Tim Wilson lines up Goldstein rematch with Zoe Daniel
Tim Wilson will contest the seat of Goldstein for the Liberal Party in a rematch with independent MP Zoe Daniel. Photo: TND
One-time rising Liberal star Tim Wilson will contest the Victorian electorate of Goldstein at the next federal election after being preselected in the seat he lost to teal independent Zoe Daniel.
The Victorian Liberal Party said late on Sunday it had endorsed Wilson to be its candidate for Goldstein after about 300 party members chose him from a field of three potential candidates.
A former minister in Scott Morrison’s Coalition government, Wilson suffered a 13.1 per cent swing against him in the former blue-ribbon seat at the May 2022 election where he was beaten by former journalist Daniel.
“Tim has been driven to run for Goldstein at the next federal election by his deeply principled commitment to integrity in public service and his belief that the Goldstein community is worth fighting for,” Liberal Victoria state director Stuart Smith said in a statement.
Tweet from @zdaniel
“(Tim) is committed to strengthening the pathway to home ownership for young residents in Goldstein to make owning their own home a reality, to ensure they have the opportunity to build strong families and strong communities.”
Wilson will again challenge Daniel, who has spoken out on issues including gambling advertising, vaping, Indigenous deaths in custody and the plight of Julian Assange since being elected in the seat in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs.
Wilson was one of several MPs to lose previously safe Liberal seats to progressive female independents – the so-called teals – at the 2022 election, won by Labor in a landslide.
Daniel was contacted for comment on Wilson’s preselection and later tweeted ‘‘I am proud to be a community-backed independent, acting in the best interest of my community. I will run again’’
