IN just under five weeks time, on Saturday 25 March, the NSW State Election will be conducted.

This event provides us all with the opportunity to vote for the politicians who will guide us through the next four years of our state’s development.

Many voters have rusted on preference for a certain political party, but others might decide to change their vote in favour of a range of policies being promised which appeals to their way of thinking.

Others will vote for single issue independent candidates or select a minor party that basically represents an overall view of the direction in which they will be happy to see provided.

But in all these cases, these candidates need to be out there in the public delivering their expectations.

This is where we have issues in the Port Stephens electorate, where we seem to have a shortage of known candidates to deliver these promises.

Obviously the sitting Member will be available to offer herself for re-election and no doubt will carry the endorsement of her party.

However, does anyone out there know who the alternative candidates are and who they are representing?

They must be highly informed residents if they are aware of these people because I have not seen any publicity of names or Party of endorsed candidates who are lining up to contest this election.

My research has shown that the Coalition parties have decided via their agreement that this electorate is the preserve of the Liberal party even though we are represented Federally by the National Party.

But with five weeks to go, who is that candidate and what is she or he offering to deliver when elected?

We cannot vote locally for any of the party leaders who would hold the role of Premier or potential Premier as they represent other state electorates, but I would have thought that with only five weeks to go, people should be taking a lot more time and effort about getting out there with policy and getting into it.

Have they ever visited Tea Gardens, have they ever been to Hawks Nest, Pindimar, Bundabah or North Arm Cove?

If they have, what do we know and think about them and are they suitably successful and qualified for us to put our trust in them?

I believe at this very late stage in the political process we still do not know who we are being asked to vote for.

We have seen “leaders; picks” being forced upon voters in past elections and from my personal experience I would hate to see a local government councillor foisted upon us by any political party.

The residents of this electorate deserve a lot better than last minute decisions on who is best qualified to represent us and I would have thought the democratic process should go a lot deeper and have a lot more meaning for our future for the next four years in this part of the premiere state of Australia.

Many of those amongst us might remember the long held perception that selecting a politician is similar to growing bananas.

They start out straight and green but once elected they mature and become yellow and bent.

Our absolute priority must be to prevent that from happening, so we need time to be familiar with the candidates before we entrust our vote to them and that is something we do not appear to have in this state electorate.

BY John BLACKBOURN