That was the emphatic declaration by Lithgow Mayor Neville Castle who yesterday was on familiar ground when he again had to counter rumours he would be challenging for pre selection for the March 2011 State Election.

And Gerard Martin was equally emphatic that he wants to continue in the job.

Both ALP political figures have been forced on several occasions to deny claims on the rumour mill that Mr Martin would either be retiring at the election or would be challenged by Cr Castle who succeeded him as Mayor of Lithgow.

The reports again surfaced this week after a weekend telephone survey in the electorate purporting to be on behalf of the ALP.

It asked residents who they would support from a field of candidates if they included Gerard Martin (ALP), Paul Toole (Nationals), Carpenter (Greens) or Neville Castle (ALP).

Mr Martin said yesterday he believed the survey was another attempt by the Opposition to unsettle voters in the electorate.

He said he was unaware of any such polling initiated by the ALP. And, he again confirmed, he would be seeking re-election in March.

Mr Martin said he was frustrated at the number of times he had to deny he was planning retirement.

“They should be asking the Nationals their intentions,” he said.

“They still haven’t announced a candidate and our information is that (Bathurst Mayor) Paul Toole will stand as long as he doesn’t have to go through the Nationals pre selection process.

“Neville (Castle) has told me he is not interested in challenging me.”

This was confirmed by Cr Castle.

He said he had been told of the survey by a number of people who had been contacted by the pollsters.

“What they were actually being asked in a second question was whether they would prefer me or Gerard as the ALP candidate,” he said.

“That’s how rumours start.

“If Gerard stands again, as he says he will, there will be no one else in the Lithgow branch of the ALP opposing him.

“Personally it would not enter my thoughts and I would not be interested.”

Cr Castle said the ALP would not be commissioning opinion polls on State issues so close to a Federal Election.