Hawkesbury councillor Sarah Richards to stand for Liberal Party in Macquarie at 2019 federal election

In a video posted on a newly-created Facebook page on January 10, Ms Richards said it was an “honour” to be selected as the Liberal candidate for the seat.

“I simply cannot wait to start campaigning to win this seat back off Labor,” she said in the video.

“The task is undeniably huge, and I am going to need all of your support to make sure that happens.”

A Morrison Liberal government was the only one to ensure “strong borders, and most importantly a strong economy”, she said.

Ms Richards nominated a third crossing for the Hawkesbury River as a priority on social media, saying it was the one thing in the Hawkesbury that everybody wants.

“Like many of you, I cross that bridge almost daily, so I understand the traffic congestion,” she stated.

“As your local Liberal councillor, I have already taken up this fight. As your local Liberal councillor, I helped secure funding for the business case of the third crossing … I now stand here before you, as the Liberal candidate for Macquarie pledging to fight for funding for its construction.

”I am going to knock on the door of every minister that needs to be knocked on. I am going to tap on the shoulder of every minister that needs to be tapped on, and press the case for the third crossing.”

Labor’s Susan Templeman won the seat from her Liberal predecessor, Louise Markus, in 2016 following a 6.7 per cent swing to Labor. It was the Winmalee resident’s third attempt at securing the Macquarie seat for the Labor Party.

Speaking on election night in 2016, Ms Templeman  said: “What we’ve shown is that people talking to people is the way to get our message across and the way to hear everybody else’s message.”

The seat of Macquarie covers parts of both the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains Local Government Areas (LGAs). Labor has won the seat three times in the past 35 years. The previous Labor MP was Bob Debus, who held the seat from 2007 to 2010.