Mile Creek Bridge in the Glen Innes Severn Shire and I want to be there when they are opened.

 

Mr Joyce also praised the Federal Coalition’s work on the new and upgraded mobile phone towers in the Electorate .

 

“I want to be there when these jobs have been finished and delivered. I want to be there when the new mobile phone tower is turned on at Legume and Urbenville.

 

Mr Joyce said the proposed addition of the Upper Hunter and Gwydir LGAs to the New England Electorate would offer him the opportunity to work hard for the people of Scone, Murrurundi, Merriwa, Bingara and Warialda.

 

“My great, great, great-grandfather is buried in the Bingara Cemetery, one of the oldest tombstones there, so it will be fantastic to have that area back in the New England as well.

 

Mr Joyce said the proposed loss of the Gunnedah LGA to the Electorate was a shame.

 

“Gunnedah has been an incredibly vibrant town and is heart of the Breeza and Liverpool Plains.

 

“It has been a strong supporter of The Nationals, but I am absolutely certain Mark Coulton will do a great job of representing the area.
 

“It’s incredibly disappointing to lose Gunnedah but that’s the way these things work.”

 

“You don’t get everything you ask for, the decisions are made by an independent committee and they’ve made their judgement.”