Labor puts up Burnie City councillor as its Braddon pick

A well known North West face is standing in as Labor candidate in the next Federal Election. LATEST >>

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LABOR has put up Burnie City Councillor Chris Lynch as its candidate to try to win back the marginal seat of Braddon in the next federal election.

The 56-year-old currently works for St Giles and is well known in the North West in the education, disability and arts sectors.

Labor’s Justine Keay lost her seat to the Liberal’s Gavin Pearce in the 2019 election in Braddon - a seat which has seesawed between the two major parties since Labor’s Sid Sidebottom won the seat from Chris Miles in 1998.

Before 1998, and following the Whitlam Government and the Franklin Dam dispute, Braddon had been a safe Liberal electorate for two decades.

Now it is one of Australia’s most marginal and attracts a lot of political visits and big-ticket spending during Federal Election campaigns.

Labor's Braddon candidate for upcoming Federal Election Chris Lynch

Mr Lynch said he saw standing as a Labor candidate as a natural progression to the work he was doing in the community and he was a credible choice for the role as a Federal MP.

He said he wanted to tackle inequality in terms of housing and health care.

“We need a strong communication with voters about what they aspire to and then develop policies to match,” Mr Lynch said.

“I am determined to make sure the people of Braddon get representation which is relevant to what they need and their aspirations.”

Political analyst Antony Green says he expected an election to be called in October or November if the Prime Minister chooses to go this year, March 2022 if he chooses to hold over to the new year, or May 2022 if an earlier window of opportunity fails to open.

“Which date the Prime Minister chooses will depend on how events and politics unfold over the next nine months. By far the biggest factor working against the election being held in 2021 is ongoing delays in vaccination rollout,” Mr Green said in his latest blog.

Mr Lynch said the longer he had before polling day, the longer he had out in the community to talk to people in Braddon.

Labor Leader Anthony Albanese said the current Federal government was “tired, out-of-touch and out-of-ideas.”

Anthony Albanes,e Parliament House Lawns

Mr Albanese said the people of Braddon deserved better.

“Chris is exactly the type of candidate I want to represent the people of North-West Tasmania – he’s local, he’s got a long history of serving the community and he cares about the issues that matter,” he said.

Senator Anne Urquhart said Mr Lynch demonstrated a deep commitment to removing the barriers faced by some in our community so that no one is held back or left behind.

Behrakis steps into parliamentary role

A LIBERAL candidate at the recent state election and Hobart alderman is now working as an adviser to the state government.

Ald Simon Behrakis, who worked for Senator Eric Abetz for the past four years, is Michael Ferguson’s adviser for his portfolio areas of state development, construction and housing.

“I’ve had dealings already with housing groups and it’s a subject matter that, a, I have an interest in and, b, I have a level of experience in,” Ald Behrakis said.

Liberal candidate Simon Behrakis fell just short of being elected in Clark. Picture: Eddie Safarik

He stood unsuccessfully in Clark, narrowly missing out being elected, and has rejected suggestions he spent $100,000 on his election campaign.

“It was nowhere near that,” he said.

Ald Behrakis, 31, has not ruled out standing again.

“I couldn’t possibly say whether I will stand again, I will weigh up my options,” he said.

“There was a level of disappointment that I didn’t win, but I helped secure a second seat and I had a good crack at it.”

Simon Behrakis during a Hobart City Council meeting discussing building heights. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

Ald Behrakis bears no grudges against Labor-turned-independent-turned-Liberal MP Madeleine Ogilvie who pipped him for the seat.

“There’s no ill feeling, I’ve always got on with Maddie,” he said.

Mr Behrakis, who has been in the job for a month, will continue on the Hobart City Council.

A government spokesperson said Ald Behrakis had agreed to protocols to ensure there was no conflict of interest with his role in the Minister’s office and his role on the HCC.

Mr Behrakis is employed on a band with a salary range of $100,000-$120,000.