Davis pipes up for election

Mr Davis fulfilled his promise to have a tilt at the seat after negotiations with Mr Gee broke down yesterday afternoon.

In making his announcement, Mr Davis said he’d made a decision to “stand up for Orange” and declared March 26 a referendum on water.

“I believe that Orange deserves a strong voice,” he said.

“A lack of support for the pipeline has been the catalyst for this and has shown that our National Party candidate is, in my opinion, not strong enough.”

Andrew Gee has not changed his position on the project since refusing to support or oppose it without final costings last week.

Mr Davis attacked Mr Gee for being “non-committal” on the pipeline and described his attitude toward other Orange developments as negative.

“There are three things to come out of Andrew Gee’s campaign, he’s said he won’t support the south Orange development, he won’t positively support development and he won’t support the pipeline,” he said.

“And that’s negative for our city.”

Mr Davis said his own campaign would focus on his track record as mayor during a period in which a new hospital and $10 million for a northern distributor road had been delivered for Orange.

He said Orange’s success in securing major projects would appeal to voters in other parts of the electorate.

“Most people in the outer Wellington and Mudgee shires would look at the fact that Orange had done exceptionally well and think how have they got money from the federal and state government when the seat hasn’t been held by a government member?” he said.

“And I say the answer is Orange City Council.

“I’m not promising anything, I’m saying we can show you what’s on the ground and what’s already been done and that I can do the same in different areas [of the electorate].

“It’s going to be a challenge ... but I’m in it to win it and I’m going to give it 110 per cent.”

Mr Gee would not say yesterday if he considered Cr Davis a threat to his campaign.

“We’re just getting on with our campaign and getting our message out there and not focusing on what other candidates are doing,” he said.

“Our message [on the pipeline] is fiscally responsible and we’re not going to have public policy dictated by ultimatums, which is what he is trying to do.

“What I’d like him to do is tell us exactly how much this pipeline is going to cost because all of the reports have indicated that final costs are still to come.”