FORMER Premier Nathan Rees was one of the victims of the factional infighting that saw a revolving door of party leaders during the death throes of the last Labor government in NSW.
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But despite being ‘shafted’ by his contemporaries and a right to be bitter he continues to campaign for the party.
And this was again evident in Lithgow on Sunday when Mr Rees came to Lithgow to support the campaign of Country Labor candidate Cassandra Coleman in the countdown to the NSW election which is now little more than six months away.
Ms Coleman is seeking to wrest the seat of Bathurst from the Nationals Minister for Local Government Paul Toole.
It’s more than a significant challenge to out-poll a sitting member with the safest margin in NSW so the big guns are being brought out.
Mr Rees is the highest profile figure to so far join the campaign in Bathurst electorate although next month Labor’s federal finance spokesperson Senator Penny Wong will be guest speaker at the annual Light on the Hill dinner.
On Sunday Mr Rees addressed a gathering of electorate ALP members at a breakfast session at the Outback Café in Lithgow.
Among the faithful was a former parliamentary colleague, retired State Member for Bathurst Gerard Martin.
Mr Rees told his audience that Mr Toole has ‘an abysmal record of standing up for his constituents on crucial matters’.
“Behind the spin and permanent grin Paul Toole has shown a lack of political courage in standing up to the Macquarie Street Liberals,” the one time Premier said.
He quoted the sale of electricity assets, cuts to workers compensation benefits, education, health and childcare funding, loss of public service jobs, closure of Kirkconnel jail and the Bells Line delays as what he saw as the present Member’s failures.
Mr Rees blamed the coalition for creating ‘a rural and regional jobs crisis in less than one term in office’.
