NEW federal member for Calare Andrew Gee has joined the Nationals on his first day in Canberra.
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The party met on Tuesday to discuss its strategy for the new Parliament.
The Nationals are looking to secure an additional ministerial or parliamentary secretary position, buoyed by a strong result in the federal election.
While it took more than a week to decide the national winner of the 2016 federal election, Mr Gee had no such worries in Calare.
He enters the halls of power following a comfortable victory in Calare where he received 62.1 per cent of the two-party preferred vote.
“I am delighted to be in Canberra and ready to get to work for the electorate,” he said.
Mr Gee moved from the safe state seat of Orange to Federal Parliament to replace retiring Calare MP John Cobb.
His move from state politics has left NSW taxpayers facing a $450,000 bill to hold a by-election in Orange.
The NSW Electoral Commission is yet to set a date for the by-election.