For many, in an ideal world there would have been no redistribution between seats in southern inland NSW. But there has been.

As President of the Yass Branch of the Liberal Party I am very pleased that Pru Goward and Katrina Hodgkinson will not be battling each other for the one seat. The ALP must have been licking their lips at the prospect of these two fine female cabinet ministers competing against each other, with the prospect of seeing them both out of Parliament in one go.

Many in the region will be sad to lose Katrina as our local member. Politics is a tough business and not everything goes the way you want.

The mark of human character is how you handle it when things go against you.

It is for this reason that I know Katrina will run an outstanding campaign in Cootamundra and win the seat at the next state election.

Our branch wishes her all the best and hopes she continues to be the NSW Minister for Agriculture for many more years.

Pru Goward is an outstanding minister in about the toughest portfolio in state government – Community Services.

She has been a fantastic local member for the seat of Goulburn and will work hard in the new areas of her electorate in the coming months to ensure she is able to be a strong representative in cabinet for our area.

If all the coalition efforts are put towards getting both Pru Goward and Katrina Hodgkinson to win the seats of Goulburn and Cootamundra at the next state election, that would be a fantastic result.

Further, not that it won’t be difficult to win at the next election, but not having a three cornered contest will allow both of these fine ministers more time to focus on their ministerial roles for the benefit of all in NSW as well as more time to be constructive in their electorates, rather than a protracted and destructive internal coalition circus.

Edward Storey

President

Yass Branch Liberal Party