Untested Federal politicians take to the field this election

QUEENSLAND will be represented by a class of untested Federal politicians after the election, with more than 20 per cent of its current crop stepping down.

Former Brisbane City Councilor Milton Dick is now campaigning to win a seat in federal parliament. Picture: Chris McCormack

QUEENSLAND will be represented by a class of untested federal politicians after the election, with more than 20 per cent of its current crop stepping down.

Brisbane, Groom, Oxley and Maranoa will be among the areas getting fresh blood, but the Sunshine Coast in particular will be entirely represented by new faces.

Sitting members in Fairfax, Fisher and Wide Bay are all standing down, the first two in tumultuous circumstances.

Former state MP John McVeigh contesting Groom for the LNP.

Bill Gissane is the new ALP candidate for Fisher. Picture: Megan Slade

Two of the candidates, former state MP John McVeigh contesting Groom for the LNP and former Brisbane council Labor opposition leader Milton Dick in Oxley, have cut their teeth in politics and are firm favourites to win their seats.

Mr Dick, also a former ALP state secretary, said if elected he could draw on that past experience to fight LNP cuts.

Mr McVeigh, one of many new faces elected as part of the Newman government, said there would be a sharp learning curve if elected but he had experience via the state in dealing with federal projects.

While the Sunshine Coast is traditionally a conservative stronghold, Labor’s Fisher candidate Bill Gissane said the three ALP candidates for the region had diverse professional backgrounds, rather than coming from the unions and “none of us are raving commos or red-hot lefties”.