From mayor to federal MP?
Former Bowen farmer says he’s in politics to serve his community
HE MIGHT be vying for a seat in federal parliament, but Andrew Willcox is adamant he is no “career politician”.
The former tomato farmer turned two-term Whitsunday mayor says rising to the highest level of government in Australia has never been part of the plan, but he is ready to embrace the opportunity following his preselection as a Liberal National Party candidate.
When Mr Willcox first stood for the Whitsunday Regional Council in 2012, the proud born-and-bred Bowenite saw the move simply as another way to serve his community.
The third-generation farmer had no formal qualifications or personal role models in politics, having up until that point devoted himself to continuing his family’s farming legacy and developing a real estate portfolio.
What he did have was a farmer’s work ethic, business nous and a wealth of experience interacting with everyone from CEOS of major companies to fruit-picking backpackers.
Stepping up to replace departing Dawson MP George Christensen at the next federal election would be an opportunity to help people on a greater scale, Mr Willcox said, who hopes to provide a higher level of infrastructure and services for the Whitsunday region and further afield.
“I’ve always been passionate about community service and looking after people and this is the next step,” he said.
“It’s an opportunity to improve the roads, telecommunications, water security – things I haven’t got access to in local government.”
Mr Willcox said he chose to join the LNP because he identified with its values, including “a conservative way of life, looking after freedoms, working hard, and reward for effort”.
While he said it was too early to share details about his campaign platform, broadly his aim was to “improve the way of life of everyone in Dawson”.
With no word yet on when the next federal election will happen, it will be mostly business as usual in Mr Willcox’s world for the time being.
He will continue all his usual mayoral duties until the government makes the election announcement and will not technically have to exit the role unless he does win the federal seat, which would trigger a local by-election.