Erchana Murray-Bartlett: Marathon runner to take on LNP in McPherson at 2025 federal election
The LNP is facing an unprecedented assault on one of its blue ribbon Gold Coast seats, with a world record-holding marathon runner selected to emulate the giant-killing Teals.
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The LNP is facing an unprecedented assault on one of its blue ribbon Gold Coast seats, with a world record-holding marathon runner selected to emulate the giant-killing Teals.
Burleigh resident Erchana Murray-Bartlett has been chosen to stand in the Federal election for the grassroots McPherson independent group.
The 34-year-old, who will be unveiled as the group’s candidate on Saturday, said she has an army of more than 600 volunteers ready to take on the seat, which departing LNP MP Karen Andrews holds with a 9.3 per cent margin.
The athlete and businesswoman said her key priorities in McPherson were solving the city’s housing crisis and reducing cost of living pressures.
“I have always had a passion for change and gone about my unique ways of doing that but now I want to go for the source,” she said.
“The McPherson independents group inspired me to do it and they have a good feel for the issues in the area where people are frustrated by the two-party system.
“McPherson has been a conservative seat for decades and we now have a beautiful opportunity for change and to do things differently because people are not being listened to.”
Ms Murray-Bartlett made international headlines in 2023 when she ran a world record 150 marathons on 150 consecutive days, travelling from Cape York to Melbourne to raise funds for biodiversity.
She will take on the LNP’s Leon Rebello for McPherson, hoping to emulate the success of so-called Teal candidates at the 2022 election, when Coalition-held seats across Sydney, Melbourne and Western Australia were seized.
Among the high profile liberals to lose their seats was former Treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
Labor is yet to preselect a candidate in McPherson.
McPherson Independent bills itself as a “grassroots movement dedicated to bringing community-driven, transparent, and accountable leadership to the McPherson electorate” and is led by Mara Bun, Malcolm Edgar and Leah Stacpoole.
The selection of Ms Murray-Bartlett comes as polls show an increasing likelihood of a hung parliament, with support for the ruling Albanese government continuing to plunge.
A poll released this week by respected independent firm Redbridge found almost half of voters think Australia is headed in the wrong direction, with 52 per cent believing the Albanese government did not have the right focus.
It also found that the number of people who think Opposition leader Peter Dutton is ready for office now outnumbers those who don’t.
“With 48 per cent of voters believing Australia is on the wrong track, and a majority thinking the Prime Minister is focused on the wrong priorities, there is a very strong mood-for-change sentiment in the electorate,” Redbridge Director Tony Barry said.
Coalition MPs have held McPherson uninterrupted since its creation in 1949, including former prime minister Sir Arthur Fadden.
Incumbent Ms Andrews was first elected in 2010 and will retire at the next election.
The long-serving LNP MP, who had hoped the party would preselect another woman to replace her, said it was “game on” in McPherson.
“McPherson Independent has been increasingly active in the community and it’s no surprise that a candidate is being announced,” she said.
“I’ve been made aware of the candidate’s impressive background and congratulate her on her achievements to date.
“Communities deserve leadership that listens, understands and acts with integrity.
“Leadership is a long-term commitment to the community and more like a marathon than a sprint.
“Ultimately, it’s the McPherson voters who will choose who their next member is.
“It’s game on in McPherson.”
Ms Andrews was hit by a 4.7 per cent swing against her at the 2022 election, with much of the vote picked up by the Greens and other independents.
That campaign saw business and civic leaders become increasingly frustrated by the lack of funding the Gold Coast secured for key infrastructure projects despite consistently elected LNP MPs.
Among them was Mayor Tom Tate, who said at the time: “One could be forgiven to go ‘they are kind of taking this for granted, us being Gold Coasters’ and maybe the (electoral support) margin is too strong.”
Mr Tate this week welcomed the prospect of a competitive race in McPherson, saying it would open the door to greater attention from both major parties.
“Democracy is a wonderful thing and I encourage any group to have an endorsed candidate to run, not just down south but in any federal seat,” he said.
“The more the competition, the better the choice is for the city because looking at it, it’s been a tough battle to get our fair share of funding.”
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