The Liberal preselection contest in Bateman, Forrest, Dawesville, Jandakot and Riverton appears to be a formality, with sole nominees, including some familiar faces, raising their hand in each electorate.
The Liberal preselection contest in Bateman, Forrest, Dawesville, Jandakot and Riverton appears to be a formality, with sole nominees, including some familiar faces, raising their hand in each electorate.
The second round of preselection nominations held by the party closed today, with multiple expressions of interest in South Perth and Curtin only.
As widely speculated, South Perth will be a race between City of South Perth Mayor Greg Milner, and high-profile lawyers Hayley Cormann (the partner of former federal senator Mathias Cormann), and Bronwyn Waugh.
In the federal seat of Curtin, a showdown looms between former South Korea Uber boss Tom White and ex-journalist and Afghanistan veteran Matt Moran, with both having confirmed their candidacy prior to today’s deadline.
The preselected candidate would campaign against high-profile teal independent Kate Chaney in the electorate once held by Julie Bishop.
Candidate selection in other electorates looks likely to be a case of formality.
In Forrest, former senator Ben Small has put his hand up to run at a return to federal politics in place of the retiring Nola Marino.
Mr Small replaced Mr Cormann in the senate in July 2020, before resigning in April 2022 after discovering he was a dual citizen of Australia and New Zealand.
After renouncing his New Zealand citizenship, he resumed his position in the Senate in May 2022, but was beaten in the 2022 election.
Ms Marino announced in December that she would not extend her time in federal politics past 2025.
Riverton’s sole preselection nominee was City of Canning councillor Amanda Spencer-Teo, who is likely to contest the seat currently held by Labor’s Jags Krishnan.
Riverton was previously held by former party leader Mike Nahan and contested by Anthony Spagnolo at the 2021 state election.
It’s understood Mr Spagnolo is considering his options for an upper house run, having moved to the Perth Hills.
In the seat of Dawesville, once held by another party leader in Zak Kirkup, Owen Mulder is the sole candidate to nominate for preselection.
Mr Mulder unsuccessfully contested Cockburn for the Liberal Party in 2021. He is likely to be up against Lisa Munday, who won the seat from Mr Kirkup with a 24.4 per cent swing at the last ballot.
City of Melville councillor Nicole Robins, who ran for the party in Bicton at the 2021 state election, is the only Liberal Party candidate to nominate for preselection in Jandakot.
Jandakot has been held since 2017 by Yaz Mubarakai.
In the previously safe blue seat of Bateman, which was previously held by Christian Porter, Matt Taylor and Dean Nalder, the sole candidate to nominate was Nitin Vashisht.
Mr Vashisht is an accountant by trade, who identifies as “one of Perth’s leading experts in property, small business advisory and tax planning”.
Murray-Wellington, Forrestfield, Mount Lawley, the federal senate and the state’s upper house are among the next tranche of electorates to be decided, with preselection nominations closing on February 14.
