History no guide for Eden-Monaro by-election tussle: Anthony Albanese
Despite no government winning a by-election in 100 years, Anthony Albanese says it will be a challenge to retain the seat.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese has warned that retaining the NSW seat of Eden-Monaro will be a challenge, even though it has been 100 years since a government has taken a seat in a by-election.
The seat was vacated last week after popular member Labor MP Mike Kelly retired last week because serious kidney issues and deteriorating osteoarthritis from his army service had hampered his ability to travel.
No date has yet been set for the by-election.
Mr Albanese said that while the political wrangling between the Nationals and Liberals continues, Labor’s pick, Bega mayor Kristy McBain, is ready to represent the people of her constituency rather than herself.
It comes as The Weekend Australian revealed that NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro would win the Eden-Monaro by-election if he chooses to stand, according to new Nationals polling.
The federal Nationals polling of 1296 voters, conducted by phone on Thursday night, reveals that Mr Barilaro would secure 30 per cent of the primary vote against the 35 per cent secured by Ms McBain.
Mr Albanese said the south coast area of NSW was a community that had been hit by the “triple whammy” of drought, bushfires and now the coronavirus pandemic.
He accused the government of talking the eye off the ball during the COVID-19 crisis for the region. “They took money that had been allocated for the bushfire regions for tourism and gave it to areas that were impacted by the coronavirus,” he told Sky News on Sunday.
Another potential contender from the NSW state government, Transport Minister Andrew Constance, has told the Liberal State Executive he will not run should Mr Barilaro choose to stand.
Other contenders include Senator Jim Molan and Fiona Kotvojs, who came close to unseating Dr Kelly at last year’s election.
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