Shooters Party snatch seat of Murray from wounded Nationals

Voters in drought-ravaged bush seats sought to punish the Nationals over water management and perceived Sydney-centric policies, with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party winning a seat off the Nationals and another in the balance.

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Voters in drought-ravaged bush seats sought to punish the Nationals over water management and perceived Sydney-centric policies, with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers picking up the seat of Murray and holding ­Orange.

Also in doubt was Barwon — the bone-dry seat the size of Germany that became a focal point for rural ire after one million fish ­suffocated in the Menindee Lakes in ­January — for the first time in 69 years.

“Barwon has been a Nationals stronghold but people feel neglected and they don’t feel they’ve been listened to,” Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate told The Sunday Telegraph.

“The Nationals are paying the price for rural neglect. It’s going to be close, which is ­extremely humbling.”

Shooters, Fishers and Farmer's Candidate Roy Butler. Picture: Gavin Schmidt

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Mr Butler is likely to win Broken Hill, which will mean the Nationals’ fate in Barwon will come down to the result in Narrabri.

But the Nationals were ­relieved the backlash in the bush was not as bad as ­predicted and a feared wipe-out did not eventuate.

Nationals leader John Barilaro held his marginal seat of Monaro and even achieved a strong early swing.

Rural voter anger was clear in Gilgandra, the base of the Nationals’ Barwon candidate Andrew Schier.

There, sheep breeder Keith Mudford, 65, said he had voted for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers — going against the Nationals for the first time in his life.

“The Nationals no longer work for rural NSW because they do whatever they’re told by the Liberals,” he said.

In the tiny town of Nevertire, surrounded by barren cotton and cattle farms, farmer Noel Kinsey, 66, also ditched the Nationals for the first time because of what he called the “absolute stitch-up” of the Murray Darling Basin Plan.

“The theory is we flush our water down the rivers for the good of the environment, but it hasn’t rained here since 2016 so there’s no water to spare,” he said.

SFF candidate Roy Butler had expected the result to be “very close” amid an anti-Nationals backlash in western towns suffering chronic water shortages, including Wilcannia, Walgett and Bourke.

Barwon Nationals candidate Andrew Schier arrives at his party office in Gilgandra as the count gets underway in the NSW state election. Picture: Peter Lorimer.

In Murray, which takes in Griffith and Hay, the SFF’s Helen Dalton toppled sitting National Austin Evans.

“Fish kills and mismanagement of water appalled most of the people in our electorate, which incorporates all rivers — Lachlan, Murrumbidgee, Murray and Lower Darling,” Ms Dalton said.

Wagga Wagga voters gave independent Joe McGirr ­another chance after he won the seat from the Liberal party in a by-election just six months ago.

“Voters are concerned about climate change, electricity prices, safety and infrastructure, but the biggest issue is still dissatisfaction with the main two parties,” Dr McGirr said.

The SFF’s Helen Dalton toppled sitting National Austin Evans to claim the seat of Murray.

Barilaro’s victory went against the trend, and voters in the town of Jerrabomberra told The Sunday Telegraph they voted for the deputy premier based on his personal profile in the electorate — not because of his party.

“I don’t really see him as a Nationals candidate,” ­construction worker Geoff said. “He seems to be open to the people.”

In adjoining Goulburn, the Liberals’ Wendy Tuckerman looked set to retain the seat despite Labor’s Ursula Stephens making strong inroads.

A swing toward the former senator had been expected after the retirement of long-serving member Pru Goward.

“We have managed to get a lot of money to appease the community and there is a lot of infrastructure getting built,” said Ms Tuckerman, a former AFP officer and mayor.

She said unemployment was a big issue and creating more jobs was “something we need to work towards.”