Among the candidates is the state member for Orange Andrew Gee. 

Should Mr Gee be selected and go on to win the election this will then necessitate a byelection for the state seat at a considerable cost, somewhere in excess of $500,000 of taxpayers’ money. 

As a long-time member of the National Party I believe the Nationals, and indeed all political parties, should change their rules so that no member who has been elected by the constituents to represent them can abandon the seat mid-term except under mitigating circumstances such as health reasons.

 With this in mind I would ask Mr Gee and those eligible to vote at the selection meeting to take into account the cost of any possible byelection. 

I must declare that I have been a member of the National Party for over 40 years, living just outside the boundaries of Calare.

Dick Harris,

Blackheath