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The Canberra Times

Jasper Lindell

'All walks of life': Liberals launch candidates for 2024 election

Liberals Elizabeth Lee Jerry Nockles Sitthixay Ditthavong Darren Roberts James Daniels James Milligan Jeremy Hanson Leanne Castley Mark Parton

The candidates endorsed by the Canberra Liberals to contest the ACT election reflect the capital's diversity and come from "all walks of life", Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee says.

The party has unveiled its 25 candidates after preselection results were confirmed by an internal party process.

"When you look at the team that the Canberra Liberals represents, we've got young mums, we've got small business owners, we've got community leaders, we've got people from the military and public service, and we also have a great age range - candidates all the way from their 20s to their 60s," Ms Lee said.

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee, front, with Canberra Liberals canddiates running in the October election. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

"And it is a team that reflects the diversity, the richness of life and professional experiences that we see in our community. I'm very excited about the team, and I know that each and every one of them will be contributing a great deal to ensuring that we bring in a Liberal government in the ACT in 2024."

The Liberals on Saturday revealed who had been endorsed through a party process to fill spots on the ticket left vacant through the normal preselection vote process.

Karen Walsh was endorsed by the party's management committee to run in Murrumbidgee, while Chiaka Barry was endorsed to run in Ginninderra.

Liberal candidates for Kurrajong, from left, Sarah Luscombe, Ramon Bouckaert, Patrick Pentony, Elizabeth Lee and Jerry Nockles. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

Neither Murrumbidgee nor Ginninderra were contested by more than five candidates, forcing the management committee to endorse additional candidates to complete the five-member tickets.

Ms Barry, an ACT Local Hero award finalist formerly known as Chiaka Moneke, had run for preselection in Yerrabi but missed out when party members voted.

Mick Calatzis, a police officer who sought preselection in Kurrajong, is understood to have narrowly missed out on management committee endorsement to run in Ginninderra.

Liberal candidates for Ginninderra, from left, Darren Roberts, Joe Prevedello, Chiaka Barry and Peter Cain. Absent: Elizabeth Kikkert. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

All sitting Liberal members, except for Brindabella's Nicole Lawder, are set to recontest their seats.

Mark Parton will recontest Brindabella, along with James Daniels, Rosa Harber, Sandi Mitra and Deborah Morris.

Ms Lee will be joined in Kurrajong by candidates Ramon Bouckaert, Sarah Luscombe, Patrick Pentony and Jerry Nockles.

Ed Cocks and Jeremy Hanson, who was dumped from the shadow cabinet, will recontest Murrumbidgee alongside Amardeep Singh, Karen Walsh and Elyse Heslehurst.

Peter Cain and Elizabeth Kikkert will recontest Ginninderra flanked by Ms Barry, Darren Roberts and Joe Prevedello.

Liberal candidates for Murrumbidgee, from left, Amardeep Singh, Karen Walsh, Ed Cocks, Elyse Heslehurst and Jeremy Hanson. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

Leanne Castley and James Milligan will seek to retain their Yerrabi seats alongside John Mikita, Ralitsa Dimitrova and Krishna Nadimpalli.

Ms Lee said she would encourage her candidates to stay engaged with their communities but also remember the territory election campaign was a marathon rather than a sprint.

"[It is] really important to ensure that you remain engaged with your community. For every candidate that is joining us on this journey, they already have such strong connections to their electorate and their community and the broader Canberra society," she said at an announcement on Saturday morning.

Liberal candidates for Yerrabi, from left, Krishna Nadimpalli, Leanne Castley and James Milligan. Absent: Ralitsa Dimitrova and John Mikita. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

"And it's important that they continue that. The reason that the Canberra Liberals are so reflective of the diversity that we see in Canberra is because they do come from all of life.

"When you have a look at the range of life and professional experiences that are reflected in the Canberra Liberals team, it is in stark contrast to what you see so many times from the other side."

Mr Nockles, a former federal Liberal candidate for Eden-Monaro, said Kurrajong was ready for change.

"I served 24 years in the Royal Australian Navy. My wife is still serving in the navy and during that time we've moved 20 times but Canberra and the district has been our home base," Mr Nockles said.

Mr Nockles said there was more the ACT could do to support its community of veterans.

Liberal candidates for Brindabella, from left, Sandi Mitra, Deborah Morris, Mark Parton, Rosa Harber and James Daniels. Picture by Sitthixay Ditthavong

"There are 22,000 veterans right across Canberra, as well as a very large defence community, and these are extremely important parts of our community, these defence force members and their families," he said.

"We need to find ways as an ACT government to streamline their insertion into our city. ... That will be a critical focus for me going forward."

ACT Labor unveiled its 25-member candidate ticket last month, which included three senior community sector figures - Heidi Prowse, Tim Bavinton and Anna Whitty - lining up for the party. Speaker Joy Burch is the only Labor member not recontesting the election.

The ACT Greens in December unveiled a ticket of 10 lead candidates, shortly after the resignation of Johnathan Davis. The party's support candidates are still to be announced.