THE three main rivals contesting the seat of Bathurst will spend one last exhausting day visiting local booths in an attempt to secure every last vote before the polls close at 6pm.
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There are 43 booths across the electorate – stretching from Lithgow to Millthorpe and Trunkey to Rylstone – and Country Labor’s Cassandra Coleman, the Nationals’ Paul Toole and The Greens’ Tracey Carpenter will each embark on a day-long road trip to wind up their campaigns.
When they came together in Kings Parade to speak with the Western Advocate on Friday, all three were visibly tired from weeks of intensive door-knocking and campaigning.
But all three were happy with the way their teams had performed and said they had enjoyed the experience.
Ms Coleman said it had been “an adventure”.
“I have met a lot of interesting people and seen a lot of interesting sights travelling from one end of the electorate to the other and listening to a lot of different stories,” she said.
“It’s been an amazing experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Ms Coleman said she had been overwhelmed by the support of volunteers who had joined her campaign, with new recruits coming through the door as late as yesterday.
Ms Carpenter also said the support had been humbling.
She said The Greens had broken new ground with this election, picking up more support than she had previously seen in Bathurst.
“There really has been an increasing groundswell,” Ms Carpenter said.
“We have seen the formation of the first ever political party on Bathurst’s CSU campus with the Central West Young Greens, and there have been about 20 young people who have been really active and want to do things in the community.
“And even friends of mine who may not have previously engaged in politics are now seeing that the issues are grave enough that they are saying, ‘I have to do something’.”
Mr Toole, who holds the seat of Bathurst with a commanding 23 per cent margin, said he would keep campaigning right up until 6pm.
He conceded the Coalition had faced a tough job in selling its poles and wires policy, but believed their message was finally getting through.
“There has been a big turnaround – people are upset with the lies being told by the unions,” he said.
“People are now understanding the message that Essential Energy will remain 100 per cent in public hands and that all the money from the 49 per cent leasing will be used for roads, hospitals and bridges that are in desperate need of it.”
Mr Toole said his team had run a professional campaign and he had enjoyed the chance to meet voters.
