Wentworth Labor candidate Tim Murray preselected for 2022 federal election

Former Tamarama Surf Club president and prominent eastern suburbs activist short seller Tim Murray has been preselected by Labor to contest the seat of Wentworth, despite his recent election to Waverley Council.

Labor’s Tim Murray has vowed to serve out his term as a Waverley councillor should he win the federal seat of Wentworth.

Mr Murray, 53, was preselected late on Friday after the other potential candidate pulled out of the race upon learning they did not have the numbers.

The long time Tamarama surf club president, who stepped down in August, was elected to Waverley Council in December.

This will be the third time he has contested the seat of Wentworth following unsuccessful stabs at the 2018 by-election and 2019 general election.

“Essentially being a councillor or federal representative, you’re out and about talking to people hearing their issues finding solutions for them,” Cr Murray said.

“It’s my community – it’s where I live, where the kids go to school and the area I care about most.”

Mr Murray, a father of three, spent two decades in China.

He moved there at 19 to promote trade with Australia before taking on a role with Fosters Brewing as the head of sales for east and north China.

Mr Murray then spent a decade establishing and running a media organisation and finally founded a company which provides financial services research for Chinese companies listed outside of China.

He can speak, read and write fluently in Chinese.

“I’m very familiar with their economy and politics and I think that knowledge would help me to act in Australia’s best interests because of my depth of understanding,” Mr Murray said.

Mr Murray condemned federal Defence Minister Peter Dutton for suggesting only the LNP was willing to stand up to China, stating Liberal and Labor policies were very similar and our approach should be bipartisan.

“I think what Peter Dutton is doing which is politicising China policy so we are fighting with each other – that’s exactly what state actors like China want,” Mr Murray said.

“They want to sow disunity.

“I think we should be less about making public statements on China and more about getting into the detail of trade and political relationships and finding ways to apply pressure on China.

“But merely talking about it publicly without doing that behind the scenes allows China to get fake indignation at our positions.

“We don’t need to give them that opportunity.”

Tim Murray is also elected to Waverley council.

Mr Murray said when he first ran in 2018 people were concerned about action on climate change.

“That was after five years of an LNP government. Now another four years have passed and they’re still telling me the same thing,” Mr Murray said.

“They (the LNP) have no concept of what action is necessary for climate change.

“My motivations haven’t changed because the issue hasn’t changed.”

Following her win at the Wentworth by-election, independent Professor Kerryn Phelps continued to serve on City of Sydney council.

Legislation in NSW allows councillors to serve in federal but not state parliament.

The 2012 change in law disallowing the NSW state MPs from serving on council famously saw Lord Mayor Clover Moore have to give up the seat of Bligh.