DEAR News Of The Area,
THE Cowper results show some interesting voting patterns.
Across the board Caz Heise got a 3.5 percent increase in primary vote from 2022 while Pat Conaghan had a 0.8 percent decline in primaries.
Unfortunately for the independent the gain was mainly won from Labor and the Greens losses.
Some booths are clearly in the independent’s camp, like Bellingen with 80 percent, while some of the high crime-rate, poorer areas such as Kempsey voted to keep what they know with the Nats rather than try the alternative.
What we can see is the voters that are the new lifestylers in beautiful locations are turning away from the Nats.
There are a mere 3,000 votes needed to change for a new style of representation.
My disappointment with the Caz campaign is not linking the policies that the Liberal/Nationals put forward and then discarded even mid-campaign.
We heard nothing about nuclear power plants and dumping thousands of public service jobs.
The Nats meanwhile focused on where the independents’ funding was coming from rather than disclose their own mining and big business ties.
Caz Heise has said she will not run again and that is understandable, however the Voices for Cowper which nominated her is a far more robust and committed group who will again select and promote a candidate when the next election rolls around.
Regards,
Peter LEWIS,
Park Beach.
