Former SAS soldier Kevin Bailey to contest Batman by-election for Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives
A FORMER SAS soldier says he’ll campaign against “stifling political correctness” as he contests the Batman by-election for the Australian Conservatives party, led by Senator Cory Bernardi.
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A FORMER SAS soldier will contest the Batman by-election for the Australian Conservatives party and campaign against “stifling political correctness”.
Businessman Kevin Bailey will try to capitalise on the lack of a Liberal candidate for the inner city federal seat that is held by Labor but under threat from the Greens.
Mr Bailey served in the Australian military from 1977 to 1985, had a high media profile as a financial adviser, and later helped found the Shadforth Financial Group, which was sold to IOOF in 2014.
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Lyle Shelton, spokesman for the party led by Senator Cory Bernardi, is expected to announce Mr Bailey’s candidacy on Tuesday.
“We’re delighted that someone of Mr Bailey’s calibre has put his hand up to give the conservative voters of Batman a voice.”
Mr Bailey claimed a Greens or Labor victory would be a win for “skyrocketing debt, soaring electricity costs, gender bending programs in schools and stifling political correctness”.
“Not everyone in Batman subscribes to Green-Left political correctness. The people of Batman deserve the opportunity to vote for a better way,” ,” he said.
The by-election, to be held on March 17, was caused by the resignation of Labor’s David Feeney due to the dual citizenship issue.
ACTU president Ged Kearney will contest Batman for Labor while the Greens have again chosen serial candidate Alex Bhathal.
Mr Bailey is now involved in the philanthropic sector, and was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Community Business Partnership to advise the Federal Government on philanthropy and volunteerism.
A Catholic, Mr Bailey reportedly told a Catholic journal in 2014 that faith was paying second fiddle to secularism and materialism in Australia.
“Spending money we don’t have, to buy things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like,” he said.
Mr Bailey was made a Member of the Order of Australia last year, and sits on several boards of community organisations.
Originally published as Former SAS soldier Kevin Bailey to contest Batman by-election for Cory Bernardi’s Australian Conservatives