Actor takes on pollie in key Queensland seat

TOOWONG actor, teacher and producer Peter Cossar will take on LNP high-flyer Julian Simmonds in the seat of Ryan at the federal election.

Peter Cossar performing at the Judith Wright Centre with Tammy Weller. He has been endorsed for the federal seat of Ryan for Labor.

TOOWONG actor, teacher and producer Peter Cossar will take on LNP high-flyer Julian Simmonds in the seat of Ryan at the federal election.

Councillor Simmonds (Walter Taylor) ousted veteran LNP MP Jane Prentice earlier this year in a bitter preselection battle for the blue ribbon western suburbs seat.

Cr Simmonds, the former chair of the powerful City Planning committee, has been vigorously campaigning on social media and has set up an office at The Gap.

LNP's candidate for Ryan, Cr Julian Simmonds. Picture: AAP/John Gass

Federal Labor leader Bill Shorten said Mr Cossar was “ready to take the fight up to Scott

Morrison in the key battleground of Queensland’’.

A 54-year-old father of two, Mr Cossar and his wife have lived in Toowong for 20

years.

He works as an actor, teacher and producer in the performing arts industry

and has a history of advocating for the arts, renewable energy, same sex marriage

and protecting the environment.

Toowong actor, producer and teacher Peter Cossar has been preselected for Ryan.

“Having lived in our leafy part of the world for almost 20 years, I will fight to protect

our environment, deliver investment in local infrastructure, like Cross River Rail, and

deliver better funding for health and education services,’’ he said.

The Greens have endorsed Jake Schoermer, who said only 5000 voters needed to switch to the Greens for him to win Ryan.

Jake Schoermer, the Greens candidate for Ryan.

“As Council’s planning chairman, Julian Simmonds has approved unsightly, unnecessary and

detrimental development projects right across Brisbane,’’ he said.

“Locals have had enough and want to have a real say on how our community grows”

“We need to develop the industries and infrastructure of the future, like world-class internet,

education, health care and clean energy not funnel billions in public money to banks,

corporations and fossil fuel companies in the form of tax handouts and concessions.“

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“We need to make sure everyone can afford a comfortable home close to schools, work and the people they care about.”