Candidate hopes it is ninth time lucky

TASMANIA’S most indefatigable candidate is backing up for his ninth election.

Hans Willink — the state’s first Uber driver — has thrown his hat into the ring for the Legislative Council in the division of Pembroke.

Positioning himself as a social liberal and economic conservative, he joins another independent, plus Liberal, Labor and Greens candidates on the hustings.

It is the 59-year-old Eastern Shore resident’s ninth tilt at public office.

He has been unsuccessful in eight elections: three times as a candidate for state parliament — as a Liberal, an independent liberal and an independent — and five times for local government, once missing out on a council seat by a handful of votes.

“I’ve been the bridesmaid for 20 years, maybe it’s time I was the bride,” Mr Willink said yesterday.

“I still have a bunch of posters from eight elections. I’ll spray paint the party affilia- tions out, although some of them are looking a bit tatty.”

Working as an Uber driver in recent months had given him a unique insight into what was on the mind of voters, he said.

Mr Willink said he was strongly in favour of reducing the number of poker machines over the long term and supported council amalgamations. He is also in favour of an “age ombudsman” with legal clout to stand up for the rights of older workers.

“It’s not dissimilar to past occasions,” Mr Willink said.

“My point of differentiation is that I have ticks in the box on a lot of social justice issues, like marriage equality and poker machines.

“I’m more interested in supporting small business. Big business can look after themselves.

“Labor and the Liberals don’t have a good track record of supporting small business, they’re all about big business.

“I do stand a chance of hitting the ground earlier than some of the others.

“The fact I’ve fallen out so harshly with the Liberal Party is a significant tick in the box for an independent.”

Mr Willink said his best result in state politics to date had been securing 8 per cent against Jim Wilkinson in the Upper House election for Nelson in 2013.

The by-election in Pembroke on November 4 has been made necessary by the resignation of sitting Liberal member Vanessa Goodwin because of ill-health.

Nominations closed at noon yesterday and the field of candidates will be announced today.