MEMBER for Orange Andrew Gee is running for re-election and he is letting his track record speak for itself.
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He says it is not up to him to rate his own performance but it is up to those who elected him.
“That’s something the whole electorate gets to do on March 28, 2015,” he said.
According to the sitting member, his biggest achievements include securing a 24/7 medical helicopter, getting a second linear accelerator for the Orange Health Service and funding a new hospital for Gulgong.
But this election Mr Gee faces a looming central west jobs crisis, his government has been dragged into the Independent Commission Against Corruption which toppled former premier Barry O’Farrell and he faces widespread opposition to the state‘s plan to sell electricity poles and wires.
But in the 2011 election Mr Gee was elected with 74.2 per cent of the vote and a 12 per cent swing to the Liberal/National Party.
“The campaign basically is starting now,” Mr Gee said.
Not many promises were made for the Orange electorate in the 2011 election campaign, Mr Gee said, but not may had been made so far either.
“I’m turning my mind to that and thinking about that at the moment I guess one of the issues I’d like to see progressed is improved rail infrastructure in the area,” he said.
“I’d like to see the loops and kinks in the line between Blayney and Lithgow straightened out.”
Improved health services and road infrastructure were also on Mr Gee’s to do list.
When he was asked about areas he could have improved upon in the last three years, only one issue came to mind.
“No government is perfect ... but I would have liked to see prime agricultural land ring-fenced,” he said.
“I fought as hard as I could for that, but I wasn’t successful.”
He would not rate his own performance when it came to dealing with the closure of Electrolux and the looming central west jobs crisis.
The full impact of the loss of 544 jobs from Electrolux will not be felt until at least October, about six months after the election.
nicole.kuter@fairfaxmedia.com.au