Natasha Ledger isn’t your average newbie political candidate.
A motorbike-riding, golf-playing mother of four, Natasha brings grassroots experience and big ideas to the table in her campaign as an independent candidate for New England. With a home base in Invergowrie, where she lives sustainably on ten acres powered by solar, creek water, and bore access, she’s no stranger to rural resilience—or bold solutions.
Her campaign arrives at a pivotal moment, as Muswellbrook joins the New England electorate.
“Muswellbrook has delivered Australia energy security for decades,” she says.
“It’s time we invest back into these communities with innovation and action.”
However, Natasha’s opposition to nuclear power as an alternative future to coal is fierce.
“Barnaby’s nuclear plan is not only destructive, it’s a burden on future generations,” she says, pointing to its 20-year rollout timeline, 300-year shutdown protocols, and colossal water usage.
“Why would we trade clean air and precious water for radioactive risk? Especially when better, safer solutions already exist.”
Enter her alternative: a proposal for waste-to-energy incineration. Natasha proposes the establishment of a waste incinerator electric generator—able to supply electricity to over 280,000 homes, operating 24/7, and up and running by 2026.
“It’s quicker than nuclear, safer, and Australian-owned,” she claims. With roadbase as a byproduct and air emissions filtered and monitored, she says, “it’s circular economy thinking in action.”
Ledger’s “Simple Six” plan outlines her vision for transformative regional development:
- Trains for the North – Reinstate the rail line beyond Armidale to support freight, farming, and local manufacturing, including a cannery, glass recycling, and fuel storage hub.
- Muswellbrook Makeover – Launch a waste-to-energy plant, medicinal cannabis industry hub, and fast-track the already funded bypass.
- Mt Arthur Rejuvenation – Convert 7,000 hectares into a hemp and pine plantation for sustainable building materials and reforestation.
- Moree Housing Plan – Offer low or no-interest loans for residents, keeping locals in their towns and reducing housing pressure.
- Bike Paths for All – Deliver a region-wide bike path strategy for every council in New England.
- Tax Reform for Fossil Fuels – Tax gas and coal at the extraction point, returning $9 billion annually to the national economy.
Natasha’s brave policy ideas mix – which can take a little while to comprehend due to overlapping federal, state and local campaign materials and her unusual communication style – includes plans to champion small business through apprentice subsidies (including $10,000 towards vehicle costs), legalise and regulate the marijuana industry, and abolish ineffective climate bureaucracy in favour of Indigenous knowledge-based environmental management.
“There’s no time to wait,” Natasha says. “Our farmers are crying out for water security, our small businesses are the lifeblood of this region, and the Nationals have let us down—losing both the Water and Roads portfolios, ignoring 22,000 voices against gas in the Pilliga, and pushing policies that serve donors before constituents.”
Ledger’s campaign is as much about people as it is about policy.
“I’m not tied to party lines. I’m here to serve the people who live and work in New England. I’m here to deliver long-term results, not short-term spin,” she says.
“It’s time to put the Nationals last,” she said. “Let’s build a future we can all believe in.”
Natasha’s unique style and diverse policy proposals have been presented at almost every election since 2016 when she was elected to Uralla Shire Council for one term. In the last federal election she secured 2.8% of the vote. In her last unsuccessful tilt at local government last year, overshadowed by legal matters, she secured 80 votes.
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