![Dubbo candidates Dugald Saunders, Kate Richardson and Josh Black. Pictures by Belinda Soole Dubbo candidates Dugald Saunders, Kate Richardson and Josh Black. Pictures by Belinda Soole](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/137578502/71b7b324-946f-4ef5-bbc0-fb6050467853.png/r0_0_2313_1223_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The countdown to election day has begun for local candidates who are making the final push in their campaigns before voters decide who will go on to represent Dubbo in the NSW parliament.
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Hoping for re-election is Nationals member Dugald Saunders who has been spending his last few days on the campaign trail making his pitch to voters at the Uniting Church pre-poll site.
"I think it's important to be at the booths every day. I'm probably the only candidate who can say I've been here every hour of every day - but it matters - for people to see your face and ask something if they want to and connect or reconnect," he said.
![Nationals candidate for Dubbo Dugald Saunders hands out 'how to vote' cards with father Ian Saunders at the Dubbo Uniting Church pre-poll site. Picture by Belinda Soole Nationals candidate for Dubbo Dugald Saunders hands out 'how to vote' cards with father Ian Saunders at the Dubbo Uniting Church pre-poll site. Picture by Belinda Soole](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/137578502/efeacd56-3fc5-46a8-8dc1-74d2da5b2ecc.jpeg/r0_0_3600_2400_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The lead up to election day has been non-stop for Mr Saunders who has been on the road with senior members of the Perrottet government making eleventh hour funding promises and announcements.
"We've still been rolling out some big announcements until literally last week because there's been so many things to announce and it's been hard to get it all done.
"It's been great to announce what we have got out the door and whether it be support for Macquarie Homestay or more funding for roads - the announcements we've made have been crucial for the electorate. But it's also been a great chance to be around the electorate."
- READ MORE: Meet the candidates: Who's running in Dubbo?
Mr Saunders has represented the seat of Dubbo since 2019 when he beat independent candidate Mathew Dickerson. At the time of the election Dubbo was in the midst of drought and, since then, the electorate has seen fires, mouse plagues, the COVID-19 pandemic and record floods.
"That was extremely difficult. But I've always tried to be a voice there for people and tried to provide information, particularly during COVID - I provided a daily update for people on that," he said.
"It has been extraordinarily difficult, but through that time I'm really proud of the way we as a government have been able to support people. It's impossible to give everyone what they want right at the time they want it but through our support services we have literally supported hundreds of thousands of people in their time of need with grants and low interest loans where appropriate."
I love what I do and I want to continue representing this region for all the right reasons.
- Dugald Saunders
"There's always something around the corner that you can't know about, but you can be prepared for it and we're prepared in the way that we're set up to help people now."
Although a lot has happened over the past term of government, Mr Saunders said it's securing funding for Macquarie Homestay which he is especially proud of.
"I love what I do and I want to continue representing this region for all the right reasons. It's all about enabling this region to continue to be what it needs to be," he said.
"This is one of the engine rooms of NSW. Regional areas are the engine rooms - whether it be ag or our mining, whatever sector you talk about, these are the sectors that drive prosperity for NSW."
"I want to be in a position to be able to continue working hard to make sure we have those opportunities for business, housing, better education opportunities and all of the enabling things that we as a government can do to make sure an area like the Dubbo electorate can continue to grow."
![Dubbo candidate Kate Richardson hands out 'how to vote' cards at the Dubbo Uniting Church pre-poll site. Picture by Belinda Soole Dubbo candidate Kate Richardson hands out 'how to vote' cards at the Dubbo Uniting Church pre-poll site. Picture by Belinda Soole](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/137578502/bbca1f4a-e4e8-4d3e-b860-c5251c96251b.jpg/r0_0_2400_3600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Also pitching to voters at the pre-poll this week is first-time candidate Kate Richardson who is running for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party.
"It's been a really big learning curve. Everyone has different opinions and a lot of people have opinions on politics, especially at election time," she said.
"It's been interesting and I have met a lot of really interesting people."
