Hickey stand boost for Libs
HOBART Lord Mayor Sue Hickey’s preselection for the Liberal Party in Denison will improve the Government’s chances of holding two seats in the electorate, political analysts say.
Alderman Hickey ended a fortnight of speculation yesterday by announcing she intends to run for Denison in the upcoming State Election if she wins preselection.
The Liberals are in need of a high-profile candidate in Denison to replace former minister Matthew Groom, who announced he would not recontest his seat last month.
Mr Groom was the Liberals’ highest vote winner in the electorate during the March 2014 election, and political analyst Kevin Bonham said Ald Hickey was capable of polling similar numbers.
“If they do preselect Hickey for Denison, it doesn’t completely make their second seat there safe either but it improves their chances of holding that seat,” Dr Bonham said, describing the announcement as “extremely unsurprising”.
“It’s just one of the fires they have to put out, they’ll have bigger problems holding on to their three seats in Lyons.”
Premier Will Hodgman faced the media alongside Ald Hickey yesterday, saying she was a “ready-made candidate of the highest order”.
“She has a tremendous track record as a representative of local government, very strong connections in our community and of course a very strong business record as well,” Mr Hodgman said.
“I have no doubt that the electors of Denison would welcome the opportunity to see our capital city’s Lord Mayor in the contest,” Mr Hodgman said.
University of Tasmania political scientist Richard Eccleston said the transition of local government mayors to State Parliament was a wellworn path and a logical step for Ald Hickey.
Prof Eccleston said Ald Hickey’s profile would help her chances, but the possibility of a high-profile independent candidate such as Glenorchy Mayor Kristie Johnston could be a game-changer for how seats in Denison fall.
“Given Sue’s background, you would assume that she would have a really good chance of being elected along with [Liberal MHA] Elise Archer,” Prof Eccleston said.
There is nothing stopping Ald Hickey from keeping her Lord Mayor role while also campaigning for a state election, with numerous Tasmanian mayors having done so in the past.
But if Ald Hickey is elected, then she has one year to vacate her council role.
She said that if the state election was held in March as planned, then she would be able to hand over the reins to Deputy Lord Mayor Ron Christie until the October 2018 local government elections and Hobart ratepayers would not be slugged with a $150,000 byelection.
Labor leader Rebecca White said the resignation of Matthew Groom had forced the Government to change tack because “they know they are very vulnerable in the seat of Denison”.
“There’s no doubt that the Liberals were very nervous and I’m not surprised to see they’ve tried to find somebody to fill that gap for them,” she said.
An often outspoken mayor, Ald Hickey said she would work “damn hard” to make a difference if elected.
“I think everyone would be surprised if I suddenly became a very wishy-washy politician,” she said.
“I will still be a strong advocate for the causes that I believe in, but I am a real believer in the importance of a team.”