Member for Murray Austin Evans said he would be prepared to oppose his own party and cross the floor on the issue of floodplain harvesting in the northern basin.
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He dropped the bombshell at a NSW election forum on Thursday held by the Griffith Business Chamber, where candidates fielded questions from members of the public.
The topic of water dominated the discussion, with every candidate expressing their disgust at the total lack of monitoring around floodplain harvesting in the northern basin.
Without it, farmers up north can take more than their fair share of water at the expense of Griffith irrigators with impunity, and it's something that all the candidates opposed.
Yet it's something that Nationals Regional Water Minister Niall Blair defended during his visit to Griffith in February, and the other candidates were quick to point that out.
One Nation candidate Tom Weyrich said that Mr Evans' heart was in the right place but he didn't have the courage to actually oppose the Coalition government and bring change.
"I think he's quite a nice bloke but the results aren't there. Either he ain't got the 'parts' to make it work or the Libs aren't listening. But whatever it is it's just not happening," Mr Weyrich said.
Shooters, Fishers, and Farmers candidate Helen Dalton was of the same mind, adding that the years of Murray being a strong National seat had harmed the community.
"We've had a National party in here for 34 years and not a lot's improved and we're suffering," Mrs Dalton said.
"I'm running to make a change, I think I've got the best chance to make a change, we will hold that balance of power… and we will hold the government to account," she said.
Like Mrs Dalton, independent candidate David Landini was once a member of the Nationals before quitting "in disgust" at how the Liberal National government "ignores" regional areas.
Brians Mills is another independent candidate who said he is fed up with the current government, which he believes hasn't been doing enough for the seat of Murray.
"Leadership has to come, and it isn't going to come from a member of parliament and it hasn't been from this guy," he said, gesturing to Mr Evans.
Mr Evans hit back at the suggestion he hadn't been getting anything done as Member for Murray, pointing to the $189 million for Griffith Base Hospital and other funding commitments.
But putting aside their differences the candidates had much in common.
They were all angry about being taken advantage of by South Australia, they were all worried about the ailing mental health of rural communities, and they were all passionate about fighting for the people of Murray.
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Kenji Sato
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
Kenji Sato is a handsome journalist at The Daily Advertiser who enjoys writing flattering bios about himself in the third person. He can be contacted by email at kenji.sato@dailyadvertiser.com.au or by mobile on 0448 927 612.
