Nationals open nominations for Eden-Monaro
The race for Eden-Monaro set to become a three-cornered contest as the Nationals open nominations in a move that has frustrated Liberals.
NSW Deputy Premier and outspoken Nationals MP John Barilaro will have a prominent role in the Eden-Monaro by-election campaign after the junior Coalition partner announced it will run a candidate, turning the race for the marginal seat into a three-cornered contest.
The NSW Nationals central executive agreed on Thursday night to start the nomination and vetting process, which will close at 5pm on Tuesday, in a move that frustrated the Liberal Party.
While Mr Barilaro, who clashed with Nationals leader Michael McCormack earlier this month, will not nominate, it is expected he will be heavily involved in the party’s campaign.
Some within the Nationals want to run a Queanbeyan-based candidate, insisting the by-election will be won and lost in the regional townships of Queanbeyan, Yass, Cooma and their surrounds. Several candidates are expected to put their hand up.
Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs and Labor candidate Kristy McBain live closer to the coast.
Local Nationals branches in the electorate have been keen to put forward a candidate amid divisions within the federal party as to whether a tilt for the seat would be worth the effort and money.
There is also speculation a loss for the Nationals could agitate MPs unhappy with Mr McCormack’s leadership.
It will be the 12th time the Nationals have run a candidate in Eden-Monaro in the party’s 100-year history.
“I support the 100 years of tradition in our party to allow the local branch members to choose their Nationals’ candidates,” Mr McCormack said.
“It is now up to branch members in Eden-Monaro to choose the best possible advocate to seek a chance to represent local community interests in the Australian parliament.”
Senior Nationals MPs including former leader Barnaby Joyce and former cabinet minister Matt Canavan have pushed for a candidate to run.
While there is little expectation the party, which received just 6.95 per cent of the first preference count in last year’s federal election, will win the seat, Mr Joyce believes a Nationals candidate could help decide the winner and negotiate preference deals in the interest of the party.
The Liberal Party has endorsed beef farmer, teacher and small-business woman Dr Kotvojs and is expected to spend up to $800,000 or more on its by-election campaign.
Ms McBain is the former Bega Valley Shire mayor and received backing from Anthony Albanese.
The by-election, triggered after former Labor MP Mike Kelly resigned due to ill health, will be held on July 4.
Dr Kelly held the seat on a margin of 0.85 per cent and defeated Dr Kotvojs at the 2019 election by less than 850 votes.
Nominations for the poll close on June 9, with candidates officially announced the next day.
Mr Barilaro had considered running, with many in the party believing he would be a star candidate that could clinch the seat for the Nats, but pulled out and blamed Mr McCormack for failing to support his tilt.
NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance, a state Liberal MP, also launched a 24-hour bid for the seat before exiting the race and accusing Mr Barilaro of white-anting against him.
‘Let’s get Dutton’: ALP to play the man in negative election campaign strategy
Anthony Albanese will run a negative election campaign against Peter Dutton’s ‘arrogant, aggressive and reckless’ personality and won’t rely on Labor’s record alone to try and win a second term.
ACT may as well not ‘bother with democracy’: Carnell
Former Liberal ACT chief minister Kate Carnell has lashed out after Labor won a seventh term in the nation’s capital and the Liberal Party confronts 27 years in opposition.