NSW Deputy Premier and Nationals leader John Barilaro introduced their candidate for the upcoming Murray by-election – Murrumbidgee councillor Austin Evans – at Service NSW in Griffith on Monday. 

“Since 2011 the Nationals have delivered, but sometimes perception trumps reality,” Mr Barilaro said. 

“Our track record over the six years is about delivering, and investment, and we will continue to prosecute that case”. 

The Nationals dismissed suggestions, made by Country Labor, that Mr Evans was a second or third choice candidate, after it was alleged that Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Helen Dalton was the Nationals first choice. 

“Austin beat off a star-studded line up.. [we picked] a great local champion,” Mr Barilaro said. 

Mr Evans said, “I’ve lived my life about service delivery”.

“For Coly Irrigation and the [Murrumbidgee] shire, and that’s what I’m offering for Murray. To work really hard to deliver thing to them… on the ground”. 

Austin Evans was mayor of the previous Murrumbidgee Shire, and then served as administrator of a new council that merged Murrumbidgee and Jerilderie Shire.

Earlier this month, he elected as a councillor of the new council, unopposed in the ward centred on Coleambally.

“If I get elected for Murray, I will resign from Murrumbidgee Council at a time that suits them,” Mr Evans said. 

The by-election is being held due to the resignation of sitting Nationals member Adrian Piccoli. 

On the big issue of health services, Mr Evans said he will push to see a timeline on a new hospital in Griffith.  

But unlike Labor and Shooters candidate Helen Dalton, he does not support an external investigation into the Murrumbidgee Local Health District (MLHD), who have come under fire for targeting Griffith and Temora for cuts. 

“We need to get more board members out to the west…so we get good representation here... you do that through good processes, not a knee jerk reaction”. 

Mr Evans also said he supports an inland rail route through the MIA. The federal government is pushing forward with an alternative, cheaper route through Wagga and Albury.  

Mr Evans main competitor for the seat of Murray will be Helen Dalton, who ran as an independent in 2015 but will run with the Shooters in this by-election. 

The National Party have held the seat of Murray since 1984.

However, a recent Fairfax Media MIA poll has revealed that over 81 per cent of those who responded would vote for a Shooters, Fishers and Farmers candidate, while only 12 per cent would stick with the Nationals. 

The poll has had over 1600 responses, one of the highest response rates ever for a Fairfax Media MIA survey. 

In the 2016 Orange by-election, Shooters, Fishers and Farmers shocked the Nationals by taking a large chunk of the vote in a traditionally safe seat. 

Betting agency Sportsbet have the Nationals as slight favourites to the seat of Murray:

Nationals $1.72

Shooters Farmers and Fishers $2.10

Related: Opposition parties circle Piccoli’s seat 

Country Labor also announced their candidate – Leeton radiographer Michael Kidd – on Monday.

The by-election will cost taxpayers $720,000.