Gurmesh Singh wins preselection for Coffs Harbour

The leader of the NSW Nationals was preselected unopposed.

Author

Staff Reporter
February 17, 2026

In front of about 40 National Party members at Coffs Harbour’s Park Beach Bowling Club, Gurmesh Singh was again preselected as the candidate for the local state seat.

What happened: The Coffs Harbour MP, who is the leader of the NSW Nationals, told the Mid North Coaster there were no other candidates.

“Regardless of whether you are the incumbent, you have to follow the same process [of being preselected ahead of each election],” said Singh.

Singh was elected to parliament in 2019 and was chosen to lead the Nationals after the sudden resignation of Dugald Saunders in November 2025.

  • Singh said the Minns Labor government “was not really doing anything” to address cost of living pressures, and that the Nationals and Liberals would “be coming to the next election with a range of cost of living measures”.

    The next state election is in March 2027.