WHO replaces Curtin MHR Julie Bishop after her nearly 21 years in the seat will be decided at a Liberal Party pre-selection meeting in a fortnight.
“Applications for endorsement for the Federal Electoral Division of Curtin are now open,” the party’s state director Sam Calabrese said yesterday.
Ms Bishop, former foreign minister and the most successful woman in the party’s history as deputy leader for 21 years, announced she would leave politics at the next federal election, expected in May, in a surprise speech in Federal Parliament last Thursday.
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She later said she wanted branch members and not party heavyweights to choose her successor.
Former army officer Vince Connelly was chosen ahead of four women in the neighbouring federal seat of Stirling last Saturday.
“Local grassroots Party members from the Curtin Division will decide who is selected to represent their community at the Federal Election,” Mr Calabrese said.
The pre-selection vote will involve one the largest groups of about 80 delegates experienced by the party, most of who will be from Curtin’s 13 branches, and include people from the party’s State Council, on March 10.
Candidates will have to list social media and internet history, how they can fundraise, explain their previous “combating” of political opponents, in addition to policy expertise and life experience.
Current names being touted include foreign affairs academic Erin Watson-Lynn, mining executive Anna Dartnell and WA Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief economist Rick Newnham.
Nominations close this Friday at 5pm.
The Bishop years
DURING her 21 year as the Curtin MHR Julie Bishop increased its winning margin to 22 per cent, internationally became highly regarded for her foreign ministry role, including fronting Russia over its involvement in the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, and nationally became her Liberal Party’s most recognisable asset.
• Born 1956 in South Australia.
• Studied law at Adelaide University.
• Advanced management graduate Harvard Business School.
• Managing partner at law firm Clayton Utz 1994-98.
• Elected to Curtin 1998.
• Minister for ageing 2003.
• Education, science and training minister 2006-2007.
• Foreign Minister 2013-1018.
• Deputy Liberal leader since November 29, 2007.
• Deputy opposition leader 2007-2013.
• Resigned from politics February 21, 2019.
Sources: AAP and WSW.