Cobb wins easily

But the would-be Minister for Agriculture admits the electorate is likely to see less of him.

“Without a doubt, particularly if you’re a senior minister you’re not in your electorate as much as somebody who isn’t, but I’ve had to do that as a shadow cabinet minister too and I think the electorate’s put up with it pretty well,” Mr Cobb said.

“When you are away I have the most magnificent staff... they’ll tell me pretty quickly if there’s a problem.”

Mr Cobb said his re-election was a reflection of the Coalition’s solidarity.

“People want common sense, measured, predictable things, not these crazy thought bubbles that we’ve had attached to the news cycle, not attached to the economic cycle of people and their country,” he said.

“It’s not just me, it’s the fact the Coalition has been predictable, responsible, stuck on message and the government hasn’t.

“Not one person in shadow cabinet has changed in the last three years, 10, 11 or 12 of Labor’s have,” he said.

Mr Cobb said he was very aware Calare’s jobs and economy were based on physical things namely the manufacturing, mining and agricultural industries.

“I call it the engine room of NSW because we are doers,” he said.

As of last Saturday night, Mr Cobb was predicting his swing to be close to five per cent after postal votes, which he said was significant despite being down on the 7.28 per cent swing he gained at the previous election. 

“A swing in the order of five per cent is very big especially when you’re the opposition coming into government,” Mr Cobb said.

“When you have an independent gaining votes in Calare for a while and then Labor, the figures get very distorted so seven per cent was a huge swing last time.

“But five per cent now is actually a bigger swing because it was me both times and there was no redistribution,” he said.

Mr Cobb said the electorate wanted to be reassured their future was secure so they could start spending again.

“Until we as a new government convince the ordinary Australian that all being equal they will have a job next month, they will continue to put the money under the pillow, against the house mortgage, or in the bank.” 

“Our job is to ensure people we can get the budget under control, get the economy under control, without people losing their jobs and do it in a way that once again makes people game to spend money.”

Mr Cobb was still unable to say if $4 million from the, soon to be scrapped, Regional Development Australia Fund (RDAF) pledged to Parkes would be safe.

“I would hope those things come good but I cannot guarantee it,” Mr Cobb said.

“Obviously these things have to be contracted.

“But I’ll certainly do my best to get what’s promised,” he said.