Ben Franklin has once again landed himself back in the NSW parliament – no locals didn’t vote him in in the seat of Ballina – he lost his bid to enter the lower house of the NSW parliament. It is understood that Mr Franklin’s seat in the senate remained vacant until after the NSW election when, not having been elected in the lower house, he ran in the preselection process in the National Party and re-won the position.
Mr Franklin has also been appointed by premier Gladys Berejiklian to the role of parliamentary secretary for energy and the arts.
‘I am deeply honoured to have been selected by the National Party to return to the legislative council,’ Mr Franklin said.
‘Although it was not the chamber I had hoped to sit in, I am very excited to continue to serve the people of New South Wales in the upper house of the NSW parliament,’ he said.
‘I am also particularly thrilled to have been given responsibility for working in the energy and arts portfolios – two areas I am particularly passionate about,’ Mr Franklin said.
‘I have worked closely with many local renewable energy and regional arts organisations over the past four years and I look forward to continuing to build those relationships and to advocate on their behalf,’ he said.
Mr Franklin previously lived in Byron Bay but has now relocated to Ballina.
‘I have loved living on the Northern Rivers – in Byron Bay and now Ballina – for the past four years. It is a wonderful, passionate and diverse community and I look forward to living here for many years to come,’ Mr Franklin said.
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