New England MP Barnaby Joyce and NSW Deputy Premier Troy Grant may have endorsed Tamworth as the possible location after a visit to a property just outside of that city last week.

Local business heavyweights Bill Liston and Jim Ritchie are still fighting for Glen Innes to be considered with any plan for the growing of marijuana for medical purposes.

“Glen Innes is in desperate need of high quality employment opportunities and revitalised Ag station growing medicinal cannabis would go a long way to help,” Mr Ritchie said.

“We know there is a push for this to be in Tamworth but they have already got a lot of things, we need this in Glen and there is no doubt it will provide a boost for our town.”

Lawyer Bill Liston and Business in Glen President Jim Ritchie have written to Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall asking for his support.

Mr Marshall said he contacted NSW Premier Mike Baird last December and has endorsed the Glen Innes agricultural station for trials.

“I fully support the proposal and initiated discussions with the council last year as well as with Primary Industries Minister Niall Blair, whose department owns and operates the research station,” he said.

“The federal government control the licence to grow, so unless they give a licence it is illegal to grow cannabis, in my opinion the meeting in Tamworth in no way hinders nor impacts on Glen Innes’ proposal because those decisions won’t be made until next year.

“It might mean both sites get to be used for a trial.”

However, Tamworth medicinal cannabis advocate Lucy Haslam said last week’s visit was significant because of those lending their support. 

“The important thing is that government is getting behind it and supporting it this gives us a lot of confidence having Barnaby Joyce and Troy Grant here it means we have their approval – we’re not just flying on a wing and a prayer,” she said.

“There visit is saying that if we do everything that’s expected of us, then they’ll support it.”

Mrs Haslam was among a high-powered state delegation that included Premier Mike Baird, chief scientist Professor Mary O’Kane and NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione that recently visited Israel to observe a model that is similar to what she has in mind for Tamworth.