Wakehurst, NSW election: Search abandoned for ‘Teal’ candidate in Liberal safe seat
The teals have given up looking for a candidate to win a safe Liberal seat at the March state election. See why here.
Manly
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The push for a ‘teal’ independent to win a northern beaches’ seat from the Liberals at the next state election has been abandoned.
Organisers say that despite a six-month search, they couldn’t find a “suitably competitive” candidate who could grab Wakehurst at the March 25 poll.
A group called “Wakehurst’s Independent”, launched a recruitment drive for a person to become a “community candidate” in the safe Liberal seat.
But rumours that the current Northern Beaches mayor Michael Regan will run as a non-teal independent candidate meant that the votes for independents would be split, leaving the teal with little chance of winning.
There has been growing speculation that Mr Regan, who has been mayor of the former Warringah Council and the amalgamated Northern Beaches Council since 2008, would run in Wakehurst.
Wakehurst’s Independent spokeswoman Sarah Baker said the group was “very sad” that it had not found a candidate that “we are willing to endorse”.
“The issue of Michael Regan potentially running has played into our decision,” Ms Baker said on Tuesday.
“With Michael strongly rumoured to run, putting forward a teal, community backed independent in the race would have led to the incumbents (Liberal Party) winning the seat.”
It is understood there were concerns within the group that if Mr Regan did run, it would simply split the vote for independents, giving the Liberal candidate an advantage.
Wakehurst’s Independent will not be backing any candidate in the March 2023 election, but will be critiquing policies of any candidates that announce.
Before halting its hunt for a candidate with teal values of “climate and the environment, integrity and genuine community engagement”, the group had interviewed several prospective “high-profile” locals in the hope of announcing a candidate’s name by the end of 2022.
In a newsletter to supporters the group stated it “did not find a candidate that was both willing to stand and champion our community values, and who could win against the other potential candidates”.
The Greens are the only party to announce a candidate, Ethan Hrnjak, who ran in the federal election in May in the seat of Mackellar, won by teal independent Sophie Scamps.
A Liberal candidate is yet to be selected, but it is expected that there will soon be a preselection contest between Toby Williams, a long time electorate staffer of retiring Liberal MP Brad Hazzard, and well-known Liberal branch member Wendy Finianos, a former fundraising manager with Lifeline Northern Beaches.
Ms Baker said Wakehurst’s Independent supporters were urged to back the teal community candidates in neighbouring electorates.
Environmental lawyer Jacqui Scruby is running in Pittwater and Joeline Hackman, a business consultant and high-profile local charity and community volunteer, in Manly.
Mr Regan did not confirm or deny that he would run in Wakehurst on Tuesday.
“At the moment, I’m looking forward to five days of cricket at the SCG with family and friends and taking a small break,” he said.
“It's been a big few years.”
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