Federal election 2019: Parramatta Liberal candidate thankful for Malcolm Turnbull ousting
A colourful western Sydney Liberal candidate says his hopes of unseating an incumbent Labor MP were boosted by the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull last year.
Charles Camenzuli is at long odds to win the federal seat of Parramatta — but the outspoken Liberal candidate believes a fallen leader in his own ranks, as well as a wannabe Prime Minister, could help him spring an upset.
Mr Camenzuli claims his hopes of unseating incumbent Labor MP Julie Owens were boosted by the ousting of Malcolm Turnbull last year as federal party leader, because “he did not resonate” with the average punter in Parramatta.
“We have made an improvement going to Scott Morrison. He is definitely more appealing to the electorate, especially here in Parramatta,” said Mr Camenzuli, who is an $11 outsider with Sportsbet to win the western Sydney seat.
“Morrison is considered a good, conservative family man who doesn’t have the weird and wonderful ideas that just don’t fly.”
Mr Camenzuli then took a swipe at Labor leader Bill Shorten, who is in the driver’s seat to be the next Prime Minister.
The structural engineer believes the Opposition leader is “dreaming” after promising that under Labor, 50 per cent of all new car sales would be electric vehicles by 2030.
“Imagine everybody coming home at the same time and plugging in their cars to recharge? We already have a peak demand on the electricity grid at 6pm,” he said.
“We’re barely coping with how it is now, and this will double the peak load.”
The 62-year-old, in the conservative wing of the party, was plugged in to contest the seat of Parramatta for a second time after he won a preselection vote 65-51 earlier this month.
In his previous shot, at the 2010 federal election, Mr Camenzuli had a 6.14 per cent first-preference swing to him. However, it was not enough to beat Ms Owens, who has held the seat since 2004.
As he faces the tall order of bridging a 7.7 per cent margin at the May 18 poll, the Wentworthville resident — who counts off-road racing, scuba diving, beekeeping and restoring vintage cars among his hobbies — will continue to speak out against any wrongdoing, even if it means upsetting those in his own party.
Mr Camenzuli has recently sent missives to Liberal Party officials over his concerns around “policy mismanagement”, particularly on “manipulation” of the energy sector.
“I’ve been outspoken, and isn’t that what the people of Parramatta would want?” he said.
“I will criticise anything I see wrong, whether it’s inside or outside the Liberal and Labor parties.
“Anyone who has tried to achieve anything of any worth will always have their detractors.”
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