By LACHLAN MOORHEAD and DANIELLE GALVIN
CASEY councillor Susan Serey was last night chosen as the Liberal candidate for Narre Warren South for November’s state election.
Cr Serey, who was selected as the candidate at a preselection convention on Tuesday night, is the third Casey councillor to be chosen as a Liberal candidate ahead of the polls, with Mayor Geoff Ablett to contest the seat of Cranbourne and deputy Amanda Stapledon standing for the party in Narre Warren North.
The Narre Warren South seat is currently held by Labor MP Judith Graley.
At the 2010 state election, Ms Graley achieved 50.25 per cent of the vote to Liberal candidate and current Casey councillor Gary Rowe’s 41.07 per cent, with the greens on 8.68 per cent.
Across the way, Cardinia shire Cr Collin Ross announced in March that he had been endorsed as the ALP candidate for Gembrook, which is currently held by Liberal up-and-comer Brad Battin.
“As a parent with a mortgage and (as) a small-business owner, I understand how difficult it can be sometimes to keep on top of the bills,” Cr Ross said.
“Throughout my time as a Cardinia shire councillor, I have spoken up for thousands of local families struggling with increased living pressures.”
Cr Ross said he would continue to serve the people of Cardinia on the council.
“I believe the experience gained from being a councillor will give me the local knowledge to best connect with voters,” he said.
“As an example, Ken Smith and Russell Broadbent both spent six years as councillors before being elected to state and federal parliament.”
Mr Battin was elected in November 2010, taking the seat from Labor’s Tammy Lobato.
The Liberal Party’s Adminstrative Committee will consider candidates for Legislative Assembly seats in the near future, while its preselection conventions for the Legislative Council seats of Southern Metropolitan, Northern Metropolitan and Western Victoria will be held in the coming weeks.
