By JOLENE OGLE
LNP member Ted O’Brien has announced he will run for the seat of Fairfax at the next Federal Election against the current member Clive Palmer.
In his election campaign announcement, Mr O’Brien said it was time for “real representation” and to “take Clive Palmer to account”.
“Not for the sake of Palmer, but at the end of the day when you actually do live in an electorate and you are embedded in a community, you get to understand their priority is about jobs, small business, schools, taking care of their families and they need real representation and people who will deliver outcomes,” he said.
Mr O’Brien ran against Mr Palmer in the last Federal Election of 2013, losing the seat by a mere 53 votes after numerous recounts.
Mr O’Brien said his job now was to give the Fairfax electorate a voice, and said he looked forward to making a difference whether he won the election or not.
“I think there are always lessons to be learnt and it doesn’t matter if you win, lose, draw or whatever.
“Unless we are continuously improving what we can represent at the election, then we are not doing our job,” he said.
“I think this time around for Fairfax, it will be different.
“The key difference is, more than anything, they now have had 18 months of an incumbent who isn’t here, who isn’t delivering and they’re losing.”
Speaking with Noosa Today, Mr O’Brien said although he didn’t carry the authority of someone in parliament, there were things he could do to help the people of Fairfax.
“I’m already busy getting back to grassroots and trying to listen to and help people,” he said.
Mr O’Brien said he was ready to roll up his sleeves and get stuck into the political race.
“It’s the good old-fashioned style of politics that I love,” he said.
“I love chatting to people in the streets… the kind of politics where you roll up your sleeves and it’s hands on.”
Member for Noosa and fellow LNP party member Glen Elmes said he believed Mr O’Brien would “do well” in the next Federal Election.
“I think Ted will be an outstanding candidate,” he said.
“I also think overwhelmingly the people of Fairfax… woke up on the Sunday morning after election night and thought ‘what have we done?’ I think they will treat Clive Palmer at the next Federal Election with about the same respect as he has treated them.
“I think Ted will do very well.”