"I've lived in the community for most of my life, but doing something like this you get a greater understanding of what people in the community are concerned about and what they want for their kids and what they want for themselves."
She said part of her time on pre-polls has been spent correcting misconceptions about her party and helping voters understand the role of the crossbench.
"You get a few people who say 'oh God no, shooters' but that's not what we're about. I think a lot of people are a bit misinformed about what the party actually stands for - but then when you explain it to them they're open and okay," she said.
I would do the best I can for everyone in this electorate - it's not about me, it's about them and what they want and they need.
- Kate Richardson
"It's been good to have those conversations. They ask what we're going to do and I say obviously the party's not big enough to form government in our own right but whoever forms government - if we can get in - we'll keep them honest and keep on them."
"On the crossbench you can fight for what's best for your electorate. And when the government wants your vote you can ask them 'what's in it for my electorate'."
Ms Richardson said while she would be "ecstatic" to win the seat, she would be more than happy to just gain a few percentage points on the Shooter's 2019 run in Dubbo to send a message to the major parties.
"Lara Quealy was the candidate in 2019 and she sort of paved the way - if I could better Lara's percentage of the primary it would give these major parties a bit of a shake up and say 'we're coming'," she said.
"I think voters should vote for me because I am passionate about this region, this whole electorate. I just believe that I would do the best I can for everyone in this electorate - it's not about me, it's about them and what they want and they need."
![Dubbo candidate Josh Black hands out 'how to vote' cards at the APEX Oval pre-poll site in Dubbo. Picture by Belinda Soole Dubbo candidate Josh Black hands out 'how to vote' cards at the APEX Oval pre-poll site in Dubbo. Picture by Belinda Soole](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/137578502/4d42c53d-7c26-4838-b695-97197402a004.jpg/r0_0_2400_3600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Between his hours in the classroom and duties as a councillor, Labor's candidate for Dubbo Josh Black is also making some time to talk to voters at the pre-polls.
On Wednesday afternoon, he and upper house Labor candidate Stephen Lawrence were handing out 'how to vote' cards at the Apex Oval pre-poll site.
"It's been flat out trying to get the message out there of the positive policies that a Chris Minns Labor government would be able to implement to fix the crisis in school staffing, health services, roads, cost of living, affordable housing - a whole lot of things," he said.
"I would say that there's a real appetite for change out there in the community and that people aren't happy with the crisis of neglect that we've been experiencing - they see that so much money is spent on Sydney, on massive infrastructure projects, and we get the crumbs out here."
"People know that their schools aren't staffed properly, they know that their hospital services aren't staffed, that their roads are in appalling condition. People see that and they want change."
As well as appearing at street stalls and leading community meetings around Dubbo, the past few weeks on the campaign trail have involved trips out to Mudgee, Wellington and Narromine.
"I've been talking to a lot of people all over the electorate - and it really is the same everywhere," he said.
If you want change, you can't keep voting the way you always have, you have to change your vote.
- Josh Black
"People at Gulgong and Mudgee commented to me that a sporting complex at Mudgee was given a lot of state government funding yet they don't have a second doctor at the Gulgong MPS, they don't have an MRI machine at Mudgee hospital."
"There's a fascination with funding sporting clubs and pony clubs but the actual essential services are mostly neglected. People want their essential services funded properly and they know that that hasn't happened for the last 12 years."
In the last state election, the Nationals had a comfortable lead on Labor when it came to both first preference and two-party preferred votes, with Stephen Lawrence earning just 14.76 percent of the primary vote and 31.84 percent of the two-party preferred vote.
But Mr Black hopes the appetite for change in the communities he's visited will be enough to swing some voters in his favour come polling day this time around.
"If people want change, they have to change their votes. If you want change, you can't keep voting the way you always have, you have to change your vote. That's what it comes down to, it's as simple as that," he said.
The state election will be held on Saturday, March 25. Pre-poll voting has already opened for those who will not be able to vote on election day.
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