The Greens say they hope to cash in on voter disillusionment with the major parties ahead of the NSW election, including in Orange.
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Around one in three people chose to vote for a party or individual other than Labor or Liberal/National during the 2022 federal election, resulting in a huge crossbench of 16.
Greens upper house candidate Amanda Cohn was in Orange on March 14 alongside candidate David Mallard and said people were "fed up" with the traditional choice of Nationals or Labor.
"What we've seen across the country and across NSW is that people are fed up with the major parties because of decades of inaction," she said.
"We've got an absolute crisis in the healthcare sector, in the education sector.
"We have a rising cost of living, people are actively looking for an opportunity to use their vote to demand change."
The Greens have historically fared poorly in Orange, usually finishing behind the Nationals and Labor. In the most recent election in 2019 they were ranked fourth with 5.2 per cent of the vote.
However the seat has developed into a test case for independents and minor parties. Phil Donato was elected in 2016 standing for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party (SFF), increasing his margin to 49.1 per cent in 2019.
His win broke a 70-odd year streak by the Nationals and Ms Cohn said the now independent member could be joined by fellow crossbenchers come March 25.
She said any successful Greens candidates in both houses would be in an ideal position to hold whatever party formed government to account on issues like regional healthcare.
"It's looking more and more likely that we are going to have a minority government situation," she said.
"The next government is going to have to share power with the crossbench and that's the opportunity for us to make sure that health is a priority and particularly that regional residents get the healthcare they deserve.
"We are seeing a move away from the major parties and that's an opportunity for the Greens and for other minor parties on the crossbench to have a really significant influence on the next NSW Government."
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