Vic: Nationals select local for Indi in "best chance": seat

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2001
Vic: Nationals select local for Indi in "best chance": seat

MELBOURNE, Feb 17 AAP - The National Party has selected a prominent local candidate
to go head-to-head against a high-profile monarchist Liberal in the north-east Victorian
federal seat of Indi.

The Nationals believe Indi, which they last held in 1977, is one of their best chances
to take a seat from their coalition partner.

Winemaker Don Chambers, 62, of Rutherglen winery Chambers Rosewood, is mayor of Indigo
shire and has led a local campaign against the introduction of poker machines to the shire.

He defeated two other candidates, Henry Brewer, a Mudgegonga farmer who is the brother-in-law
of former National Party leader Tim Fischer, and Wangaratta businesswoman Wendy Mitchell.

Mr Brewer had said Mr Fischer had distanced himself from the preselection, but he was
helped by his sister, Mr Fischer's wife, Judy, who stood as a state National Party candidate
in the late 1980s.

Mr Brewer had described Indi as "the best opportunity for the National Party to be
really competitive and regain this seat from the Liberal Party".

Indi is held by retiring Lou Lieberman, with an 18 per cent majority.

The Liberals have preselected prominent constitutional monarchist Sophie Panopoulos
to contest the seat.

The Nationals' Indi federal district council chairman Kerrin Chambers told AAP that
Mr Chambers, to whom he is not related, would win the seat, although the Nationals would
need to increase their vote by eight per cent.

"We will win it. He has a huge profile and a huge community following throughout the
north-east," he said.

"There are many disgruntled Liberals because their candidate has been preselected from
outside the local area."

Ms Panopoulos is a Melbourne-based barrister who has moved to Wangaratta in the past year.

She has been an adviser to former New South Wales state development minister Michael
Yabsley and a research officer for current Assistant Treasurer Rod Kemp.

Mr (Kerrin) Chambers agreed the fact that Ms Panopoulos was a young woman may also
draw votes to the Nationals in such a conservative seat.

Don Chambers won after two rounds of preselection at the Wangaratta Town Hall this morning.

Indi, once held by former National Party leader John "Black Jack" McEwen, is to be
the focus of a three-cornered contest.

Labor has preselected Barbara Murdoch, a local small business operator who improved
the party's vote at the last state election.

The Liberal Party is aware of the fight it faces in Indi, with Prime Minister John
Howard expected to visit the electorate next month.

AAP sjg/cjh/br

KEYWORD: INDI NIGHTLEAD (RESTORES KEYWORD)

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