NSW Labor frontbencher Steve Whan is not surprised his party was hammered in the weekend's Penrith by-election, but believes he can retain his seat of Monaro in next year's poll.
The Queanbeyan-based Mr Whan, who is the Minister for Emergency Services, Primary Industries and Rural Affairs, holds the regional electorate by a margin of 6.3 per cent. ''I won this seat from the Nationals in 2003 after they had been there for 15 years and delivered nothing: no new hospitals, no new roads,'' he said yesterday.
His electorate had gained two hospitals and a new central school in Jindabyne since his election, ''and with the cross-border road links, there's more work under way now than we've probably seen in 30 years''.
Mr Whan denied voters would punish him for being part of the unpopular Keneally Government's cabinet. ''I actually think people ... are quite pleased to have a minister as a local member and they see that as a potential benefit in the area.''
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