By Peter Douglas
The Victorian Liberal Party has placed its faith in Bridget Vallence to lead the safe seat of Evelyn into the future, after she trumped six fellow candidates at a pre-selection forum on Saturday 4 March.
Vallence will lead the campaign for 2018, with long-time incumbent Christine Fyffe announcing her intention to retire late last year.
Among the candidates were Ms Fyffe’s son, Scott, and Grant Hutchinson, whom Vallence, a Goodyear procurement manager, trumped in the final round (39 votes to 31).
Within Liberal Party ranks, it had been no secret leader Matthew Guy had been seeking to address the gender gap within his party.
Ms Vallence’s pre-selection comes after men dominating recent Liberal pre-selections, including for the seats of Brighton, Nepean, Narracan and Burwood.
Media outlets such as Fairfax have reported Vallence’s pre-selection will provide a boost for Mr Guy before next year’s election.
Late last year, Evelyn MP Christine Fyffe announced her present term in the seat would be her last.
With pre-selection for sitting members due to open next month, Ms Fyffe needed to make the call on her future.
Ms Fyffe told the ‘Mail’ she felt that her time was up because she couldn’t commit to another term, which, with state elections in 2018, would mean a further six years in the role.
The Liberal MP first won the seat of Evelyn in 1999 and has enjoyed strong support over that time, though she did lose the seat in 2002, only to win it back in 2006.
Ms Fyffe said the decision was entirely hers and not driven by party pressure.
“Matthew Guy left the decision entirely up to me; he’s a terrific leader and has been very supportive,” she said.
“I just felt that six years was going to be too much for me … the time is right.”
Ms Fyffe could only have dreamed of such contributions when she arrived in Australia as a ‘Ten Pound Pom’ from the United Kingdom in 1967.
She started life in Australia in migration housing in Nunawading, before developing the award-winning Yarra Burn Winery and Restaurant at Yarra Junction.
