Frankston mayor Nathan Conroy has won preselection as the Liberal candidate for the upcoming Dunkley by-election.
The seat, on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, was vacated after the passing of former Labor member Peta Murphy who died in early December, aged 50.
In 2023, councillor Conroy was re-elected for a third successive year as mayor of Frankston City Council and was also crowned as ‘Melbourne’s hottest mayor’ by local radio station Fox FM.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese named community leader Jodie Beylea as Labor’s candidate for the upcoming by-election.
At the preselection before rank and file members on Sunday, Mr Conroy faced off against former state MP Donna Hope and staffer Bec Buchanan, both of whom work for state MP Chris Crewther.
In a statement, Mr Conroy pledged to work hard to ensure Dunkley remained a great place.
“I love this community. It’s a privilege to serve as Mayor of Frankston City. But there is so much more to be done to deliver for this community and that’s why I’ve put myself forward for Dunkley,” Mr Conroy said.
The Liberal candidate also paid tribute to Ms Murphy, recognising that she was a “fearless and tireless in advocating for her community”.
Ahead of the preselection, questions were raised over Mr Conroy’s eligibility to contest the by-election as he was born in Ireland, potentially barring him from standing as an MP.
Under Section 44 of the Constitution, dual citizens are prohibited from becoming MPs.
Victorian Liberal Party President, Philip Davis, said Mr Conroy would be a strong advocate for local families struggling with the rising cost of living.
“This is an opportunity to send a message to a government that has been focusing on the wrong priorities and must do better to tackle rising costs felt throughout our community,” Mr Davis said.
“Unfortunately, Labor has short-changed Victoria and recently cut funding for local infrastructure, breaking its promise to fund the Frankston Baxter Rail Upgrade.”
While both parties have publicly played down expectations of victory, the seat — which has a high number of indebted, middle income households — is seen by strategists as a key barometer of how the government and the opposition’s messaging is fairing with key voter demographics ahead of the next full federal election.
At the 2022 election, Labor held the seat by a 6.3 per cent margin, however much of the support derived from Ms Murphy’s personal popularity, rather than Labor’s, as support for the party in the Senate in the area is lower.
A date for the by-election is expected to be announced in the coming weeks, with a vote likely held in late February or March.