Wodonga Liberal Party member Lloyd Deane wants members to select a fresh face for next Indi election battle

Lloyd Deane said he couldn’t vote for Greg Mirabella if he stood for pre-selection as has been widely speculated in recent weeks.

It was reported on Friday the husband of former Indi MP, Sophie Mirabella, had the pre-selection “stitched up”.

“I can only speak for myself, but I won’t be voting for Greg Mirabella,” Mr Deane said.

“If he can’t get elected to Wangaratta Council he has got almost no hope of getting elected into federal parliament as the member for Indi.

“Sophie was a fine candidate in five election campaigns, winning three and losing two.

“But it’s time we moved on and opened a new page for the Liberal Party in this area.”

Candidates for all parties in Indi remains a major guessing game even though an early election this year hasn’t been ruled out by the Coalition.

Incumbent, independent Cathy McGowan, added to speculation she would retire after two terms by admitting succession planning had started to identify her successor.

In 2015, Mr Deane personally wrote to former Queensland Premier Campbell Newman urging him to consider standing as the Liberal candidate in Indi in the following year’s election.

Mrs Mirabella easily beat two rivals at pre-selection, but lost a second successive election to Ms McGowan.

Mr Mirabella, a leading figure in the Wangaratta Victorian Farmers Federation branch and Victorian Liberal Party executive member, couldn’t categorically rule out standing for pre-selection.

“It is a question I am always being asked, but it is a question I deliberately put off,” he said.

“The speculation has been around for a long time.

“Mr Deane is entitled to his opinion and when there is a pre-selection he will get a vote along with all the other members.

“But he has a history of very interesting thoughts on who should be the Liberal candidate in Indi.

“Steve Brooks and Steve Martin are two good prospects that I’ve spoken to about standing for pre-selection.

“So there will be no shortage of interest.”