Pru Goward fights for another term

“I can’t fight dirty tricks, we are here to fight for the future of the state,” Ms Goward said.  

“I wanted this debate and campaign to be about policy and I thought I had a worthy opponent [Labor Candidate Ursula Stephens]... she was a former senator after all. I think people see through dirty tricks.”

Goward is confident that with the support of the Liberal Party, she'll be elected next month. 

“Mike Baird has been very well-liked and I think people know we have taken some tough decisions and now the state is really benefiting. 

“We [NSW] are ranked with the lowest unemployment level in the country and we have the highest business conference we have had for some time, as well as record housing stats. 

“I think the state is going well and we have driven a lot of reforms. I think people expected us to make changes and without throwing a spanner in the works, I think things have been going rather smoothly.” 

Ms Goward also stands by the NSW Government's decision to privatise the state's assets.

“I just don’t get the uproar … there would barely be a household in Australia that doesn’t own a Telstra share, so when you think about the privatisation of Telstra or the privatisation of the Commonwealth Banks, they have both turned into largely profitable organisations.” 

“So privatisation has been a very good thing. I believe this is an old furphy being run by a union that is in a very privileged position and doesn’t want to give up on its privileges. In this area, they will be able to share in $6 billion in new infrastructure.”

She said the main issue in the Yass Valley was the Barton Highway and that through another term, she would continue to fight to get Yass back on the map. 

“Yass is one of the only regional centres in NSW that is growing in population, we know we need a stage plan for the Barton and to bring the Commonwealth to the party on the funding… it’s made more difficult in that it is a federal road and we have to design the upgrade, so that has made it a lot more difficult. But we will get there.” 

The rebuilding of the Yass Hospital this month is something she believes is a great step forward for the community. 

She said that although the Barton is the main issue she would like to see educational infrastructure made possible if she is elected for another term. 

“I’m hoping ... we can have a look at the Murrumbateman school. I think infrastructure is what's holding Murrumbateman back.”  

“We can’t lose what is so wonderful about Yass either, it is a real community and a lovely country atmosphere and I would hate to see that get lost.”

Ms Goward believes the people are over all the rubbish of dirty politics and campaigning. 

“If that is what the opposition is doing then they are not fit, and we won’t spend any more time on it,” she said.