TOP National Party officials will meet this weekend to decide whether to run candidates in the upcoming Western District by-elections.
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The office of National Party leader Peter Walsh confirmed a meeting would be held to weigh up options ahead of the Polwarth and South West Coast polls.
“A decision will be made whether the National Party will contest this weekend and if so, how the by-election process will work,” a spokeswoman said.
The by-elections were triggered by the resignation of former premier Denis Napthine as South West Coast MP on Monday, an announcement which was swiftly followed up by Polwarth MP Terry Mulder’s departure from public office.
The impending by-election, due in either October or November, is the first electoral test for the National Party in South West Coast since the 2006 state election.
If the National Party runs a candidate its presence has the potential to split the conservative vote and reduce the Liberal Party’s majority.
If the ALP also contested the seat, preferences would be critical in the election night result.
Barrister David O’Brien represented the National Party in 2006 and gained just over four per cent of the primary vote.
Mr O’Brien, who was an upper house MP from 2010 to 2014, said on Friday he was supportive of the National Party running in both South West Coast and Polwarth.
“The board of management are meeting this weekend and there’s a good chance that the Nationals will run,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Under the Coalition agreement, when a sitting member retires, it allows the National and Liberal parties both to run candidates, so it presents a great opportunity for us.”
A determination will also be made over the weekend whether the National Party hold a pre-selection ballot or simply select a candidate at an administrative level in the event that the junior Coalition partner contests the two constituencies.
“I live in Bellbrae (near Anglesea) so I may contest Polwarth but obviously we have to wait and see what happens this weekend,” Mr O’Brien said.
Meanwhile, the contest for Liberal Party pre-selection in South West Coast captured national headlines on Friday when Port Fairy’s Tom Napthine revealed he would enter the race to replace his father. Mr Napthine joins Warrnambool mayor Michael Neoh, former upper house MP Donna Petrovich and Glenelg Shire councillor Anita Rank as declared contenders for the preselection ballot due later this month. United Dairyfarmers of Victoria (UDV) vice president Roma Britnell is also in the race, sources say.
A potential Labor Party pre-selection for South West Coast would involve solicitor Roy Reekie and Warrnambool City councillor Jacinta Ermacora if the ALP changed its mind and contested the electorate.
Warrnambool veterinarian Michael McCluskey will contest the by-election as an independent while the Greens, Australian Country Party and Liberal Democrats have also indicated they will stand candidates.