UPDATED 3.30 pm FORMER Labor Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan has flagged his intentions to try and reclaim the seat of Monaro at the next State election.
Less than an hour after the resignation of Premier Barry O’Farrell this morning, Mr Whan announced plans to run for Country Labor preselection to contest Monaro at the March 2015 State election.
Mr Whan held Monaro for eight years prior to the 2011 election when he lost the seat to the Nationals’ John Barilaro after an 8.4 per cent swing against Labor.
Three months later he moved into the Upper House to fill a vacancy created by the resignation of former Labor Planning Minister Tony Kelly.
In a statement, Mr Whan said he believed voters in his electorate had wanted a change of government at the 2011 election and felt having a government member as their local MP was in their best interests.
He acknowledged runing again was “a big personal risk”.
“…but this communities’ (sic) future is too important for me to sit back and leave it to wither under the Nationals.”
In the statement, Mr Whan slammed The Nationals’ performance accusing them of “delivering excuses instead of results”.
“I want to run because the electorate hasn't got the attention it needs from the Coalition," he told The Land.
“We have lost some terrific extension officers, which was a real blow to farmers. Also, we need someone in this area to stand up to the Abbott government over the downgrades to the National Broadband Network."
Mr Whan said if he were elected, he would represent the Monaro as a senior member of the Labor party.
“I can raise the profile of rural and regional issues in parliament.
“Roads funding (in the Monaro) has dropped under the current local member, including funding for upgrades to the Monaro highway.”
Monaro’s sitting MP, John Barilaro's response to Mr Whan's announcement was explosive.
“Mr Whan’s record of failure and factional backstabbing speaks for itself. I am only too happy to put my record of delivery and local results against his,” Mr Barilaro said.
Mr Whan was an “integral part of the shady Labor machine” which held power for 16 years in the previous government, he said.
Mr Barilaro cited former Labor planning minister Frank Sartor’s comments to the ICAC where he claimed Mr Whan told him he had joined Eddie Obeid’s infamous faction of the Labor Party, the Terrigals.
"I think many people in Monaro were disappointed with the confirmation that their former Member was deeply engaged in Sussex Street factional politics," he said.
“This is the same Steve Whan who twiddled his thumbs for eight years on the Tralee development. A development which has now been approved by the Liberal and Nationals Government.”
“This is the same Steve Whan who promised ring roads for Queanbeyan, hospitals for Jindabyne and bus services that never eventuated.”