ROB Taber says he’s been “let down badly” by one-time friend Tony Windsor over his decision to recontest the seat of New England at the forthcoming federal election.
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The Armidale-based independent candidate says Mr Windsor tried to negotiate a preference deal with him at a lunch in Tamworth on Friday.
“I was really surprised because Tony had told me on two previous occasions he wouldn’t run in his old seat,” Mr Taber said.
“Then at the lunch, he wanted me to do a preference swap.
“It’s really annoyed me and had I known his true intention, I wouldn’t have gone this far in my bid for the seat.”
His comments came after Mr Windsor confirmed yesterday he would stand at the forthcoming federal election for the seat of New England, which he held from 2001 to 2013.
Mr Windsor’s decision means the winner could be decided on preferences.
While Mr Joyce holds the seat with a margin of about 19 per cent, polling conducted last year by a trade union showed Mr Windsor could garner 38 per cent of the primary vote.
Mr Taber won 13.7 per cent of the primary vote in the 2013 election. Mr Windsor confirmed he had talked about preferences with Mr Taber but said “it wasn’t in that context”.
“We talked preferences and I said I’d vote for him if he voted for me,” Mr Windsor said yesterday.
Both said they would not be allocating preferences at the election.
Mr Taber said he believed the environment was the most important issue to New England voters, as well as protecting waterways.
“Coal seam gas and mining must be looked at in some length, approvals have never worked and taken farmers’ rights completely away from them,” Mr Taber said. “I’d also like to see more research and development into renewable energy.”
Mr Windsor said Shenhua Watermark mine, the loss of the Defence contract at the BAE Flying College and the downgrading of Tamworth’s NBN rollout were among the issues that prompted him to recontest his old seat. “I cannot sit by and let these things happen,” Mr Windsor said.
“I have always fought for the people of New England, they are not happy with what is happening to their electorate and this country, they have encouraged me to come back and fight for them and for that reason I have accepted and I intend to do so.” Incumbent Barnaby Joyce yesterday also admonished Mr Windsor for failing to make his intentions clear and “be straight up and down with people”.
“I think this whole idea of ‘I’m halfway there, I’m making up my mind,’ ... give me a break. If you want something go out and grab it
