This was published 9 years ago
LNP Brisbane councillor Ian McKenzie survives preselection challenge
Holland Park councillor Ian McKenzie has survived an LNP preselection challenge to contest the new ward of Coorparoo at next year's Brisbane City Council election.
Cr McKenzie, whose ward in its current form would no longer exist thanks to redistributions, faced a challenge from former LNP state and council staffer Richard Ferrett and solicitor Rachel Connors.
Holland Park councillor Ian McKenzie has won a preselection battle to contest Coorparoo for Lord Mayor Graham Quirk's LNP team.
LNP members decided to stick by Cr McKenzie, who will contest the new Coorparoo ward against Labor's Matthew Campbell.
The confirmation of Cr McKenzie's preselection, which was understood to have the support of most sitting LNP councillors, would bring to an end at least one of Labor's recent jibes against both he and McDowall councillor Norm Wyndham.
Cr Wyndham has been challenged by former state candidate Bob Andersen, who lost both his bids for the seat of Stafford.
After surviving his challenge, Cr McKenzie said he still had a job ahead of him to get to know his new ward.
"With the redistribution, I will be gaining some new areas, while retaining half of my existing ward, if I am successful at the 2016 election," he said.
"This includes the rest of Coorparoo, where the current councillor (Labor's Helen Abrahams) is retiring.
"I look forward to working with those residents on continuing to deliver a new parkland in Coorparoo and working to improve Coorparoo Junction into a vibrant commercial strip".
The LNP has finalised its council candidates in all but three council wards as the battle for City Hall takes shape.
Its candidate for Pullenvale, to be vacated by long-time councillor Margaret de Wit, will be decided next weekend when LNP members choose between garden nursery worker Andrew O'Hara and consultant Kate Richards.
The party has yet to choose a candidate for Labor-held The Gabba or Tennyson, held by former LNP councillor Nicole Johnston, whose spectacular fall-out with the Newman administration led to her standing as an independent.
Labor was also yet to select a candidate in Tennyson, or in the LNP-held wards of Chandler, Hamilton, Jamboree, Macgregor, Pullenvale and Walter Taylor.
Saturday marked six months to the day until the March 19 council elections across Queensland.