Yet the Member for Goulburn and new Planning Minister has signed a five-year lease on her Auburn Street office.

Ms Goward had hoped to move into new headquarters – sandwiched between the Post Office and National Australia Bank – by late August.

Delays in rubber stamping by Treasury, coupled with security and building renovation hold-ups, mean the incumbent MP won’t move in until at least the middle of next month.

Ms Goward, who’s occupied the seat of Goulburn since 2007 and heads into the March poll as the bookmakers’ frontrunner, was forced to look beyond her Bowral electoral office due a redistribution of the seat that saw much of the Southern Highlands trimmed and townships further west, like Yass, included.

She and her office are understandably frustrated by the delay in moving.

Ms Goward signed a five year lease in July and told the Post she hoped to set up shop by August. Her official move in, however, is destined be at least two months late.

While the move has proved a logistical headache, it is set to save the taxpayer, a spokeswoman for Ms Goward explained.

The NSW Treasury will pay significantly less on the Goulburn CBD property than they did for Ms Goward’s Bong Bong Street equivalent.

Commercial confidence, however, stipulates that the cost of rent cannot be released publicly.

“The rent is commercial in confidence,” Ms Goward’s spokeswoman said.

“Independent valuation is carried out and found that the Bowral CBD is substantially higher than Goulburn CBD.

“(The lease has) an initial term of five years with an option for a further four years.”

Ms Goward first gained a foothold into state politics with a nail-biting victory over independent candidate and former Goulburn Mulwaree mayor, Paul Stephenson, in 2007.

She romped to victory four years later, thrashing parachuted Labor candidate Crystal Validakis.

Her task appears substantially harder this time around, however. Voter dissatisfaction with both the state and commonwealth governments has reignited Labor’s once slim hopes.

President of the Goulburn Labor Branch, Jason Shepherd, now believes the election is winnable.

Last Tuesday marked the 200 day countdown into the 2015 NSW Election. Despite the fast-approaching deadline, Labor is yet to officially endorse a candidate.

Mr Shepherd says the party has three strong candidates – two from Goulburn and one from Yass.

Despite optimism in Opposition ranks, bookmakers have installed the Coalition as heavy favourites to retain government.

Sportsbet rates the Baird Government as $1.18 favourite to emerge victor come March 28. Labor is listed at $4.50.