http://www.thepunch.com.au/author-bios/matthew-abbott/ Matthew Abbott is a director of strategic corporate affairs consultancy Cox Inall Communications in Sydney. He is a former Liberal party adviser in the Howard Government and a one-time financial journalist. en Copyright 2012 The Punch penberthyd@newsltd.com.au penberthyd@newsltd.com.au Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Sat, 26 May 2012 20:00:49 +0000 Politics, opinion, world news, sports news, latest news, views, Barack Obama, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Nathan Rees, Malcolm Turnbull, Peter Garrett, Barnaby Joyce, Australian, federal politics, opinion polls, election, The Punch, thepunch, punch ExpressionEngine 1.6.7 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 15 http://www.thepunch.com.au/images/punch-logo-rss.png http://www.thepunch.com.au/ 144 70 Politics, political opinion, world news, sports news and the latest news and views updated live, daily on The Punch - Australia's best conversation. Search The Punch keywords http://www.thepunch.com.au/search/ http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-quiet-revolution-taking-place-in-tamworth/ This month the NSW Nationals decided to trial a new system that would allow the general public and not just party members to select its parliamentary candidates. The system, termed community pre-selections, will be trialled on 31 July next year in the northern NSW seat of Tamworth, now held by independent Peter Draper. The Nats say it is about getting rid of the disconnect between the people who decide the candidate – often a handful of men – and the people who decide who becomes the Member of Parliament. feedback@thepunch.com.au (Matthew Abbott) Article http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-quiet-revolution-taking-place-in-tamworth/#comments http://www.thepunch.com.au/articles/a-quiet-revolution-taking-place-in-tamworth/#item2034 Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:45:54 +0000 Matthew Abbott | Author bios | The Punch