Popular Frankston mayor wins Liberal preselection for Dunkley

Frankston Mayor Nathan Conroy has won Liberal endorsement for the federal seat of Dunkley, in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburbs, in what is shaping up to be a midterm contest for both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.

Frankston Mayor Nathan Conroy.

The result means the well-known face of Frankston City Council will face off against Labor’s Jodie Belyea at a federal byelection to be held in the coming weeks.

Locals are returning to the ballot box more than a year out from when the next federal election is due after Dunkley’s representative, widely respected Labor MP Peta Murphy, died from cancer in December.

Conroy won preselection with a convincing 89 votes, according to two Liberal sources speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. The two other contenders, former state MP Donna Hope and Liberal staffer Bec Buchanan, received about 40 and 25 votes respectively, the sources said.

The Liberal candidate is the first Frankston mayor to ever win three consecutive terms. On his candidate forms, seen by The Age, Conroy said he would be able to hit the ground running because he had an extensive network of contacts at local sporting clubs and other community organisations.

“Coming from a background of humble beginnings, having been born into social housing and raised by a mother who worked tirelessly to create opportunities for our family, I understand firsthand the importance of policies that support all Australians,” he wrote in an accompanying statement to Liberal preselectors.

Conroy’s endorsement means the Liberal Party’s chances of reaching 50 per cent female representation among its parliamentary ranks, as recommended by a review into the 2022 election loss, are fast diminishing.

Speaking from Frankston on Sunday afternoon, Dutton said the circumstances of the byelection were tragic but that it was also clear Labor’s policies were not working for communities along Melbourne’s sand belt.

“This government came into power promising to reduce electricity prices by $275,” the opposition leader said.

“Since then, we know that power prices have gone up by 23 per cent. When people go to the supermarket, they know that they’re getting less for every dollar that they spend because the government’s energy policy is driving up the prices of everything. That’s why we need a real local champion.”

Albanese confirmed Belyea was Labor’s pick to replace Murphy on Thursday after The Age revealed the former teacher and women’s advocate was the party’s frontrunner.

“No two people are the same. But they do remind me of each other in that they are both fighters. They’re both strong advocates,” the prime minister told party faithful gathered at the Frankston Bowls Club.

The seat of Dunkley – which centres around Frankston but also includes Mount Eliza to the south and Seaford and Carrum Downs to the north – was created in 1984 and named after Louisa Dunkley, a feminist and union leader who campaigned for equal pay for women before dying in 1927. The federal Liberals have held the seat in nine out of the past 14 elections.

But the retirement of long-serving Liberal MP Bruce Billson, as well as the subsequent redrawing of electoral boundaries, allowed Labor to gain ground. In 2019, Murphy was able to win the seat, and she retained it at the last federal election with an increased majority.

Labor’s margin is currently just over 6 per cent. However, party officials expect a swing against them following mortgage rises and a dip in the prime minister’s popularity.

Despite this, Liberal officials still insist they are the underdogs.

A date is yet to be locked in for the byelection. It is not expected to be held until late February or even March due to parliament’s summer break.

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