THE LIBERAL Party has announced the current City of Greater Bendigo councillor and deputy-mayor Matthew Evans will contest the seat for Bendigo at the next Federal election.<\/p>\n
The announcement was made by a Victorian Senator, and shadow minister for education, Sarah Henderson on Sunday at the Poppet Head Lookout.<\/p>\n
Mr Evans said he has been considering entering Federal politics for a while.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m absolutely excited, humbled, and honoured to be endorsed as the Federal Liberal candidate for Bendigo at the next Federal election,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m absolutely passionate about advocating on local issues, and I\u2019m very keen to be our very strong local voice for Bendigo in Canberra.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt any level of government, I\u2019ve always wanted to make change, I\u2019ve always wanted to be a strong advocate. That\u2019s why I\u2019m motivated, that\u2019s why I\u2019m keen to get out there.\u201d<\/p>\n
At the last Federal election, Darin Schade was the Liberal candidate for Bendigo and lost to Labor\u2019s Lisa Chesters with a 3.26 per cent swing against the conservatives.<\/p>\n
Yet Ms Henderson backed Mr Evans\u2019 chances and said he\u2019d take the battle to the incumbent member.<\/p>\n
\u201cMatt has a very strong track record of fighting for the City of Greater Bendigo,\u201d said Ms Henderson.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got a very major challenge in Bendigo, many, many local residents are really suffering under this Government.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have a local member, who despite lots of promises over many, many years, has not delivered now that she is in Government.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot one major infrastructure project for the Bendigo electorate, which is really disappointing in two Labor budgets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s absolutely wonderful that Matt will have all of the time, right up until the next Federal election, whenever it may be, to get out and fight for every part of this community.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Evans said the electorate was \u201cdesperate\u201d for change, and he plans to roll out a strong campaign across the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cMany people in our community right now are struggling, most notably with the cost of living crisis that is being experienced at the moment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor are failing to deliver, and failing to address these concerns.<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom this day, from the very first day, to when the election is called and beyond that point, we\u2019re going to be fighting hard each and every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ms Henderson declined to say if Mr Evans was selected by a vote of local Liberal branch members or chosen by the party\u2019s State council.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe don’t really go into the processes of election, other than Matt\u2019s been endorsed as the Liberal candidate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cMatt applied for preselection and was successful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barring any special circumstances, the next Federal election needs to be held on or before 25 May 2025 to avoid a separate half-senate election.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE LIBERAL Party has announced the current City of Greater Bendigo councillor and deputy-mayor Matthew Evans will contest the seat for Bendigo at the next Federal election. The announcement was made by a Victorian Senator, and shadow minister for education, Sarah Henderson on Sunday at the Poppet Head Lookout. Mr Evans said he has been […]<\/p>\n