The New South Wales Coalition leader, Barry O'Farrell, has made his bid for next month's state election, promising honest, stable and capable government.

The State Opposition launched their campaign at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre in Penrith, in Sydney's west, under the slogan "Real change for New South Wales".

Mr O'Farrell says his team is hungrier than ever before and determined to win.

"[We're] determined to give people their best chance to vote for real change, as they did here in Penrith with Stuart Ayres just eight months ago."

The centrepiece of the launch is the promise of cash rebates of up to $250 a year for low income earners to help meet rising electricity prices.

Among the other promises were 135 extra express and semi-express train services and $885 million in new money to fast-track hospital upgrades, bringing the total investment to $3 billion over the Coalition's first term.

The electricity rebates match a Labor promise, but Labor campaign spokesman Luke Foley says it is a piecemeal offering.

"Labor's offering fairness for families; the best the Liberals can come up with is fairness for families lite," he said.

He has challenged the Liberals to also adopt Labor's plans to cap public transport fares and government charges and keep Sydney Water in public hands.

Premier Kristina Keneally also criticised the campaign launch as offering only "government lite".

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/20/3143633.htm?section=justin

A HALF-BUILT residential development in Bankstown has become the setting for an election campaign scandal, leading to calls by Labor for the removal of a Liberal candidate.

The block of 30 apartments at the intersection of the Hume Highway and Stacey Street is owned and managed by Bill Chahine and his father Albert.

Bill Chahine is also the Liberal Party candidate in Bankstown, whose major policy listed on the party's website is the upgrade of the traffic-clogged intersection.

Local real estate experts say upgrading the intersection would directly benefit the Chahine family's multimillion dollar residential project.

Mr Chahine spoke to The Sun-Herald at the intersection last Thursday without once mentioning his interest in the development, located just 100 metres away on Banksia Road.

Asked later about the project, he said his father owned the site and he worked for him as project manager.

Company documents for Grandview Estate Pty Ltd list Bill Nabill Chahine as a director, along with Albert Bassett Chahine.

A document from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission shows the other shareholders in Grandview are ABC Plumbing Service and Artistic Builders, also owned by the Chahines. The family also owns two adjoining blocks of land on Banksia Road.

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/state-election-2011/campaign-at-crossroad-with-liberals-business-20110219-1b09l.html

Barry O'Farrell gives the impression of a man exhausted by the prospect of success. He seemed barely hanging on in the face of overwhelming support. A standing ovation at the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre put no spring in his step. Perhaps there is a bright side to this for the Coalition: only a leader absolutely certain of victory could allow himself to be so dull.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/a-decent-message-but-what-a-tired-delivery-20110220-1b14h.html