Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan could be in for the fight of her political life in her own electorate at November’s state poll.
The man who nearly toppled Labor at last year’s federal election, Andrew Lethlean has officially been endorsed as the National Party’s candidate for the seat of Bendigo East.
In a statement released yesterday morning (Tuesday, April 14th), Mr Lethlean said it was a “privilege” to be selected.
“The Bendigo community means everything to me. It’s given me so much and I’d like to give something back,” he said.
“I will be fighting for every vote and if elected will fight hard every day for Bendigo.”
He cited tax cuts, cost-of-living relief, crime, roads and housing affordability as the key issues he’ll be campaigning on.
Yesterday’s announcement follows months of speculation about Lethlean’s political future.
He previously ran as a Nationals candidate for Bendigo during last year’s federal election – a seat which overlaps Allan’s turf at a state level.
(File photo: supplied)
The campaign transformed the safe Labor-held seat into a marginal one, with incumbent MP Lisa Chesters seeing her two-party preferred (2PP) margin reduced to 1.4 percent.
At the previous poll in 2022, she retained the electorate with a 12.1 percent margin.
Lethlean received nationwide attention for his efforts, with several National Party figures – including Federal Member for Mallee Anne Webster, and state leader Danny O’Brien – publicly encouraging him to run for office again.
But he once more faces an uphill battle to claim Bendigo East, which at the last state election was won by Allan with a 10.8 percent 2PP margin.
She has held the seat since 1999.
Asked at a media conference yesterday about Lethlean’s second tilt, Allan pointed to her record of fighting “damn hard” for Bendigo.
“The National Party have always been too weak to fight for what matters for Bendigo families; they’re too weak to fight One Nation division, and they’re too weak to fight Liberal Party cuts,” she said.
The next Victorian election takes place on November 28th.
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