“The Electrical Trades Union and the Labor Party continue to stir up a scare campaign that Essential Energy workers in Port Macquarie will lose their jobs as a result of the Government’s once-in-a generation proposal to lease 49% of the network and deliver a huge windfall for infrastructure projects across regional New South Wales," Mrs Williams said on Saturday.

"On the contrary, I along with my Nationals colleagues have secured local jobs in the electricity sector. 

“As always, Labor and the unions can’t be trusted. 

“To condemn me for protecting their jobs and to suggest that the community should vote against me for supporting an investment of billions of dollars into regional projects is nothing short of bizarre.

“I am committed to making regional NSW a better place to live, work and visit and to raise a family and that is why I voted to retain majority public ownership of the State’s poles and wires companies whilst retaining regional jobs by excluding Essential Energy from the proposed transaction,” Mrs Williams said.

FRIDAY: UP to 40 local power workers launched their electoral campaign against Member for Port Macquarie Leslie Williams on Friday, as part of a state-wide effort to prevent the Nationals and Liberals from selling the publicly owned electricity network.