‘My life was changed’: Andrew Constance on political ambition, Scott Morrison and the south coast’s roads

Andrew Constance has had his life turned upside down, but the Gilmore Liberal candidate said he is the man to “reactivate” the south coast.

The Liberal Gilmore candidate Andrew Constance has been in NSW politics for most of the 21st century, but it’s the last three years that has seen him elevated into the national consciousness.

The mellowed out former Treasurer-turned-Minister for Transport and Roads was at the forefront of advocating for his state electorate of Bega during the infamous 2019/20 Black Summer bushfires.

The events of that summer took a toll on Mr Constance with the trauma having a significant impact on his mental health and being a catalyst for the breakdown in his second marriage with his wife, Jennifer.

Andrew Constance said his experience during the Black Summer bushfires changed him as a person and as a politician. Picture: ABC News Breakfast

Mr Constance is the first to admit the bushfires changed him, but he said it’s readied him to run a positive “Gilmore-focused” campaign devoid of any swipes across political lines against the Labor incumbent Fiona Phillips.

If he were to win the marginal seat, Mr Costance said he wouldn’t be interested in taking on any portfolios in a prospective government or opposition.

“I am a different person, my life was changed,” Mr Constance told The Illawarra Star.

“What I know is that life is incredibly important and I know that there are things that I would have done differently three years ago to what I would do now.

“I am not interested in attacking Fiona. I am going to run a positive campaign, I am not going to waste energy and stress, I am just aiming to be positive for Gilmore.

“Gilmore is hurting and it needs attention. I’ve done 10 and a half years of that [holding a portfolio in the NSW parliament], I’ve still been able to deliver for Bega, but I really want to zero in on and be proactive in Gilmore.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s visit to the south coast town of Cobargo in the midst of the bushfire crisis will be etched in the memories of many as he grabbed the hand of a woman who had refused to give him a handshake.

As Mr Morrison was leaving, people swore at him and told him he should be “ashamed of himself” after he “left the country to burn”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison grabbing the hand of Cobargo resident Zoey McDermott during a visit to the bushfire ravaged community in January, 2020. Picture: Supplied

Mr Constance slammed the PM at the time, telling the media “he probably got the welcome he deserved”.

Two and a half years later he stood by those comments, but said Mr Morrison had taken some “learnings” into the response to the recent floods that ripped through NSW’s north.

Despite an at times tense relationship, Mr Constance said he was still “able to pick up the phone and call” Mr Morrison, adding he felt the PM had been dealt a difficult hand since his shock 2019 election win.

“He shouldn’t have been in Cobargo at that time,” Mr Constance said.

“I am always going to stand up and speak up for my community. It doesn‘t matter about the politics, it was inappropriate for him to be there when he was.

“Over one million [flood relief] payments have been issued which is one learning. But there has been no learning when it comes to politicians standing up in front of a microphone.

“There’s not enough focus on how to recover from disasters and be more resilient and there’s not been learning about addressing land management and climate change.

“He has had a tough time of it. No Prime Minister since World War 2 has had to deal with a crisis day in, day out like he has had to.”

Mr Constance said he is looking to “get past” this month’s federal budget to get into the nitty gritty of what he envisions for Gilmore.

However, he indicated transport and infrastructure would be key pillars of his campaign, including improving the region’s deteriorating roads as well as aiming to create better train links to the south coast which could one day see tracks going across the Shoalhaven River.

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“Nearly 30 percent of the roads in the Shoalhaven are coming to their end of life,” Mr Constance said.

“That’s 100s of kilometres of roads so hundreds of jobs need to be made to do this. It’s not just about getting a shovel and putting some asphalt in.

“[Upgrades to Shoalhaven roads] need to be bundled together into one project. All levels of government need to come together and make an honest assessment to know the actual costs of getting this done.

“These are major roads that are important for tourism, for trucks and locals getting to work. There is so much to be done, local councils can’t do it alone because it requires a massive rebuild.

“Instead of the fast rail between Sydney and Newcastle [Labor leader Anthony Albanese] is talking about, we should be looking to make a link between Nowra and Newcastle. This can be done if the state and federal government can work in conjunction. It needs to be made a goal for the medium-to-long term.

“[Building a railway line over the Shoalhaven River] can be done. There just needs to be the political vision to do it.”