Seven years ago Adam Marshall was the 27-year-old mayor of Gunnedah who sometimes visited the Northern Tablelands electorate as chair of the NSW Country Mayors Association, or as senior vice president of the Shires Association of NSW, positions he held from 2010 until 2012.
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Following his substantial promotion on Sunday, he became Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW.
He was previously Minister for Tourism and the Major Events Assistant Minister for Skills, since January 2017 until the recent election.
His career in local government and onto state politics, began early.
Born on September 4, 1984, Adam was educated at Gunnedah South Public School and later at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School.
He was 19 when elected as a Gunnedah Shire Councillor in 2004, became deputy mayor in 2007 and was mayor of Gunnedah from 2008-12.
His community presence was always extensive from a young age.
He was a director of Gunnedah Services and Bowling Club (2006-11), a member on the Country Cricket NSW Umpire Panel (2007-12), a member of Gunnedah Lions Club (2007-12), and chair of the Northern Inland Academy of Sport.
He is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a Life member of the Gunnedah Jockey Club and an honourary member of the Gunnedah Rotary Club.
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In June 2012, surprise and perhaps more than a little disbelief rippled through the Northern Tablelands electorate when Independent MP, Richard Torbay, announced he would run as a Nationals candidate against federal Independent Tony Windsor for the seat of New England.
One of the first big questions to come out of his announcement was who was going to take replace Mr Torbay as the Member for Northern Tablelands?
The answer was Adam Marshall, who subsequently won the byelection with 63.3 per cent of the primary vote and entered the NSW Legislative Assembly on May 25, 2013.
In his maiden speech to Parliament on June 19, 2013, he commented on his own youth, and how people regarded it.
"While others have sought to make much of my age throughout my career, I have not. Gender, background and age should not be a barrier; rather one's commitment to the role, and one's willingness to listen to the people and be a strong voice for them should really be what is emphasised," he said.
With regional infrastructure becoming increasingly problematic, Mr Marshall began the battle for regional health early on.
Under his watch, Armidale's $10 million hospital upgrade did actually become the $60 million project that was under consideration by then Health Minister Julian Skinner for so long.
Inverell's hospital upgrade went from being completely stalled to a $30 million redevelopment, and then to a $60 million project, while $20 million worth of improvements at Glen Innes should bear fruit this term.
The only scandal in his political career came in June 2014 when he was caught drink driving in Glen Innes, and faced court.
He pleaded guilty to being caught behind the wheel with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.112. Marshall was fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for nine months. It was revealed in court that the MP had a terrible driving record, with 17 fines for speeding offences.
Electoral boundary changes during 2015 took Tenterfield out of the electorate and brought Moree in.
Moree had received a new police station from its previous Member, Kevin Humphries, early in 2013.
Its ageing hospital, on the other hand, needed some attention, and Inverell's police station was built in the 1960s, it was overcrowded and hardly fit for use.
Mr Marshall has announced an $80 million State Government commitment for Moree's new hospital and Inverell's new $9 million police station is due for completion in 2020.
In 2017, the NSW State Government spent $220 million in the electorate of Northern Tablelands. In 2018 that budget figure increased to $259 million.
"From our largest towns to our smallest villages, this budget will fund projects that will build and renew infrastructure, provide new and enhanced services and make life easier for residents across the Northern Tablelands," Mr Marshall said.
"We have the money we need to better our hospitals, invest in schools, secure water infrastructure, invest in roads around the electorate, build community facilities, upgrade youth resources, support agricultural research and development and improve police facilities.
"This is all due to our proactive local councils and their communities working together and being persistent in lobbying government for their fair share for important projects that will enhance our region. Full credit goes to the community, it has earned this result today."
At the sate election on March 23, Mr Marshall's primary vote in Northern Tablelands increased to 74 per cent, which was the highest vote for an MP at the election.