Grant up for the challenge

The Dubbo MP is now leader of the NSW Nationals after serving 22 years as a police officer, three years in State Parliament and seven months as Minister for Gaming, Racing and the Arts.

It has been a meteoric rise for the young parliamentarian, who at the sprightly age of 44 has grasped leadership ahead of several other more senior Nationals ministers and took up the role as Deputy State Premier last week following the shock resignation of Andrew Stoner.

Despite limited ministerial experience, Mr Grant stood by his track record of delivering for the farm sector.

"I led the government's response to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, which has yielded the best possible outcome for the State and included a $350 million package of new irrigation efficiency programs for NSW," he said.

"I was the key person that formulated our response to demand protecting of any further water extraction and ensured that the proper level of investment for on-farm water efficiencies, and removing constraints in the systems."

Mr Grant was twice decorated for courage in the force and made the career switch in 2011 on the advice of NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione, with the help of a Nationals' stalwart, Duncan Gay.

On the decision to run for public office, he said simply: "I was asked to do it by Duncan Gay, and it appealed to my sense of community service."

"I was motivated when the opportunity came up to stop my electorate from being ignored."

With just five months to the next election, Mr Grant will need to hit the ground running.

He has replaced former leader Mr Stoner in key regional ministries - Trade and Investment, Tourism and Regional Infrastructure, despite Mr Stoner initially saying he would keep his portfolio until the election next year.

However, Mr Grant said he had full backing from his party.

"I was elected to leader unopposed," he said.

"My colleagues had the confidence and faith in me and I am confident the community will grow to share that faith."

Mr Grant said his former boss, Mr Scipione, recommended him as a potential candidate, so he sought his advice on the move.

"He said 'Troy, your heart is always about serving your community, you simply have to decide on what platform you can best do that - as an officer or local MP'.

"He told me to follow my heart and I have followed my heart and backed my communities to be here."

Mr Grant spent three years working with Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson in his role as Parliamentary Secretary for Natural Resources before he was elevated to the gaming and racing portfolio after the cabinet reshuffle in April.

During his travels in this role, and in his many transfers across NSW during his time on the force, the Maitland-born Mr Grant grew to call himself "a son of regional NSW".

He won't have much time to show the electorate his brand of leadership, with NSW going to the polls in March. But Mr Grant said he would stand on the Nationals' performance to date.

"We have delivered record investment in roads, schools and hospitals," he said.

Pointing to his own electorate, Mr Grant said he had secured $200 million for new hospital infrastructure in Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes and Peak Hill.

He praised outgoing leader Mr Stoner for his "enormous achievements" citing the 30 per cent funding agreement for infrastructure in the bush and said he was "humbled by the opportunity to fill his shoes".