OPINION AN odd observation from last year’s federal election fight for the seat of Flinders was the effort that the Labor campaign put into discrediting indepdendent Ben Smith. Perhaps it was well-founded as Smith, in the tightest of contests, managed to pip Labor’s Sarah Race and end up in the two-party-preferred spot against Liberal Zoe McKenzie. Of course, McKenzie prevailed, but not by much. One wonders who would be representing Flinders in Canberra if Labor had targetted the Liberal Party instead. In a way it created odd bedfellows. Labor were in effect saying “we are against the Liberals, but our…
Browsing: Nepean by-election
THE heat is rising among candidates in the Nepean by-election with the Liberal Party releasing two flyers: one attacking One Nation and the other Independent for Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate Tracee Hutchison. The Hutchison flyer asks the question “Jacinta Allan’s secret Nepean candidate?”, pointing out that the independent candidate considered running for pre-selection for Labor in 2019. The flyer also contains a quote from The Age from 2007 where Hutchison said “… our flag has become a participant in something that could easily be mistaken for a white supremacist movement”, a reference to an Instagram post from 2023 where Hutchison…
THE field is set and the electoral rolls are closed as the candidates face the final stretch to the Nepean by-election polling day on 2 May. After two late entries to the field, there are eight candidates contesting the poll. They are: Peter Angelico (Libertarian), Sianan Healy (The Greens), Darren Hercus (One Nation), Tracee Hutchinson (Independents of Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate), Anthony Marsh (Liberal Party), Reade Smith (Sustainable Australia Party), Renee Thompson (Legalise Cannabis), and Milton Wilde (End Mass Immigration – Reform AU). The VEC has reported that 50,910 people are enrolled to vote at the 2 May poll; an…
THE electoral rolls have now closed for the Nepean by-election with the VEC reporting that 50,910 people are enrolled to vote at the 2 May poll; an increase of 1900 voters since the 2022 state election. With less than four weeks until polling day, there are still six candidates who have signalled their intention to run for the Nepean by-election: Anthony Marsh (Liberal Party), Tracee Hutchinson (Independents of Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate), Sianan Healy (The Greens), Darren Hercus (One Nation), Peter Angelico (Libertarian), and Milton Wilde (End Mass Immigration – Reform AU). Of those six, five are officially registered on…
THE Greens have launched their Nepean by-election campaign, with more than 60 supporters gathering in Blairgowrie on Sunday (29 March). Mornington Peninsula mum Sianan Healy is the Greens candidate, vowing to be a true community representative in Parliament if elected, stating that “Nepean shouldn’t risk Liberals and One Nation who will work for their corporate donors, not their community.” Healy works for a non-profit in women’s health and has a background in research and education in the university sector. “Together we can build a better and brighter future – one in which we have a say in decisions that affect…
WITH less than six weeks until the Nepean by-election, electoral rolls are now closed and candidates are able to officially nominate for the race. A new name has entered the contest with Milton Wilde nominating for “End Mass Immigration – Reform AU”. Wilde joins the Liberal Party (Anthony Marsh), Victorian Greens (Sianan Healy), One Nation (Darren Hercus), Libertarians (Peter Angelico), and Indepdendents for Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate (Tracee Hutchison) to make up the six contesting Nepean so far. Pundits from the major parties would have looked to South Australia over the weekend, and pondered how the results there will offer…
WITH less than seven weeks until the Nepean by-election, candidates are out in force, with perhaps the hottest topic being the state of Rosebud Hospital. Liberal Party candidate Anthony Marsh, alongside party leader Jess Wilson, announced on Saturday (14 March) that an elected Liberal government would spend $340m to rebuild the hospital. In a social media post, Marsh wrote “For years as mayor, I stood alongside locals calling for the upgrades our hospital desperately needs”. “Today, with Jess and the new Liberal Team, we’re drawing a line in the sand. We will get this done. “To deliver real outcomes, you…
Mornington Peninsula-based broadcaster and journalist Tracee Hutchison has announced she will be standing as a community independent candidate in the upcoming by-election for the seat of Nepean to be held on 2 May. Endorsed by the Independents for Mornington Peninsula, Hutchison, who was born, raised, and lives in Rosebud, said she was stepping forward to ensure her community has strong and authentic leadership and representation during this period. “I’m running as a community independent because both major parties have failed our community for decades, and too many decisions affecting Nepean are made by people who don’t live here and ignore…
THEY say a week is a long time in politics, and much has changed in the last seven days. Anthony Marsh was preselected as the Liberal Party’s candidate for the Nepean by-election last Tuesday, and has wasted no time in “hitting the hustings”. It wasn’t even close last Tuesday with Marsh winning the vote for preselection in the first round. Out of 19 votes cast, it is understood Marsh received 10 votes, Briony Camp received four votes, Nathan Conroy received three votes, and David Burgess received two votes. A statement posted to the Liberal Party’s website from Marsh said “The…
As expected after last night’s preselection as the Liberal candidate for the upcoming Nepean by-election, Marsh has taken leave from his duties as both Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor and Briars Ward councillor, effective immediately. A statement from shire CEO, Mark Stoermer, said “I have been advised by Mayor Cr Anthony Marsh of his intention to take leave to contest the upcoming Nepean by-election”. “Cr Marsh will not perform council duties or attend meetings between now and the by-election to be held on May 2, 2026. “Deputy Mayor Paul Pingiaro will act as Mayor during this time and has also agreed…
Anthony Marsh has won preselection as the Liberal Party candidate for the upcoming Nepean by-election. News out of Liberal HQ is that Marsh had a clear win against the other candidates in the first round of voting. Out of 19 votes cast, it is understood Marsh received 10 votes, Briony Camp received four votes, Nathan Conroy received three votes, and David Burgess received two votes. Marsh now has less than ten weeks to campaign for the 2 May poll to elect a replacement for retired MP Sam Groth. Precedent exists for what will be in store for Marsh, currently Mornington…
CHRIS Brayne, who was the Member for Nepean between 2018 and 2022 before being ousted by Sam Groth, has re-emerged from self-imposed exile with some pointed commentary about the upcoming by-election. Brayne was a shock winner in the 2018 state election when, at just 25-years-old, he snatched the seat retiring MP Martin Dixon had held for 16 years. Brayne pulled off an 8.5% swing in his favour, albiet holding the seat with a tenuous 0.9% margin. Brayne faced an uphill battle in 2022 against high-profile Groth and was ousted at the poll. Brayne retired into the background and has been…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor, and Briars Ward councillor Anthony Marsh has joined the Liberal Party and has confirmed with The News he has nominated for preselection as the Liberal Party’s candidate for the upcoming Nepean by-election. Marsh submitted his application last week and was approved by a Liberal Party administrative committee meeting last Thursday (12 February). The Liberals waived the usual two-year wait before a member can nominate for preselection. A Liberal Party source told The News there are at least six other contenders for preselection for the upcoming Nepean by-election, and that applications closed Monday (16 February). Among the…
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…
Independents for Mornington Peninsula have announced they are stepping up their search for a candidate for the state seat of Nepean, after the news of Sam Groth’s resignation and the forthcoming by-election. President of Independents for Mornington Peninsula, Phil Riley, told The News they had been searching for candidate for this year’s state election since November, but the by-election had created a “new urgency”. “The voters of Nepean will be forced to the polls twice in eight months,” said Riley. “Once again, voters of the Mornington Peninsula find themselves paying the price for Liberal Party incompetence. “This by-election isn’t about…