“I was asked to run for the Nats but they wanted me to resubmit my membership and they also wanted me to apologise for my criticism of the party, which I just could not do,” Mr Adamson said
“They picked up Peta Betts after they couldn't get me.”
A former Nationals member himself, Mr Adamson parted ways with the party after he “lost faith” with them, however, still remains on good terms with many party members — even regularly catching up with former Federal Member for Farrer Noel Hicks.
“A lot of my friends are Nationals members. I’m not disgruntled. I just believe the party has forsaken this region,” he said.
“I find they will always sell out our region to protect their core base in the north-east of the state.
“I will not sell out our region for any party politics whatsoever. It's just the fundamental principle that I have.”
Hailing from Wagga Wagga, Mr Adamson moved to Griffith with his wife in the early 2000s to raise their family there.
In his early years, he undertook an ag degree and an ag economics degree, carving out a career in the ag industry until mid-way through the millennium drought when he re-trained as a teacher, relieving at primary and secondary schools.
A jack of all trades, Mr Adamson recently forged a career in national security, where his interests lie in food and water security.
He said he believed his knowledge surrounding agriculture, food and water could be a great asset to the Murray electorate, which is known for its diverse farming industry.
“I think that this is the best region in Australia to be in, in terms of agriculture,” he said.
“We just need a strong representative who can advocate for the future of our region, that can stand for improving the conditions of the people that are here, but also focus on the issues that are unique to our region, like water.
“I've understood the floodplain harvesting and how that functions and operates. I’ve worked in wineries. I’ve been through the books of the farmers and seen what was going on across the region; the methods and strategies being employed and the trends that were occurring in the industry.”
Mr Adamson said he initially had reservations about running because he felt it was a clear case of Helen Dalton versus Peta Betts.
He explained there are a lot of challenges with trying to run a campaign as an independent, particularly as he made the decision to not spend any money.
“I'm donating any proceeds I make out of this election to a charity,” he said.
“I'm not taking any money from people for running campaigns, I'm not spending money on the campaign, not having posters, not having handout cards.
“While it's damaging to the campaign, at least I am free to say that everything that I'm standing for is in the community’s interest and not some lobby group’s interest.”
Tired of hearing negative remarks about the electorate, his desire for change became his fuel for running.
“I just believe that it’s more important that we have an advocate for this region who works with the government rather than against it,” he said.
“The cost of working against the government leads to housing shortages, having trouble attracting workers and doctors, and it’s time we have a more positive outlook.
“The main thing is as long as I get my points across and I notice that everything I've raised is being noted, then at least it gives a fresh perspective for our government to address the issues of our region.
“If I can achieve that out of this campaign, I'm more than happy with that outcome.”
His key areas of concern include food, water — in particular, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority re-negotiations in 2026, housing shortages, relieving the healthcare industry from the strain that it is currently under and attracting more workers to the region by creating a more positive and enticing image.
After his own property was flooded last year, Mr Adamson said he would also like to see an extensive review across all flood-impacted areas in the electorate, with feedback from the local community members who were impacted.
He would also like to see secondary schools presenting more career options to students, while facilitating that connection between learning in school and post-school pathways.
“Right now we've got a lot of kids in our region that are looking elsewhere for education or are disengaged with education,” he said.
“That needs to change.”
Mr Adamson’s core message is that this election is not about him or anyone else, it’s about what is best for the community because they are at the heart of everything.
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