The Nats candidate has stepped right into the hot seat advocating abolishing a National Park for red gum forestry.
Austin Evans, a former mayor, was chosen as the Nats candidate for Murray in the safe Nationals seat, where a by-election will be held on October 14.
Mr Evans though has stepped right into a forestry debate, advocating the de-commissioning of a national park near Deniliquin to allow red gum forestry to recommence.
He claims the red gum sawmillers are the victims of “a desperate last-ditch bid to retain power in 2009, the NSW Labor government struck a deal with the Greens to reclassify vast tracts of state forests in the region to national parks, effectively killing off the local timber industry”
Mr Evans said if elected, he would lodge a Private Member's Bill in NSW parliament, and lobby his Coalition colleagues to reverse the decision. He claims it has cost the Deniliquin region hundreds of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in lost income.
Mr Evans toured the national parks around Deniliquin with local fourth-generation sawmillers Ben Danckert from Gulpa Sawmills and Chris Crump from Mathoura Redgum Sawmill.
"It's deeply upsetting to see such an important industry mothballed and communities punished because of some self-serving political deal between Labor and the Greens," Mr Evans said.
"The timber industry is part of the DNA of these towns.
"Labor promised the loss of the industry would be offset by a tourism boom in the new national parks but that simply hasn't happened. Tourism has actually decreased."
"We will be working hard to get the Liberals onside and get rid of these national parks," he said.
"I'm heartened by the fact the Labor candidate seems to share my concerns on the issue.
"I hope the rest of his party supports my bill too.
"I'm more determined than ever to lodge this bill and do everything in my power to ensure the timber industry is returned to this region and commonsense is returned to this debate."
Mr Danckert, whose great-grandfather established Gulpa Sawmills, thanked Mr Evans for his support.
"This decision must be reversed for the betterment of the region.
"It will create jobs and prosperity for our towns."