Michelle Grattan, June 5 2012.

THE Nationals are set to recruit a high-profile New South Wales independent MP, Richard Torbay, to seek to drive Tony Windsor out of the seat of New England.
Mr Torbay, a former state Speaker whose seat is within the federal electorate, had a primary vote of more than 63 per cent at the 2011 NSW election.
When the Nationals polled his potential support against that of Mr Windsor - one of the independents whose backing underpins the Gillard government - and Senate Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce, who had been touted as a possible candidate for the federal seat, Mr Torbay beat them both. He would go into the election as favourite.

Nationals leader Warren Truss heaped praise on Mr Torbay as ''a strident local member, a loyal champion for his community''.
In Lyne, held by independent Rob Oakeshott, the Nationals are expected to again select local doctor David Gillespie, a friend of Tony Abbott, who contested the seat last time.
Mr Abbott brushed off his poor personal approval ratings in yesterday's Age/Nielsen poll, which saw Labor's primary vote down to 26 per cent and the ALP trailing 43-57 per cent in two-party terms. Asked whether he had an image problem, Mr Abbott said: ''Every day I'm out there holding a bad government to account and promoting a positive alternative.''
The government seized on what it saw as a switch in language by Mr Abbott on the carbon tax, when he said: ''It's going to be a python squeeze rather than a cobra strike.''
Climate Change Minister Greg Combet said Mr Abbott had previously made ridiculous claims about the carbon price, ''but now, as the July 1 moment of truth approaches, Mr Abbott has started crab-walking away from his own claims''.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/nationals-eye-mp-to-defeat-windsor-...

Is Joyce running away from the H of R for a second time. Why is Barnaby such a big mouth one day and then such a coward the next.

If he wants to be Abbott's side kick in opposition after the next election, time to grow up and challenge Tim Fisher, or who ever it is,  for the leadership.

____ wrote on Jun 7^th, 2012 at 7:00am:


It would have been good seeing Barnaby beating Windsor, but this is still good. It's funny, Windsor apparently thought of Torbay as a friend. Apparently Torbay thought the same of the backstabber as most other Australians do. Another source that I read said that "Windsor declined to comment". 

Andrei.Hicks wrote on Jun 7^th, 2012 at 10:42am:


It was a rumour, but he said that he does want to stand again. He probably won't now, though. Too embarrassing.

Windsor reminds me of my old uncle.

Nice enough bloke but prone to having no idea what is going on around him.

I don't know how clowns like that get elected anyway.

There are some oddballs on both sides of the divide.
The type that would not survive in the real world of companies like we work in.

How would guys like him get on at a multi-national oil company where you have to cut people loose and make hard decisions?

You need to be able to leave your soft and cuddly views at the door.

Such is the real world.

Then there is the public service - where you need very little skills and wits about you.

Windsor on notice: Torbay seeks claim
MATT TAYLOR, THE ARMIDALE EXPRESS
01 Jun, 2012 09:13 AM


RICHARD Torbay is a near-certainty to join forces with the National Party for a shot at unseating independent New England MP Tony Windsor at the next federal election.

The popular State MP will meet with National Party leader Warren Truss this month to finalise plans for Mr Torbay to seek preselection for the seat of New England later this year.

Mr Truss told The Armidale Express yesterday he was “eager to speak with Richard about his possible candidacy for preselection”.

“We share a common passion for regional advocacy and development, and the Nationals are determined to make sure that regional Australia is strongly represented in the next federal government,” Mr Truss said. “And New England will play a crucial part in achieving that goal.”

The Armidale Express also revealed Mr Torbay had a meeting with the NSW Nationals’ state director, Ben Franklin, on Monday night in Sydney on whether the Northern Tablelands MP would be a “good fit” for his party.

Mr Torbay confirmed yesterday it was “highly likely” he would ditch the independent brand and run for preselection for the seat of New England.

But while he would join a party for the first time in his parliamentary career, he said that he would keep his independent mindset, which formed a key part of his meeting with Mr Franklin this week.

Mr Franklin yesterday gave a ringing endorsement of Mr Torbay.

“Really, we want to get it right with the candidate for New England, and I believe Richard would be an outstanding choice to run for the seat,” he said.

“We know Richard has an excellent standing in the community and is a high-calibre politician.

“He is greatly passionate about his local area, which would be a great fit for us.

“We’re not finally there yet, but I’ve got to know Richard quite well over the past six months and I’ve been very impressed by what he has to offer, and it would be exciting for our party if he finally decides to run for preselection.”

If this is true, and who knows with mellie/matty, Torbay is a moron for damaging his good name. He could run as an independent and still win, why lay with dogs. He will lose some votes he would have got as an independent seeing as though many in that area hate the Nationals wagging tail.