By TANIA PHILLIPS
NEW South Wales will go to the polls on Saturday to elect a new state government.
Will Mike Baird, who took over from Barry O’Farrell last year, and his coalition remain or will there be a Queensland-like surprise and a major swing to the Luke Foley-led Labor party.
However for residents of Tenterfield and surrounds it’s all about voting for the first time as part of the new geographically huge Lismore seat.
The last redistribution moved the town into the seat held by former Lismore Mayor Thomas George.
The seat now stretches from Condong/Murwillumbah in the Tweed Valley across to Tenterfield.
Mr George, from the National Party/Liberal Coalition, has held the seat since 1999 watching it expand to take in Murwillumbah in 2007 and now Tenterfield. He enjoys a 24 per cent margin and picked up a 7 per cent swing in 2011.
Standing against him are Christian Democratic Party member Gianpiero Battista who quit the National Party over its CSG policy.
Adam Guise, who was involved with the Bentley Blockade fighting against CSG and previously worked for Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham, is the Greens candidate.
The Lismore Labor candidate is Lismore City councillor and father of four Isaac Smith.
Votes can be made at the Sir Henry Parkes Memorial School of Arts in Tenterfield, Lugume Hall, Liston Hall, Urbenville Public School and Woodenbong Central.
