The by-election for the federal seat in the southeastern corner of NSW was triggered when respected Labor member Mike Kelly resigned from parliament.
About half of the 114,000 voters have already either cast their ballot early or mailed it in.
The vast electorate that surrounds the ACT has suffered from drought, bushfires and the coronavirus recession in recent months. Prime Minister Scott Morrison's has told voters he needs a local Liberal voice on his government's benches to ensure the smooth delivery of help to the region. "It really need somebody at this stage to support them after the fires, after the COVID restrictions that we've had, and the drought that has affected so many farmers," Mr Hicks told Sky News.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Only John Barilaro could have won the upcoming Eden-Monaro by-election: Richardson | Sky News AustraliaSky News host Graham Richardson says only NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro could have won the upcoming Eden-Monaro by-election for the Coalition. \n\nMr Richardson said “if Barilaro had run, then I believe Labor would lose on Saturday, such is the popularity of Barilaro in Queanbeyan,” \n\nHe said Mr Barilaro’s capacity to make inroads into what would normally be a solid Labor vote was remarkable.\n\nSky News host Andrew Bolt said “the Liberals should romp it in if Scott Morrison’s personal popularity is a guide”.\n\nHowever, he pointed out there is often a disconnect between a leaders popularity and the broader popularity of the party in a particular region. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »
Eden-Monaro voters want community ‘rebuild and recovery’: Kotvojs | Sky News AustraliaLiberal candidate for Eden-Monaro Dr Fiona Kotvojs says the major issues across the electorate involve the recovery and rebuilding of communities from the fires, floods, droughts and COVID-19. \n\nIn a wide-ranging interview with Sky news host Chris Kenny, Dr Kotvojs denied claims which surfaced on Thursday that NSW Nationals leader John Barilaro was undermining the Liberals’ bid to win the by-election by asking voters to preference Labor ahead of herself. \n\n'Both John Barilaro and Trevor Hicks have made it very clear the preferences for the Nationals are going to the Liberals,' Dr Kotvojs said. \n\n'Both of them have made that statement very clearly this morning'. \n\nDr Kotvojs also said Snowy 2.0 was a 'fantastic project'. \n\n'What it does on a federal level, and a national level, is it firms up the renewables'. \n\n'It's a really great project in terms of energy, and locally for Eden-Monero, it's great in terms of the jobs it produces'. \n\nDr Kotvojs said she is 'really happy' to represent the Liberal Party in the upcoming by-election on Saturday. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »
Only a terrible Eden-Monaro result could unsettled Albo’s leadership | Sky News AustraliaIt would take a disastrous loss at this weekend's Eden-Monaro to rattle Anthony Albanese’s leadership, according to well-placed sources in the Labor party. \n\nSky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says these sources do not expect a leadership challenge if there is a narrow loss when the election in held on Saturday.\n\n“One obvious reason – no-one can agree on a better candidate,” Mr Clennell said.\n\n“About eight people want the job and no-one has demonstrated they would necessarily be more electorally palatable than Albanese.”\n\nThe seat of Eden-Monaro was left vacant after Labor MP Mike Kelly retired, citing long-standing health issues.\n\nLabor holds the seat by a wafer thin margin of 0.9 per cent, and internal polling indicates the Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs is ahead on the primary vote.\n\nIf Ms Kotvojs won the seat, it would be the first time in over 100 years a government has won a seat off an opposition in a by-election.\n\nMr Clennell said Labor is concerned its candidate, Kristy McBain, is not securing enough support to win the seat without relying on significant support from preferences.\n\n'The problem for Labor in this contest Saturday night is that McBain’s primary vote in the seat is quite low, according to internal polling,” Mr Clennell said. \n\n“Despite this, I am getting differing speculation. Some Liberals tell me it’s in the bag, others say they will fall short on preferences.”\n\n
Read more »
'There's no evidence': Barilaro denies sabotaging Liberals' Eden-Monaro campaign | Sky News AustraliaThe NSW Deputy Premier has denied reports he is asking Nationals supporters to preference Labor above the Liberals at this Saturday's Eden-Monaro by-election.\n\nClaims surfaced on Thursday suggesting John Barilaro was privately pushing Eden-Monaro voters to direct their Nationals preferences towards Labor, in the hope the Opposition retained the seat and he could stand as a Nationals candidate at the next Federal Election. \n\nMr Barilaro flatly rejected the suggestion, saying 'that article in itself said there was no evidence'. \n\n“We’ve got a how-to-vote card and you can’t make it any clearer - it says ‘one Trevor Hicks and two to the Liberal Party,' he said. \n\nThe NSW Nationals leader also defended his intentions, saying “I chose not to run in this election, I had every opportunity to run in this election and I ruled it out”. \n\nSaturday's by-election is expected to go down to the wire, with Anthony Albanese playing down expectations of a Labor win ahead of the poll. \n\nShould Labor become the first Opposition to lose a seat to a Government in a by-election in 100 years, it's likely questions will be asked of Mr Albanese's leadership. \n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »
Don't write off the Liberals in Eden-Monaro: Barilaro | Sky News AustraliaNSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says he's 'not writing off the Liberals' in Eden-Monaro, denying claims he was urging voters to preference Labor before the Liberal candidate. \n\n'I've been telling people to vote one Trevor Hicks. Simple as that,' Mr Barilaro said.\n\n'Our how to vote card has the Liberal Party second. \n\n'It's always been a bellwether seat. They know down here you get stuff done when you're in government and they may experiment with that two years out from a general election.'\n\nMr Barilaro said much of the speculation was likely caused by his long-standing friendship with former member for Eden-Monaro and Labor MP Mike Kelly.\n\n'Just because we come from two different parties, doesn't mean you can't make friends across the political isle,' he said.\n\nWhile a Labor hold would pave the way for Mr Barilaro to run for the seat at the next federal election, the NSW MP said he wasn't sure whether he 'had enough fight' in him for another tilt. \n\n'I've got a four-and-a-half year old who misses dad and that was a big part of the reason I didn't run this time,' he said.\n\nImage: News Corp Australia
Read more »
Labor on track to win Eden-Monaro: Poll | Sky News AustraliaA new poll on the eve of the Eden-Monaro by-election has indicated Labor is headed for a win to retain the ultra-marginal seat.\n\nThe poll – which surveyed 643 residents in the electorate of Eden-Monaro on June 30 – has Labor candidate Kristy McBain ahead of Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs 52 per cent - 48 per cent.\n\nOpposition leader Anthony Albanese has spent weeks campaigning in the electorate, with a win reinforcing stability for the ALP and providing security for his leadership while a loss would signify the opposite.\n\nImage: Twitter
Read more »