Paul Barker to contest Corangamite for Liberal Democrats

SURF Coast Shire councillor Paul Barker has made Corangamite a three-cornered contest, throwing his hat in the ring to contest the electorate for the Liberal Democrats at the next federal election.

Mr Barker, who was elected to the shire’s Torquay Ward in 2020, said he was standing to “provide a sensible third option to the Labor/Liberal duopoly”, and will advocate for individual liberty, smaller government and lower taxes.

He elaborated on his candidacy with a video he posted to YouTube last week.

“Do you like the idea of having the freedom to choose how we live our lives?” he asks in the video.

“Are you sick and tired – sick of the ever-expanding list of laws and regulations and taxes that make working to put food on the table overly complex? Tired of needing to work longer and harder to maintain a reasonable standard of living?

“Did you know the average Aussie loses over half of what they earn to the myriad of taxes, both visible and hidden?

“Imagine a future where lower taxes and less government results in everyone having more time and time to spend how we want.”

Mr Barker said Liberal Democrat MPs in the Victorian Upper House, David Limbrick and Tim Quilty, have shown “what a small and principled party can achieve in Parliament at a state level”.

“They have effectively held the state Parliament to account and have been a consistent voice for Victorians impacted by the unintended consequences of authoritarian control. We need voices like that in federal Parliament again.”

Corangamite is presently held by Labor’s Libby Coker, and City of Greater Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher has already declared her intent to stand in the seat for the Liberal Party.

A date for the next federal election has not yet been set, but the latest it can be held is May 21, 2022.