Councillor Julian Simmonds addresses criticism of LNP

BRISBANE councillor Julian Simmonds has spoken out against criticism the LNP has faced since he rolled assistant Minister Jane Prentice for preselection – saying his youth better reflected the changing electorate of Ryan.

• How Simmonds plans to win Ryan
• Council past may haunt new LNP candidate

BRISBANE councillor Julian Simmonds has spoken out against criticism the LNP has faced since he rolled assistant Minister Jane Prentice for preselection – saying his youth better reflected the changing electorate of Ryan.

He also warned more was needed to be done to fight back against encroachment from Labor and the Greens in the electorate.

Cr Simmonds won preselection for the Federal seat of Ryan on the weekend ahead of Ms Prentice, sparking debate about the representation of women in the LNP.

In his first major interview since then, Cr Simmonds said it had been a democratic vote about the best chance for re-election.

“It’s easy to pick at the process, but what’s the alternative? The alternative is the Labor Party’s idea of the faceless men of the executive parachuting representatives in over the head of branch members to meet quotas,” he said.

“We need good women, good men, good people to take up the fight to ensure Coalition government is retained.”

Cr Simmonds, married to Madeline and father to 10-month-old Theo, said Ryan was a changing electorate that had many young, professional families, as well as self-funded retirees, and is held by 9 per cent.

“What drove me in terms of timing, was that this is too an important election not to put our best foot forward,” he said.

“The Ryan electorate has four state seats, two held by Labor, one by the Greens and only one by the LNP.”

He confirmed he would resign as a councillor when the election was called and would stand down from civic Cabinet after the council budget is handed down next month.

Former Lord Mayor Campbell Newman had called for him to stand down as a councillor immediately, though there is precedent for councillors to stay on while contesting elections.

Asked about the “Kirribilli-style” agreement with Ms Prentice, he said there was “no such thing as turns or agreements in politics” and it was up to branch members to voters to decide who represented them.