Nats quiet achiever worthy of farm promotion

But he’s the consummate quiet achiever and team player who’d be a dependable and bankable political commodity should the need arise to appoint a new Agriculture and Water Resources Minister, in the re-elected Turnbull government.

Many names are being linked to federal ministry positions and promotions, as the Junior Coalition partner claims greater government influence after a positive election result, boosting its parliamentary numbers, while the Liberals tumbled.

However, Mr Coulton’s name isn’t one that’s being tossed about by the national media in expanded ministry speculations, despite entering his fourth term in office to become one of the most experienced members of federal parliament.

Most analysts expect Mr Joyce will continue in his current agricultural role to push forward with his ambitious vision to build more dams and expand farm productivity and output, to boost its contribution to the transitioning national economy.

But Mr Coulton, who was a farmer at Warialda for 30-years before entering politics producing grains, sheep and cattle and represents a massive rural electorate that’s half the size of NSW, possesses undeniable credentials.

Wool, beef, pork, wheat, cotton, oil seed crops, lucerne, fruit, vegetables, dairy cattle, horse, sheep and cattle studs are just some of the commodities produced in the State’s biggest electorate that’s also home to large country towns like Dubbo and Broken Hill.

Mining is also a significant contributor to the Parkes economy which includes the controversial Shenhua coal mine that’s become a symbol of the industry’s struggle against the environmental lobby in recent political debate.

Speaking to Fairfax Agricultural Media about the new government’s formation, Mr Coulton said the federal ministry was a matter for the party leader to decide upon but he’d welcome any opportunity for higher duties, if it came his way.

“I take my job very seriously and I love what I do and I think that is reflected in the results achieved working in my electorate,” he said.

“But just because I’m not on national television or saying outrageous things and building a national profile, it doesn’t mean that I’m not contributing on a national level.

“I’ve been intimately involved in many programs like the inland rail and the Stronger Communities Program but if I’m not on Sky News every night, doing an interview, then so be it.

“That’s not my style.”

Asked what his style was, Mr Coulton said “you do the job that you’re given”.

“Everyone who comes to my office is treated like their problem is a serious problem that requires a lot of care and concern and very, very few people leave my office after having an issue dealt with, feeling like they haven’t had a fair go,” he said.

“You treat everyone with respect and you’ve got to love what you do and you’ve got to like the people you represent and if you don’t like those people, you’re in the wrong game.

“Due to the transient nature of federal politics, I’m one of the longest serving members now, going into my fourth term, and if an opportunity comes along to step up into another role I’ll gladly take it - but that’s a decision for others.”

Politics doesn’t often reward policy pragmatism and steady outcomes achieved behind closed doors, compared to making loud noises in the media.

But Mr Coulton is comfortable with his unpretentious approach and finds political strength from the mighty community support and voter backing he claims in Parkes with a primary vote of about 60 per cent this year that doubled his Labor foe.

“If people want me to jump through hoops and juggle three balls all at once and be some sport of human headline, they’ve got the wrong person,” he said.

Mr Coulton said his job is representing the people of his electorate, regardless of who they are, the best he can.

“I represent more aboriginal people in Canberra than I do farmers so I spend a lot of time in that space helping those people,” he said.

“The vast majority of people I represent in the Parkes electorate live in country towns and they have their aspirations too.

“Obviously my background in over 30 years working as a farmer gives me a special interest in that space.

“The Free Trade Agreements, inland rail, issues around drought and taxation, like Farm Management Deposits, are all of great interest to me because that’s my background.

“But the job of a federal member of parliament is to represent all those areas.”

Mr Coulton said the Nationals’ “high water mark” was achieved at the last federal election in 2013 with 21 members but to build on that number this time was a “sensational story” and probably the party’s best result in over 50 years.

“I think that’s a hell of a result,” he said.

“For Michelle Landry to be the first conservative ever to win Capricornia two elections in a row - given the campaign we’ve just had - is a wonderful result.”

But Mr Coulton said increasing the party numbers by one MP was not something that “we need to be dancing on the roof tops about”.

He said it showed the Nationals would have greater responsibility in the new government and would also bring more stability and common sense.

“We’ll obviously have a greater role to play given our numbers and we’ll be using that to deliver sensible government to the Australian people,” he said.

“One of the mistakes the independents made in 2010 was thinking that the Australian people can be bought off with trinkets and bits and pieces but what the people want is stability and leadership and good government.

“The idea that I should go home every weekend with beads and blankets to hand out to the grateful citizens of the Parkes electorate is not what being a federal member is all about.

“It’s about providing an environment in which they can reach their aspirations and do what they do without too much government interference and if they fall on harder times, then the government is there to give them a hand.”