David Littleproud vows to return Calare to Nationals

The Nationals won the seat of Calare when the region went to the polls in May, 2022. But by the end of the year elected MP Andrew Gee ditched the party and became an independent.

In Orange on Wednesday after a trip to the flood-impacted community of Eugowra, Mr Littleproud says he's still baffled by Mr Gee's decision to defect from the Nationals but concedes "that's democracy".

"We would have liked him obviously to continue on with us, but that's a decision he's made; we respect that," Mr Littleproud said.

"But that doesn't mean we won't be contesting Calare. We'll be taking it very seriously.

"This is business, and I made that clear to him. I like him ... unfortunately, I want to beat him."

Mr Gee hasn't shied away from taking pot-shots at the current state of the Nationals party. He believes he was "muzzled" when it came to his contrasting position on the Voice issue.

He's said previously the Nats are "run by an ever-shrinking circle of people and has lost touch with its once mighty base and our communities".

Mr Gee took another shot at his former party late on Wednesday after learning Mr Littleproud was in his electorate.

The leader of the Nationals confirmed the pair was not planning on meeting as he made his way through the electorate on route to Mudgee.

"It was interesting to hear that federal Nationals' leader David Littleproud has been in Eugowra," Mr Gee said in a statement.

The flood disaster in Eugowra occurred on November 14. Mr Littleproud's first visit to the region was Wednesday, "almost eight months later" Mr Gee was quick to point out.

"For the party that says it represents the people of regional Australia, that's an extraordinarily long time," he added.

"While I welcome him to our electorate, the question has to be asked why it has taken almost eight months for him to visit our disaster-hit communities to express his concern?

"I suspect that for a lot of residents still picking up the pieces from this traumatic time, his visit will be a case of way too little, way too late."

Mr Littleproud indicated his trip to Eugowra was a positive one and the community was upbeat about its position eight months on from the flood disaster that crippled parts of the Cabonne shire in late 2022.

He conceded, though, there's is still much to do to get villages like Eugowra back up on its feet.

He believes that recovery would be accelerated with the Coalition back in government, and indicated the process to crown a new Nationals candidate for Calare was about to begin.

He said the party was determined to make sure the candidate selected "is local, is connected to the community and is one that has demonstrated that already to the electorate".

There's a redistribution in the works for NSW though, which will shift some electoral boundaries, and once that takes place Mr Littleproud said the process would "amplify".

"Again, look at our record, look at what the people of Calare got when you had a federal nationals member," Mr Littleproud said.

"That will translate again when we're back in government."

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