Former Opposition leader Bill Shorten had, during the campaign called this year's federal election a referendum on climate change.
It was, kind of, but just not in the way Mr Shorten had expected.
Labor's lack of detail around how its policies would work and what they would cost missed the mark for most voters - or generally just looked like change for change's sake.
The party's tactics also nearly cost its shadow agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon his seat, scraping back in on just a two per cent margin. He has held the seat of Hunter since 1996.
In the lead up to polling day, a lot of voters in rural areas had openly voiced their dissatisfaction with the Coalition, but also voiced a greater concern for Labor. The question was "who then do they vote for?".
Clearly with few other convincing options, and having felt let down previously by some independents (i.e. Rob Oakeshott in Cowper), the option was to stick with what you know.
While there was a clear message from rural voters leading into the election that they largely didn't see Labor as an option - which was realised with the end result - there has also been a clear message they expect better performance from the Coalition.
The Nationals had the preferable bundle of policies, as we've previously published, and as voters looked to the next three years, they have weighed this up.
But now it's time to deliver. People's frustrations around issues such as water, carbon emissions and Inland Rail remain.
Now, as our new Coalition Government takes back the helm and re-organises its cabinet, rural voters will be super keen to see a prompt delivery on a number of the pre-election promises.
Chief among them will be the Rural Investment Corporation with the concessional loans for farmers, including the two years interest free, as promised by Agriculture Minister David Littleproud.
Farmers will also be watching the delivery on the Coalition's dairy plans, its $30 million climate solutions fund, agriculture visa and workforce reform, and trespass laws.
The inquiry into the water market will also need to be followed through, and with effective terms of reference, and plenty of farmers are also keen to see more details on how the stewardship pilot program will work.
And, of course, we still need a drought policy.
