Political heavyweights have descended on the NSW Upper Hunter today, in the hope they will give their parties a much-needed boost at the polls.
Upper Hunter is a marginal electorate, where the conflicting interests of agriculture, racing and mining intersect.
It was retained by Mr Johnsen in 2019 by just 2.6 per cent. But it’s a seat that’s been held by the Nationals or Country Party for 90 years.
Coalition candidate Dave Layzell was joined at the polls by NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Deputy Premier John Barilaro.
Responsibility rests on him to shift Gladys Berejiklian’s numbers back up to half of the Lower House.
But she wasn’t the only recognisable face on the hustings.
Pauline Hanson and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack among the political heavyweights descending on the Upper Hunter, where voters want jobs for young people.
“There are not many jobs for young people here in the Hunter,” one voter said.
The Nationals pulled out all stops to make sure their 90-year hold on the seat doesn’t end with Mr Johnsen.
The Coalition is hoping Ms Berejiklian’s popularity among voters will help them to victory in the marginal seat.
She told reporters today a win in the by-election would “break the course of history”.
“I mean, the average swing against a government in a by-election in the last decade and a half has been 15 per cent against a government and we only hold this seat by 2-point-something per cent,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“I’m always someone who looks at the maths and the evidence and the maths and the evidence says an average swing against the government in a by-election.”
Labor candidate Jeff Drayton was flanked by party leader Jodi McKay as he cast his vote in Muswellbrook today.
“There are so many issues in this electorate, but we have listened to what they’ve all told us and it is that they want their fair share,” Ms McKay told the media.
“They want their fair share of the mining royalties that this region generates. And they want to make sure that, as a party, Labor is protecting jobs and creating jobs.”
With a conga line of minor parties and independents on the ballot paper, the results of the by-election may not be known for hours.
The Nationals Party has held the Upper Hunt seat since the 1930s.
