LIBERAL Justin Clancy will head into the March 23 election at Winx-like odds to win the seat of Albury with still only one rival candidate in the field two months before the NSW poll.
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Labor, the only party other than the Liberals to hold the seat of Albury since the end of World War II, hasn’t announced a candidate and Albury mayor Kevin Mack is now leaning towards a tilt at the federal seat of Farrer rather than standing as an independent against Mr Clancy.
Greg Aplin, who is retiring and hoping to hand over the reins to Mr Clancy, resisted the opportunity to take a pot shot at Labor for being unable to secure a candidate on a day when his government announced it would recruit an additional 4600 teachers into the public school system if returned.
“There have normally been other candidates, but I can’t talk for other parties and how they appoint their candidates and when they do so,” Mr Aplin said.
The NSW Government also announced it would have a school maintenance backlog wiped to zero by 2020 by investing a further $449 million.
Mr Aplin said Mr Clancy was giving himself the best chance to succeed him as the local member.
“He is a fantastic individual, he has been attending numerous events and he is a guy who has the community’s interests at heart,” Mr Aplin said..
Mr Clancy played down any comparisons between him and Winx in the race for Albury.
“I’m not taking anything for granted,” he said.
“I’m going to continue working hard right up until March 23.
“If you’ve seen me on the rugby field, I’m no Winx.”
Albury Labor spokesman Darren Cameron said it hoped to announce a candidate soon.
“We are going through the final stages of the vetting procedures,” he said.
“We hope to have a candidate shortly.”
Cr Cameron has been a former Labor candidate.
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