NOMINATIONS for National Party pre-selection for the seat of Oxley have opened following the resignation last week of Nationals leader and former Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner.
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Party chairman Bede Burke said he expected a strong field of candidates for the pre-selection, which will be held on December 13.
"The Nationals have an extremely high level of support in the Oxley electorate, and we hope that a number of prominent members of the community will put themselves forwards as candidates," Mr Burke said.
"It's important that we keep the momentum going in the next government, and we need to find a Nationals candidate who is capable of stepping into Andrew Stoner's shoes."
Nominations for the pre-selection close on Friday, November 14. Mr Stoner said he decided to quit politics to be there for his wife Cathy, who is suffering from anxiety and depression.
The Nationals MP last week resigned from the NSW ministry and said he would not stand at the next election, citing "very difficult family issues" for his wife and children.
In an interview with a News Corp weekend publication, Mr Stoner and his wife shone some light on those issues.
Mrs Stoner said her husband was the best she could ask for and she was grateful he had decided to put aside his career to focus on her and their children.
"I think it might be a good idea to put the record straight," she said.
"The reason I found it so hard coping with life while he was away is because for over 30 years I have had undiagnosed depression, anxiety and childhood PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder]. I only started to get help, and was diagnosed, three years ago."
Mrs Stoner said she was sexually abused by a male relative for about 10 years as a child and had not dealt with that until recently.
"I am telling you this because this story needs to be told, like so many others."
Mr Stoner said that after a rough week in state politics in Sydney he was sometimes exhausted and did not have a lot left for his family when he returned to his Port Macquarie home.
He said his youngest son, Nat, 11, had only had a part-time dad and wanted to spend more time with his father.
Mr Stoner said he had realised it was time to quit politics and he told Premier Mike Baird he had to put his family first.
