Tim Wilson, the former Human Rights Commissioner and employee of the Institute of Public Affairs, has won Liberal Party preselection for the Victorian seat of Goldstein.
Tim Wilson, Liberal candidate for Goldstein
Wilson, who turned 36 a week ago, and Denis Dragovic emerged as the two top candidates after the first ballot at the preselection. The other favoured candidate, Georgina Downer, the daughter of former Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, was eliminated.
Wilson secured 105 votes, Dragovic 94, Downer 66, Osborn 18, Samuel 4, with one informal. In the final ballot, Wilson defeated Dragovic by 142 votes to 140, with two informal.
Tweet from Herald-Sun reporter James Campbell
Goldstein is a safe Liberal seat, created in 1984. It is centred on Brighton and extends to Beaumaris in the south, with Port Phillip Bay as the western boundary. It includes the suburbs of Black Rock, Brighton East, Caulfield South, Hampton and Sandringham. It includes parts of Bentleigh, Elsternwick, Glen Huntly, Highett, Ormond and McKinnon. The electorate is predominantly residential, with light industrial and commercial activities.
The current sitting member in Goldstein is Andrew Robb, who has held the seat since 2004. Previous members have been David Kemp (1990-2004) and Ian MacPhee (1984-90). The seat has never been held by the ALP.
At the 2013 federal election, Robb won 61.03% of the vote after preferences. He polled 56.51% of the primary vote.
Wilson’s victory means he will be the second paid official of the Institute of Public Affairs to enter Parliament from Victoria this year. Earlier this week, James Paterson filled a casual vacancy in the Senate.
Wilson’s preselection campaign made news over the past week with the circulation of homophobic material alleging he was a “danger to families”.
The Abbott government appointed Wilson as Human Rights Commissioner in 2014. He resigned from the post to contest the preselection.
