Councillor seeks bigger arena

KNOX CITY councillor Nick Wakeling has been chosen by the Victorian Liberal Party as a 2006 election candidate to challenge for the Ferntree Gully electorate.
Mr Wakeling, the Friberg Ward councillor, confirmed last week that he had won Liberal preselection to stand against current Ferntree Gully MP Anne Eckstein and contest the seat at the next state election in November 2006.
Mr Wakeling declined to comment, saying the Liberal Party would not formally endorse him until August.
Ms Eckstein welcomed the arrival of a Liberal challenger for her electorate.
“I don’t care who runs against me,” she said.
“I dare say there will be a number of candidates from a number of other parties, including Mr Wakeling.
“It is a matter for them, not for me.”
Knox mayor Jenny Moore said it was an individual choice for councillors as to whether they pursued a political career beyond local government.
“As a council, if that is what they have decided to do, then we wish them the best of luck.”
Mr Wakeling joins a growing list of Knox councillors who have pursued both state and federal ambitions, most notably former Scott Ward councillor turned Federal senator Steven Fielding, who represents the Family First political party.