FRANKSTON mayor Nathan Conroy will get a second chance to contest Dunkley at the next federal election.
Conroy was chosen as the Liberals’ candidate for Dunkley at a party meeting last Tuesday, 15 October. He narrowly defeated former Carrum MP Donna Hope to win preselection, The Times understands.
Conroy also contested the March by-election, triggered by the death of Peta Murphy. He was defeated by Labor candidate Jodie Belyea, but helped earn a 3.57 percent swing towards the Liberals on the two-party-preferred count. Belyea was elected with a 2.7 percent margin.
Conroy told The Times that cost of living relief is the biggest issue facing Dunkley residents. He said he would “cut red tape” to help build housing if elected. “Cost of living is the number one, two, and three issues in this election,” he said. “I’ve heard of people earning $100,000 a year living in caravan parks. “We will look at infrastructure, crime, the road network, and housing.”
Conroy is not standing in this month’s Frankston Council election – he withdrew his nomination shortly before the VEC deadline. His wife Steffie Conroy is contesting Lyrebird Ward.
Conroy was born in Ireland, but renounced his citizenship shortly before his first run for Dunkley. He was elected to Frankston Council in 2020, and served three terms as mayor. Conroy’s time at council has not been without trouble. While mayor, he faced backlash for his decision to take leave to contest the March by-election – the deputy mayor Liam Hughes was overseas at the time, resulting in a leadership void (“Leadership crisis damaging council” The Times 5/2/2024).
The FMAC Structure Plan has been championed by Conroy throughout the last council term. The plan outlines preferred height limits of up to 16 storeys in the Frankston CBD, and is currently awaiting approval from the planning minister. The plan has been criticised by environmentalists – protesters from the Stop The Great Wall of Frankston group have taken issue with height limits in the Kananook Creek precinct.
Conroy is backing his council record – he said “people know the work ethic I had over the last four years while I’ve been working with the community. “Some decisions made were needed after decades of work. I worked bi-partisan, built stadiums and pavilions, and I worked on master plans and the FMAC, following through a 20-year vision. I couldn’t have done that without my council team.”
Conroy says that with the federal election not expected for months, his campaign will have more time to prepare. “When I was originally given the opportunity to run in the by-election, it was when I didn’t think there was going to be a by-election. We came close, so it’s only natural to go again,” he said.
First published in the Frankston Times – 22 October 2024