Kettle considers tilt at Goulburn electorate

Having ruled out a tilt just weeks ago following sitting MP Pru Goward’s resignation announcement, Mr Kettle said he’d now consider running as an independent or for the Liberal Party.

But he told The Post he had not been approached by the Liberals’ organisational arm to do so.

“What’s changed between Christmas and now is that I’m very open to what option I might take because of the phone calls and messages of support I’ve had from many people,” Mr Kettle said.

“I’ve also been reading political articles about people’s dissatisfaction with both major parties. Putting that in the context of the messages I’ve been getting, maybe the option of running as an independent is open. But all options are there, including running for the Liberal Party.”

Mr Kettle resigned from the party in 2016 to contest the ACT Legislative Assembly but has since rejoined.

Ms Goward told The Post before Christmas that a pre-selection for the seat would not be held due to the short timeframe before the election. 

“The Premier is anxious to get someone in there and she’ll run this and run it fast,” she said.

It was expected branch executives would have input as part of the process. Ms Goward estimated a candidate could be announced by early January.

But nothing has eventuated yet. NSW Liberal Party director Chris Stone could not be contacted for comment. Nor did Ms Goward return The Post’s call for an update.

However several names have cropped up as candidates. One is former Boorowa Council Mayor and Hilltops Council administrator Wendy Tuckerman. She previously chaired the Canberra Joint Regional Organisation of Councils, and sat on the Boards of Regional Development Australia Southern Inland and the Rural Assistance Authority. Ms Tuckerman was also an Australian Federal Police investigator for 14 years to 1997. Ms Tuckerman did not return The Post’s calls.

Nick Tyrell, a Yass resident and chairman of the Liberals State Electoral Council for Goulburn, is also touted as a possibility.

Mr Tyrell declined to comment but said Ms Goward’s resignation was a great loss for the party.

Speaking before Christmas, Goulburn Liberal Party branch president Grant Pearce expected a candidate to be on the ground by January 1. He said he’d heard about 12 names mentioned but declined to identify them.

Mr Pearce said the ideal person should be known throughout the entire electorate, have a good track record of delivery and be able to marshal branch members’ support.

“If someone is parachuted in from out of town, it may not go down that well,” he said.

Mr Kettle said the groundswell of dissatisfaction with major parties could sway him to run as an independent. But so too could “the naivety of the political machine” in the Goulburn electorate where the Liberal Party had to find a candidate quickly.”

“If the Liberals decide they want to talk to me, I’m open to discussions but if they choose to select someone who is unknown and unproven, without a profile in Goulburn – because that’s where the seat is won and lost – that would sway me to run as an independent,” he said.

Mr Kettle said he was confident of raising sufficient finances from supporters to run a campaign and had already received offers.

Further, he said he didn’t see the election as a contest between Labor and Liberal but a test of the best candidate. On this he praised Labor’s Dr Ursula Stephens’ “astuteness,” political experience as a federal Senator and local knowledge.

Meantime, it’s unlikely that The Nationals’ will field a candidate for the seat of Goulburn come March.

Chairman of the party’s Goulburn State Electoral Council James Harker-Mortlock previously said The Nats’ were considering running a candidate, given Ms Goward’s retirement.

The Coalition agreement would allow them to do so but Mr Harker-Mortlock concedes the short timeframe is a challenge.

Nevertheless, he’s sounding a warning to the party’s Coalition partner.

“My message as chairman to the Liberals is to get your act together because there’s a very short amount of time to get someone up and running and to present policies,” he said.

“If the Coalition lose the seat it will be because of the Liberal Party. The Nationals will definitely run at the next election because if they lose it, they (The Liberals) don’t deserve to run unopposed.”

Mr Harker-Mortlock has questioned the ability of the Coalition colleague to “run effective campaigns,” saying it was unable to do so in Wagga Wagga against Independent Dr Joe McGirr.

“We are starting to question the relevance of the Liberal Party in rural seats because the Liberals are descending into factional warfare and voters are not interested in that. Constituents want us to solve issues with practical solutions,” he previously told The Post.

Mr Harker-Mortlock said there were people interested in running for Goulburn and the party would be ready to “rock and roll” at the next election.

Dr Ursula Stephens said the Liberal Party’s search for a candidate was not affecting her campaign.

“We are continuing to work hard after giving our volunteers a break over Christmas,” she said.

“We’re back on track with a strategy meeting on Friday. We are not focusing on what’s going on with the Libs. We have a plan to connect with communities through a series of meetings. We’re not taking anything for granted.”

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