Greens water spokesperson Cate Faehrmann opposes Dungowan Dam, announces Tamworth candidate Ryan Brooke

The Greens would redirect funding from the proposed new Dungowan Dam and invest it in alternative water infrastructure, NSW Upper House lead candidate and water spokesperson Cate Faehrmann said.

Ms Faehrmann was in Tamworth to announce local small business owner and cancer survivor Ryan Brooke as the party's candidate for the upcoming March state election.

"The National Party's obsession with Dungowan Dam has delayed putting in place sustainable measures to provide water security for the people of Tamworth," Ms Faehrmann said.

"We can do a lot more to manage demand, we can do a lot more to save water in Tamworth. Not enough has been done there."

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A vocal opponent of the new Dungowan Dam, the party pledges to spend less than the $1.28 billion (including a 50/50 contribution from the Commonwealth) that the project is slated to cost.

"To look at sensible, less expensive, non-infrastructure options that can be put in place quite quickly," the water spokesperson said.

The bulk of the commitment to water security is $300 million to fix the old Dungowan Dam, followed by $100 million for Tamworth council to build an industrial water treatment plant, $55 million in vouchers, and $15 million for water recycling research, community consultation and education.

The party chose Tamworth to announce its first water security measure, which will be rolled out to other cities, because of its "unique" drought experience.

Ms Faehrmann acknowledged it will be a "hard slog" for the Greens to win Tamworth at the March poll.

She praised Mr Brooke as an alternative, progressive voice for residents "sick" of the National Party.

"We might not be in government, but we use our numbers very wisely and hold the government to account," Mr Brooke said.

Health care is another area of major concern for the party.

Mr Brooke, a first-time candidate, encountered the "dire, dire need" to expand rural medical services during his own cancer battle.

The "big" initiative that the Greens have is to reform the funding of Medicare, he said.

"It needs to not be a band-aid solution, but needs to be something where you look at the root cause and adjust to how the actual medical system works," he said.

"What we're seeing more and more is a shortage of GP's, and trouble attracting those GP's to those regional areas.

"We need to make regional areas more attractive for GP's to come into."

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