Berejiklian government promised to spend almost $130 million in the seat of Wagga Wagga
THE Berejiklian government has promised to spend almost $130 million in the seat of Wagga Wagga as it tries desperately to hold on to the at-risk electorate in next weekend’s by-election.
NSW
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THE Berejiklian government has promised to spend almost $130 million in the seat of Wagga Wagga as it tries desperately to hold on to the at-risk electorate in next weekend’s by-election.
A long list of pledged hyper-local investments includes a massive $20 million for a music recital hall and a $30 million hospital car park to be announced today.
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The size of the campaign spending spree has stunned even some in the government who have questioned whether voters will simply dismiss it as “cynical”. The strategy so far has included parading a series of high-profile ministers through the electorate to splash money on an almost daily basis. Even yesterday the Liberals had a parliamentary secretary manning a pre-polling booth.
The government believes the pledges are insignificant given the spending in the electorate since 2011 — which it is staking its record on — including the Wagga Wagga hospital redevelopment.
The seat — held by a 12.9 per cent margin — is at risk after Liberal MP Daryl Maguire was forced to resign in disgrace over revelations he’d sought commissions from a Chinese developer.
The Liberals have chosen local councillor Julia Ham as the party’s candidate to replace Mr Maguire.
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The Daily Telegraph revealed last week senior government ministers believed the federal chaos and damage to the Liberal brand would be the “nail in the coffin” that would see the already precarious seat lost.
The government has been campaigning feverishly to stave off independent Joe McGirr, a high-profile local doctor who has run a tireless grassroots campaign.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian has been managing expectations, saying repeatedly she is genuinely worried about holding the seat.
One senior government source said the focus on splashing cash would not guarantee support in the regions and said the government should have done more to apologise for the behaviour of Mr Maguire.
The by-election promises include $14.4 million for a freight and logistics hub, $7 million for a cycling complex, and a $50 million boost to the Tumut hospital rebuild. They also include much smaller spends in a tactic to spread the love — such as $2000 for the local men’s shed.
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A NSW government spokesman said the government had delivered for Wagga Wagga during its time in power. “(We have) had a very strong record of delivering for the people of Wagga Wagga from the moment we took office.”
Mr McGirr said voters were “quite cynical” about the government’s cash splash in the region. “People appreciate the attention but also they are gobsmacked at the level of interest and are naturally quite cynical about money talking,” he said.