SUE NEALES, Mercury
STAR Liberal Party candidate Vanessa Goodwin will contest the Pembroke by-election for the Tasmanian Upper House on August 1. The move is a shock tactic by the Liberals as Dr Goodwin, a police criminologist, had been expected to wait until the March state election before standing in the Lower House seat of Franklin. It also marks the first time the Liberals have run an endorsed candidate in any Legislative Council seat for decades.
… The bold decision throws down the gauntlet to the Labor Party to decide if one of its own members will formally contest Pembroke.
The seat was held for nine years by Labor’s Allison Ritchie, who abruptly quit last weekend over claims of nepotism in her electoral office.
The surprise by-election is being seen as a key test for the Government’s chances of re-election for a fourth four-year term next March.
Dr Julian Amos, a former Denison MHA for 14 years and minister in the Field government, has been rumoured to be a candidate for Labor, as has lawyer James Crotty.
The Tasmanian Greens will also stand an as-yet-unnamed local candidate, while Clarence councillors Doug Chipman, Tony Mulder, Richard James and John Peers are all considering nominating as independents.
