Andrew Broadley has been named the NSW Labor candidate for Ballina for the March 2023 election.
According to Labor’s press release, Mr Broadley is a teacher at Richmond River High in Lismore, and lives in East Ballina with his wife Leanne and their four children.
The NSW electorate of Ballina encompasses Ballina and Byron shires.
He joins a field including incumbent Greens MP, Tamara Smith, and first time Nationals candidate, Josh Booyens.
Labor say their members gathered on Sunday for the announcement, along wth Justine Elliot, federal Assistant Minister and federal Member for Richmond; Janelle Saffin, State Member for Lismore; and John Graham MLC, NSW Shadow Minister for the North Coast.
Andrew Broadley said it was an honour to be nominated as the Labor candidate.
‘I’d not really considered entering politics, until the floods, until I saw [Labor MP] Janelle Saffin in action.
‘How can you not be inspired by that level of commitment? I saw someone, up close, give everything for her community. I thought, that’s what Ballina needs – someone who will put our community first.
‘With four very active teenagers, most of my community activity has been supporting their involvement in sports and the arts, and I know how important these volunteer organisations are in our community’.
River rehab passion
Broadley adds, ‘But my personal passion is getting hands on to help river rehabilitation, it’s so satisfying to know that you are making a real difference in our local environment’.
‘It’s hard not to be impressed by Justine, and our new federal Labor government, so much has been accomplished in the first six months, after a decade of inaction. [This includes] Action on early childhood education, climate, an Integrity Commission, improving wages and much more.’
‘Like all of you, I was appalled when the [federal] National Party politicised flood grants and abandoned those families seriously impacted in Byron and Ballina shires’.
What a choice.
We have an ALP Candidate supported by the invisible, very silent Federal ALP Member in Tweed Heads who probably needs a map to find Byron.
Against this, we have the also invisible and silent State Greens Member at Ballina.
Whenever the Byron Council is getting done over by the State Government, like today, with the government’s agritourism policy, does she strongly come out supporting Byron in Sydney?
What a choice indeed!
Similar to what happened in the recent Byron Council Elections, this Electorate desperately needs a genuine INDEPENDENT Member to represent the Coast in Sydney, not seat warmers or any other representative of a political party.
Impressed by Justine Elliot! You’re having a lend mate, without doubt the most ineffective member that the Richmond electorate has the misfortune to have represent them – done nothing for the area, for years. You’d be just as useless.
Give the bloke a chance. You make a blanket judgement without even meeting the person.
I seriously doubt any MP from any background would be able to impress people like you, the title “serial whinger” does come to mind. Justine Elliott has tirelessly represented the good people of Richmond, in what was a very marginal seat for 18 years and beaten all comers with 7 election wins including a huge effort from the “Green Queen” from Byron in 2022. One would think that even the smallest of minds would have to acknowledge that a record like that does not come from being “invisible” or “ineffective” in the electorate.
Another great Labor candidate and another step toward the extinction of LNP Govt’s in Australia. After the March NSW election there will be no LNP Govt, anywhere on mainland Australia, for damned good reason! The LNP have completely failed us, in every State and Federally. We need a Labor Govt in NSW, like all the other States already have, to work with Albanese and the Federal Labor party that will be there for a long time to come!
It is time to change the Government and we need an effective local member that will fight for our community. I’ll be voting ALP this time for sure!!