Deputy Premier Paul Toole, Barwon MP Roy Butler at odds over power of political independents

"I think a strong crossbench is actually really good for democracy," Member for Barwon Roy Butler said.

Mr Butler is running as an independent in the March 25 state election after leaving the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party.

"We don't know who's going to form government and whether it's going to be a Labor government in minority or a coalition government in minority. So those ministers like Paul Toole saying 'you don't want an independent' could be in opposition for four years.

"If he's in opposition for four years, that's four years in the wilderness where all he can really do is yell from the sidelines."

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Going into his first election as the NSW Nationals leader, Mr Toole told regional media that he thinks independent candidates could cause instability and might not be able to deliver on promises for their voters.

"I think the thing that keeps me awake at night is that if we have a minority government that's actually made up of Labor, Greens and independents, then I think we're going to see a fair bit of chaos here in the state about trying to move forward," Mr Toole said, during an online press conference for rural journalists last week.

"This is going to be an election that is determined seat by seat, booth by booth, and people might think that an independent, at the end of the day, is a nice person, they might have a nice smile, but they actually can deliver very little."

Mr Toole's comments follow the Nationals losing the seats of Barwon and Murray at the 2019 state poll to the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers', Roy Butler and Helen Dalton, who have since become independents.

The seat of Orange was also won by Philip Donato - then a member of the Shooters party but now an independent - in a 2016 byelection.

If things go the way of the polls - which suggest there is a "strong possibility" of a hung parliament - then these three regional independents could have a lot of sway if re-elected.

"In a minority government the crossbench will be pivotal in whoever forms parliament getting their business done so they're going to need me, and the other crossbench members, to pass legislation," Mr Butler said.

"That puts us in a great position to negotiate for regional NSW and regional electorates. I'm already talking to other regional independents about working together to do that so it's not just one vote, there are several that could be involved in making sure we get good outcomes for the regions."

Mr Donato agreed, saying that without a party line to toe independents can be a strong advocate for their communities, put their electorates first and are only answerable to their constituents.

"Independent representation in regional NSW isn't a fad or phenomenon - our community have been strongly represented by independents, including the late Peter Andren [long-time federal Member for Calare]," he said.

"As an independent I cannot be bought and won't be silenced; in fact, it was that approach I took in holding government accountable and ultimately strong-armed the Liberal-National Government into delivering close to half a billion dollars in drought relief for our drought-stricken farmers and communities across the whole of regional NSW.

"Governments don't like the idea of a minority, because they cannot just steamroll legislation for their own agenda, they have to consider the voice of the community represented by their democratically elected member."

The NSW election will be held on March 25. Running against Mr Butler in for the seat of Barwon are Labor candidate Joshua Roberts-Garnsey and Annette Turner for the Nationals.

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