The battle for New England

Deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce is just in front of his independent challenger in one of the most tightly contested races in the election campaign, new polling shows.

Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull visits Macadamia Processing Cooperative near Ballina in the seat of Page, Friday, June 17, 2016.  (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) NO ARCHIVING

Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce visits Macadamia Processing Cooperative near Ballina in the seat of Page, Friday, June 17, 2016. Source: AAP

This is The Conversation’s first election podcast, where we visit the New South Wales seat of New England. The electorate is held by deputy prime minister and Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, who is under challenge from former independent member Tony Windsor.

Joyce predicts the government will “take a haircut” at the election, and talks about New England becoming a net exporter of renewable energy in future years. Windsor says if there was a hung parliament he would not go into an alliance, as he did with the Gillard government, and is coy about where his vote would end up.

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Michelle Grattan does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond the academic appointment above.


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By Michelle Grattan

Source: The Conversation



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