Mrs Pavey said “While the State Labor Government is unpopular due to its many failings, we know Monaro will be a challenge to win. We have ruled out three-cornered contests because standing united will give us the best chance of winning Monaro, given the optional preferential voting” Mrs Pavey said.

“This agreement will give us the best possible chance to turn around the 6.3 per cent margin that the Labor Member Steve Whan enjoys” Mrs Pavey said.

Matthew Mason-Cox said that given that health is the main issue people in Queanbeyan and across the Monaro are concerned about, the Liberal and Nationals will continue to campaign hard for better health services by putting patients first.

“The Liberal and Nationals will break up Labor’s huge, unpopular and inefficient Greater Southern Area Health Service and create a flatter administrative structure by setting up new smaller Health Districts,” he said.

Steve Whan said that “the NSW Liberal Party have finally confirmed they have absolutely no interest in Monaro by deciding against running a candidate at the next State election.”

“The weekend’s decision by the Liberal’s State Executive to abandon the seat of Monaro to the hapless Nationals, who wasted 15 years holding Monaro by achieving nothing, is rumoured to have caused irreversible fractures amongst the coalition partners” said Whan.