THE National Party is gearing up to choose its candidate for Indi this year, but pre-selection won’t take place until “much, much later”, according to the party’s Victorian director.
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Jenny Hammett confirmed yesterday there was a “plan of action” under way, though decisions had yet to be made on when pre-selection would open and how many seats the party would contest.
It comes as the Indi federal electorate council prepares to hold its annual meeting in Wangaratta on February 4 — one day before the federal Nationals hold a party room meeting and $1100-per-head dinner in Wodonga.
NSW senator Fiona Nash, the Assistant Minister for Health, will be a guest at the Indi meeting, arriving in the North East a day early; Victorian senator Bridget McKenzie will also attend.
It is understood other federal National MPs, including leader Warren Truss and Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce, will be heading directly to Wodonga.
Speculation has been rife since announcement of the dinner — which The Nationals have labelled a “standard fundraiser” — that the party was readying to make a run for Indi in 2016.
Ms Hammett said the party’s standard federal pre-selection process would take place this year, but she could not indicate when exactly that would be.
Asked if there was a preference for a local candidate, Ms Hammett said she was “not in a position to say what we prefer because at the end of the day it’s what the members prefer”.
“When we open the pre-selection we will see who decides to put their hand up,” she said.
Indi FEC chairman Marty Corboy said discussion of an Indi candidate was not on the meeting agenda, it was “more than likely someone will raise it”.
“There’s a long way to go before that and ultimately it is a decision of head office,” he said.
“It is quite early to say, but the feeling I get is quite positive. These opportunities don’t come around too often and when they do we’ve got to give it our best shot.
“The membership base is very, very strong. We’ve just got to find the right candidate.”
Mr Corboy said the meeting was “a run-of-the-mill” event and Ms Nash’s attendance was not unusual.
“If federal MPs are around it’s usual for them to come and report on their portfolio,” he said.