A senior adviser to Premier Jeremy Rockliff has secured the top spot on the Tasmanian Liberal Senate ticket for the next federal election.
Chris Gatenby, a former party president, was chosen ahead of three other candidates in what the party described as “a very convincing vote in support of what were great candidates”.
Former state minister Sarah Courtney claimed the second position and Latrobe councillor Jacki Martin took third.
Brad Stansfield, a former chief of staff to Will Hodgman and the current head of Tasmanian market research firm EMRS, missed out on a spot.
Two of the three candidates could enter the Senate within months, with both Wendy Askew and Jonno Duniam announcing they plan to retire from federal parliament before the next election.
The party confirmed the top two on the ticket would be put forward to replace the outgoing senators, with Gatenby to replace Askew while Courtney will replace Duniam.
Gatenby, a seventh generation Tasmanian who grew up on a farm, said he was ready to hit the ground running.
“I bring a breadth of experience across government, agriculture and health and I’m ready to get going from day one with this fantastic team,” he said.
He ran unsuccessfully in the last state election.
Courtney quit state politics in 2022, saying it was time to move on, but today said she could not sit by and watch the impact of the current federal Labor government.
“We’re seeing backflips on a range of issues that are hurting families and are hurting businesses,” she said.
Asked whether she would serve a full six-year term, Courtney said she was committed to doing so.
Martin, who ran in the third spot at the last federal election, acknowledged winning that position would be a challenge but urged voters not to underestimate the team.
“Tasmania, get ready,” she said.
“We will be out there every day campaigning for you.”
Party president Michael McKenna said the new names are “committed to delivering on lower taxes … cheaper and more reliable power, more houses and putting Australians first”.
‘It’s been a tightly fought contest. We’ve been spoilt for choice,” he said.
McKenna said the loss of Brad Stansfield in getting a spot on the ticket was “a matter for pre-selectors”.
“There were four in front of us and these are the three. You can only put three … someone always is going to have to miss out,” he said.
“The three that we have in front of us were the three that selectors felt most confident of.”
McKenna said he does not have fears of One Nation taking a seat from the Liberals at the next federal election.
“I’m concentrated on getting a Angus Taylor government elected. I think that the Tasmanian people are looking for solutions to their problems, not just more rhetoric,” he said.
