Dubbo Labor stalwart Barry Brebner thinks Australia is on the right track after the recent Federal election.

Mr Brebner, who ran for the seat of Parkes in 1993, 1996 and 1998, told Dubbo Photo News he was delighted to see a Federal Labor win, but doubted the local seat of Parkes would ever change from voting National.

“The Nationals held on to their seats exceptionally well in the election, and there’s a reason for that – they look after their constituents,” he said.

“I’ve been in Dubbo since 1972, it’s been Nationals that whole time, and they’ve had some good people.”

He added Labor had run a great campaign this year.

“(Candidate) Jack Ayoub put in a lot of work, as did all the Labor supporters,” Mr Brebner said.

“It’s costly to run, and I hope of course that the local Labor team keep going.”

Mr Brebner said he also hoped the Albanese Government would “look after the whole of Australia”.

“It’s time to bring Australia together,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of conflict and division. Labor have only been in for a matter of weeks, but I think Anthony Albanese is already doing a fantastic job.

“I’d like to see all the political parties come together to improve the country. I think voters are sick of the divisive way things have been.”

Mr Brebner said he was particularly interested in seeing a change in the way water was managed in Australia.

“Water is one of the biggest issues we’re facing in the country,” he said.

“We’ve seen drought and we’ve seen floods, but water management wasn’t mentioned during the campaign.

“I thought that during COVID, the national cabinet was a very effective management tool, and my proposal is for something similar for water – the national water cabinet.”

The national water cabinet would have representatives from each state, as well as an Indigenous representative from each state, with the Commonwealth at the head.

“The current approach to water puts neighbour against neighbour, town against town, state against state,” Mr Brebner said.

“We shouldn’t have cotton growers get water at the expense of fruit and veg growers, at the expense of anyone else.

“After the recent national cabinet meeting, the responses and the outcomes seemed very good, there was a team approach. And that’s what we need for water.

“There’s enough for everybody if we do things right.”

Mr Brebner has sent his proposal to the new Federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek.

He is currently waiting for a reply.