A NEW STATE MP PART 4: 28 NOVEMBER 2016

Phil Donato … why the Shooters and Fishers rather than as an independent?

John Rozentals, the editor of Molong Online, recently spent an hour or so catting with Phil Donato to find out a few of the things that make the new Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party MP for Orange tick. Today, in the final part of this interview, Phil talks mainly about why he ran for the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party rather than as an independent … and issues a blunt warning to the Government.

“Look, I could obviously have run as an independent, but I probably wouldn’t have run if that was required,” said Phil Donato.

“I wouldn’t have had the money to fund it, to run the sort of campaign I wanted to run. And I wouldn’t have had the support I received. The guys in head office have been fantastic.

“I’ve always voted for the Shooters and Fishers. I’ve always been a shooter, so I’ve always voted for them. That’s who I am I suppose, and I’m not going to pretend I’m something I’m not.

“People have said to me that I might have had a better chance running as an independent, but I probably wouldn’t have run then. What I’ve learnt over the past couple of months is the amount of work that’s required behind the scenes and the support that you need. I just wouldn’t have been able to harness that level of support and funds.

“We only ran on a shoestring budget of about $20,000 but I wouldn’t have been able to come up with that money.

“And certainly the Hadley factor wouldn’t have happened if I’d been an independent. I just wouldn’t have had the connection that Borzak [Robert Borzak, NSW Upper House MP] and Hadley had. Basically I don’t think I’d have been as successful if I’d run as an independent.

“People have said ‘I don’t know about this shooting thing.’ I understand that but I’m a law-abiding citizen who uses firearms totally legally. Whenever I go hunting it’s for food. I learnt as a kid, when I went shooting with my father and uncles, that you only ever shoot what you need to eat. That’s what my shooting as a kid was founded upon.

“We had a good relationship with many farmers and they were quite happy to have us on their properties. We always left gates as we found them. We never drove around on the back of a ute shooting willy nilly.

“So that’s why I ran for the Shooters and Fishers. I’ve always voted for them and they’ve provided me with enormous support — through information and mentoring. If I’d run as an independent I wouldn’t have had any of that. And I wouldn’t have had the money. And you just have to be so careful with donations. They were a well established party, and we were able to raise a lot of money.”

And a final word of warning to the Coalition.

“They’re going to have to keep the promises they made during the election,” said Phil.

“They may have lost the election but they’re still the Government. We’ll try to keep them as honest as possible with regard to the many promises they’ve made.

“I’ve quit a safe career of some 22 years. I want to be re-elected and my campaign for 2019 starts tomorrow.”

So, be warned, Baird, Barilaro and Toole. You’re dealing here with a man who means business.