A preference deal with the Shooters is causing headaches for the NSW Labor Party as it appeals to regional voters in the final week of the state election campaign.
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NSW Opposition leader Michael Daley spent Monday campaigning on Labor's big red bus near Goulburn where he pledged $250 million to upgrade country hospitals.
But it was his party's decision to enter into preference deals with the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party which dominated his press conference on the hustings.
The premier argues Labor wants to put guns in the hands of 10-year-olds and the opposition leader was again forced to rule out weakening gun laws if elected to government on Saturday.
"I'm telling you, if you want a change in gun laws don't talk to Michael Daley, talk to the hand because you won't be getting it," he told reporters in Crookwell.
It's understood Labor has preferenced the Shooters before the Greens in the seats of Murray and Upper Hunter and is preferencing the party above the Liberals and Nationals in 19 other seats.
Mr Daley visited Crookwell District Hospital on Monday where he promised infrastructure and technology upgrades to more than 48 small community hospitals and 57 multi-purpose health service centres.
The centres act as one-stop health clinics for remote communities which don't have the population base for a major hospital.
The minimum nursing standing at country hospitals will also be increased from two nurses every shift to three if Labor is elected to govern on March 23.
Labor also re-committed to restoring maternity services at Yass Hospital and $3.5 million to upgrade Crookwell District Hospital.
Yass resident Jasmin Jones welcomed the funding after she had to deliver her third child on the Barton Highway because her local hospital didn't have a maternity ward.
"I cannot recommend that experience to anyone when there was a perfectly warm and reasonable hospital in Yass," she told reporters.
Mr Daley was joined by Labor candidate Ursula Stephens who is contesting Goulburn.
The visit comes after a YouGov-Galaxy survey published on Monday suggested voters are split 50-50 on a two-party preferred basis in Goulburn which has been held by retiring minister Pru Goward since 2007.
That's compared to the Liberals' 57 per cent two-party preferred vote in 2015.
The seat is held by a 6.6 per cent margin with Wendy Tuckerman running as the Liberals' candidate.
Mr Daley played down the poll results noting the last time Labor held the seat was in the 1960s.
Australian Associated Press
