A Liberal Party source has told The News there are at least six contenders for preselection for the upcoming Nepean by-election with applications believed to be closing on Monday 16 February.
Among the mix are ex-Frankston City mayor and two-time Dunkley candidate Nathan Conroy, who contested the 2024 by-election after the death of Peta Murphy, and again in the 2025 federal election, both times losing to Labor’s Jodie Belyea.
Also putting her hand up for another attempt is Briony Camp (nee Hutton), who ran for the seat of Hastings in the 2022 state election, losing to Labor’s Paul Mercurio. Her loss saw the seat of Hastings move away from the Liberals for the first time since 2006.
Other contenders are David Burgess, who also unsuccessfully contested the 2022 state election for the upper house, former Napthine government advisor Marty Barr, Jacquie Blackwell and Alex Screen.
The News believes only two of the six, David Burgess and Alex Screen, are permanent residents of the Nepean electorate.
The Liberal source, speaking to The News on the condition of anonymity, provided the list of candidates and insights into the challenges the Liberal Party faces in the by-election.
“This by-election will cost the Liberals at least $200,000, and the taxpayer around $2m. The money spent on the by-election will need to be replenished before the seat goes to an election again in November,” said the Liberal Party source.
“The other issue is that there are rumblings that the pre-selection decision may be stripped from the local members, and go to the state executive instead, as it is considered such high stakes and given the tight timeframe.
“If that happens, it may be that the local members may not be as keen to get behind a candidate that is imposed on them against their will.”
The seat of Nepean was held by Labor’s Chris Brayne from 2018 until 2022, but with a razor-thin margin of 0.7%.
Groth, a professional tennis player before retiring in 2018, was pre-selected by the Liberals before the 2022 state election and went on to clinch the seat with a healthy 6.4% margin.
The seat is considered a safe Liberal seat. While the Independents for Mornington Peninsula are intending to run a candidate in the by-election (‘Independents’ fast-track Nepean search, The News 12/2/26), it is unclear if Labor will contest the seat.
