By Parker McKenzie
Roshena Campbell has been announced as the Liberal Party candidate for Aston for the Saturday 1 April by-election, after the decision was taken out of local party members’ hands and instead made by an administrative committee.
Opposition leader Peter Dutton was in Wantirna South on Wednesday 22 February to announce the decision by the committee to name Ms Campbell the candidate for the by-election triggered by Alan Tudge’s retirement.
Mr Dutton said Ms Campbell has committed to moving to the electorate “straight away.”
“Coupled with the fact that Roshena is an established advocate for people within this electorate, small businesses and others she’s represented over her years in law, I think stand her in good stead in terms of somebody who has the capacity to take the fight up on behalf of locals,” he said.
Ms Campbell is a barrister and Melbourne City councillor.
She said as a barrister she has acted for small businesses in Aston when the stakes were high and “they wanted me to be their champion.”
“It’s my job to be a champion for every voter in Aston, every family, every small business and I’m going to take the time to listen to them because they deserve a strong voice for the communities in Aston,” she said.
“I’m going to earn their trust and I want them to know that I will be a champion for them in Canberra.”
Multiple sources said local Liberal members are “up in arms” and “ropeable” about the decision not to have a general plebiscite to decide a candidate, as originally planned.
The date of the pre-selection contest was originally set for Saturday 4 March, however, on Monday 20 February candidates and party members were made aware that the decision would be made by an admin committee via an email by Victorian Liberal Party President Greg Mirabella.
At 6 pm on Tuesday 21 February, the four nominated candidates — Cathrine Burnett-Wake, Ranjana Srivastava, Emanuele Cicchiello and Ms Campbell —were asked to front an administrative committee of Liberal Party power players.
Mr Cicchiello did not appear despite being invited.
Cathrine Burnett-Wake and Ranjana Srivastava each received three votes from the 15-person panel, with Ms Campbell receiving nine votes.
When contacted by the Star Mail, Mr Cicchiello said he was disappointed local members didn’t have the opportunity to vote on a candidate.
“But I’m a lifelong Liberal Party member and we need to hold this seat.” he said.
Local party members believe the date of the pre-selection contest could have been pushed forward to Saturday 25 February to avoid a lengthy delay in naming the candidate.
Ms Campbell is married to Newscorp weekend political editor James Campbell.
The Aston electorate covers Bayswater, Boronia, Ferntree Gully, Knoxfield, Rowville, Scoresby, The Basin, Wantirna and Wantirna South, and parts of Lysterfield, Sassafras and Upper Ferntree Gully.
