Matthew Stadtmiller: A Strong Voice for Cootamundra
The National Party has taken the Cootamundra electorate for granted, and Matthew Stadtmiller is the strong, experienced voice that rural New South Wales needs.
Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party candidate Matthew Stadtmiller today announced his campaign for the upcoming Cootamundra by-election.
With his wife Nyssa behind him, Matthew is the strong, experienced voice that rural New South Wales needs.
“As somebody born and bred in Harden-Murrumburrah, and whose served on the forcibly amalgamated Harden Shire Council, I know first-hand what it’s like when the National Party abandons rural people,” Mr. Stadtmiller said.
“Until last year’s Orange by-election, families in country towns didn’t have a strong, electable alternative to the National Party. That stops today.
“My experience as Deputy Mayor and a Councillor at Harden Shire, as well as my fight against forced rural Council amalgamations, taught me the reality that we cannot rely on the Nationals to stand up against bad Liberal Party policies.
“My passion has always been to give something back to the rural community that I know and love.
“I founded the Twin Town Times in 2014 with just $5,000 in my pocket, and have had the privilege of sharing the stories of the 2,000 locals in the Harden-Murrumburrah community. Soon my wife Nyssa and I will be adding to that story with a child of our own on the way.”
Mr. Stadtmiller questioned whether his National Party opponent would be willing to stand up against bad National Party policy like her predecessor.
“Katrina Hodgkinson was respected by the Cootamundra electorate because sometimes she was willing to cross the floor against her own party’s bad agenda. I don’t believe that a new National Party candidate would be willing to do that so early in their career, and the Cootamundra electorate desperately needs a strong voice.
“Whether it’s on water policy or repeated cuts to vital hospital services by the Murrumbidgee Local Health District, the electorate I call home is being over-looked by a city-centric State Government.
“Only by electing the Shooters Fishers and Farmers Party will we get the attention we deserve.”
About Matthew Stadtmiller:
Both Matthew Stadtmiller and his wife Nyssa are self-made small business owners about to start a young family. Matthew founded the independently-run Twin Town Times and Nyssa operates two hairdressing salons in Harden and Young.
Matthew, 33 of Harden, was born at Murrumburrah-Harden District Hospital, raised and went to school in Harden, Boorowa and Young.
He spent three years in his late teenage years in Canberra playing second and third grade rugby for the Tuggeranong Vikings and the Canberra Royals before returning to his hometown. He was based in Harden when he completed his Bachelor of Arts studies at Charles Sturt University in Wagga in 2011.
In 2014 with just $5,000 in his pocket Matthew founded the Twin Town Times – an independent newspaper servicing the Harden-Murrumburrah region. He built the newspaper up to what it is today, with a print run of 800 and 20,000 website hits per month. Matthew will be taking a step back from his work at the Twin Town Times during the Cootamundra by-election campaign.
He has also published a book called ‘Local Legends’, celebrating the unique stories of locals in the Harden-Murrumburrah community.
Matthew has also served as a Councillor on the forcibly amalgamated Harden Shire Council from 2012 until it was disbanded by the Baird Government in May 2016. Matthew also served as Deputy Mayor in 2014. He has been as fierce advocate against forced Council mergers, taking the fight to Gundagai, Queanbeyan, Mosman, and all the way to Macquarie Street.
Matthew and his wife Nyssa are expecting their first child in the coming months.
