STATE MP for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay has been preselected as The Nationals’ candidate for the federal seat of New England by a meeting of local party members in Tamworth.
Mr Torbay said the New England region needed a Nationals MP to "avoid being sidelined" after the next election.
“The independent movement in federal parliament failed when they became apologists for the Labor government, and as a result I think independents will not have any influence beyond the next election,” Mr Torbay said.
He said that he was "humbled by the overwhelming support" from local members of The Nationals.
“Right from the beginning I said that I would not stand for the party without the backing of the local membership” Mr Torbay said.
“For the past couple of months I have been meeting with local party members right across the electorate, listening to their views, and I’m extremely glad that they have given me their endorsement.
“I look forward to playing my part in restoring the influence and strength that was associated with the old Country Party.”
Nationals Chairman Niall Blair said that he was delighted with the outcome of the preselection.
“I never take the result of any preselection for granted, even when there’s only one candidate,” Mr Blair said.
“The members still need to make an active choice to endorse a candidate, and they did that emphatically today in preselecting Richard Torbay."
More than 100 grassroots members came from across the New England to attend the meeting at the Tamworth Community Centre.
