He may be running as The Nationals candidate for the seat of Orange but don't expect to see Tony Mileto donning the traditional akubra hat on the campaign trail.
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Mr Mileto was officially unveiled as the Nationals candidate for the 2023 NSW election on Saturday.
The current Orange City councillor has a fight on his hands to win back what was a Nationals stronghold until the Shooters, Farmers and Fishers (SFF) pinched the seat in 2016 on the back of Phil Donato.
Speaking in Robertson Park on Tuesday, Mr Mileto said he would campaign on issues such as health, funding and the state of regional roads, an area he revealed was personal after watching three young men die in an accident back in 2015.
Why he's running
While he told ACM the akubra wouldn't be getting a run, he was thankful for the party putting their faith in him.
"I need to listen to people," he said when asked what he needed to do to win back voters.
"One thing I'm very good at is listening and communicating with people at grassroots. Whether that's as an Orange City Councillor or in sport. I also do a lot with mental health and suicide prevention.
"There are certain things that I've wanted to achieve and now I've worked hard to be given the opportunity to do it."
Lacking vision
Orange fell to the Shooters by just 55 votes in a 2016 by-election, ending the Nationals' 69-year hold on the seat.
Mr Mileto said he had a 'vision' for the region, something he accused Mr Donato of lacking.
"I have a plan and a vision and I don't believe the electorate under the current member has one," he said.
"That vision is for Orange, Cabonne, Parkes and Forbes and not just for the next four years but the next 10.
"I'm committed to making sure the electorate is getting its fair share of funding. For me that's the most important thing.
"My message is going to be a positive one, my campaign will be positive. If you can deliver then the message doesn't need to be negative."
The hot topics
The topics of health and cost of living will undoubtedly come up during the campaign, with Mr Mileto eager to see the western part of the electorate improved.
"Cost of living and the effect it's having on people [is huge]," he said.
"The same concern is shared in Molong, Parkes and Forbes, it's not just in Orange. We need to really address that.
I watched three young blokes die on the side of the road in a motor vehicle accident. I made a promise to myself and those blokes that day that I'd do everything I could to make roads safer.
- Tony Mileto
"Forbes urgently needs a surgical theatre. That should be a major focus in the election. Parkes also doesn't have a maternity ward. Anyone who needs to have a baby needs to travel to [Forbes and] Orange and sometimes babies don't wait."
One campaign theme that will hit particularly close to home will be the issue of road safety.
"I've always been interested in politics but part of it's personal for me," he revealed.
"In 2015 I watched three young blokes die on the side of the road in a motor vehicle accident. I made a promise to myself and those blokes that day that I'd do everything I could to make roads safer."
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