Leader of the Nationals and member for New England Barnaby Joyce has extended his congratulations to incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese but warned there are massive challenges facing the nation.
"To lead the country is an incredible honour and we know there are precarious times ahead; it will be essential to have a strong nation," he said.
"We have to have a nation that will prevail in uncertain times, both economically and geopolitically."
Mr Joyce said the Nationals have continued to surprise the pundits with their election results.
"In the circumstances before us, we've done very well. We've held every lower house seat, and with Ross Cadell coming into the Senate, our party room will be bigger after 1 July than before the election," Mr Joyce said.
"That is a credit to the organisational structure, the party members, the booth workers, and the members."
Mr Joyce said there was still some chance for the Country Liberal candidate Damien Ryan, who was only 1,192 votes behind the ALP candidate Marion Scrymgour with the counting of postal votes still to occur.
"We now have to go from being a good government, especially in regional Australia, to (being) a good opposition," he said.
"I hope the incoming Labor alliance doesn't put regional Australian projects to the sword.
"We have fought to make Australia a fair place. We need to have an expanse of investment across our nation, and we need to invest where we make money.
"If they concentrate on the cities, then they will not be making this nation as strong as possible."
He said common sense should continue to lobby for projects like the Dungowan Dam upgrade.
NSW Farmers concerned about live export bans
Incoming Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should consider changing his rhetoric and proposals on taking money from the last government's Regionalisation Fund, NSW Farmers president James Jackson said.
Mr Jackson said the piece of work Mr Albanese did in outlining his savings (during the election campaign) was concerning for regional Australians.
"Essentially, he would take money away from the Regionalisation Fund, taking money from regional NSW to support his agenda, largely based in Sydney," he said.
Mr Jackson said calling the Fund's investment in communications towers, health services and infrastructure in regional Australia "rorts and a slush fund" was not helpful.
"And then saying he is ruling for all of Australia... he may want to consider changing his rhetoric post-election, I would suggest."
He is also concerned for the future of the live export trade.
"Essential, that sort of ad hoc decision making destroys the confidence of people investing in agriculture because there is no rational argument for banning the trade," Mr Jackson said.
"It's throwing a bone to inner-city seats which are woefully ill-informed.
"It puts a shot across the bows of the live cattle game. Are you going to get people investing in the cattle industry or in the entire north of Australia, where a lot of the economy relies on the cattle industry?
"Because, trust me; live sheep first, and then cattle will be lined up on the block next by these inner-city people who are ill-informed."
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He said that an ALP Government has pledged not to dismantle the diesel rebate in the next three-year term.
"The rebate is at risk and we've got three years to make Federal Labor understand it's not some sort of subsidy; it's a rebate of a road tax, which we shouldn't pay because we don't drive or burn diesel on roads," he said.
Future must remain the focus
NSW Farmers CEO Pete Arkle said the future of agriculture must be a focus for the incoming Labor government.
"There are big concerns around sustainable biosecurity funding and preparedness, and we very much want to see the competition policy failures resolved in a prompt manner," Mr Arkle said.
In terms of exports for NSW, $1 out of every $7 comes from agriculture, and Mr Arkle said there was even more economic potential with the right policy settings.
"Australian farmers operate in a pretty volatile environment with tough regulatory and legislative pressures, but they are far and away some of the most productive in the world," he said.
"By investing in infrastructure, research and biosecurity, and removing some of the barriers, our farmers can truly grow a stronger future for our country."
Concern around death of dam plans
WaterNSW's Namoi-Peel Customer Advisory Group chair Ian Coxhead, Nemingha believes the change in Federal Government will be the death knell of the proposed dams at Dungowan and on the Mole River near Tenterfield.
"My colleagues and I are very concerned about what we will face with this Government," Mr Coxhead said.
"We know that most of the ALP and the Green alliance they are tangled up with are anti-dam. So I think the money will go somewhere else.
"We will have to point out these are vital infrastructure projects funded by the emergency drought program, and the future growth for Tamworth (Dungowan Dam) needs to happen."
Mr Coxhead said Murray Darling Basin (MDB) policy and requirements are a significant concern too.
"What requirements the MDB have to come from tributaries like the Peel and the Namoi," he said.
"Most of our water doesn't go any further than the Menindee Lakes."
Mr Coxhead said restricting the amount of water in the MDB would also cripple irrigators' economic returns.
He said crops like cotton suffer from a poor image in the city despite the great strides in water efficiency.
"If these crops become uneconomic, there's no point in growing half a crop; water is essential," Mr Coxhead said.
"Irrigators don't use any more water than necessary.
"When these crops die out, what will the government do to replace the lost income?"