Clarence Mayor Brendan Blomeley has announced his candidacy as an independent for the federal seat of Franklin, challenging Labor’s incumbent Julie Collins.
Blomeley, who has served on the Clarence City Council since 2000, says he is “disillusioned” with the major parties.
He said the Liberals have written off the seat as “too hard” and Labor are taking “voters for granted”.
“The duopoly of the old parties has not served us well,” Blomeley, a former member of the Tasmanian Liberals himself, said.
“The soaring costs of living combined with the homelessness and rental crisis, the health crisis and ageing infrastructure that has not kept pace with growth in Franklin, is causing significant pain for many families and we deserve better, much better.”
Blomeley said he would “work night and day” for the benefit of the electorate.
“It’s time to send a clear message to Canberra that we will not be ignored and taken for granted any longer and to do that, we need to make Franklin a marginal seat,” he said.
The race for Franklin includes Liberal candidate Josh Garvin, Greens candidate Owen Franklin and fellow independent Peter George.
The seat has been held by Labor’s Julie Collins since 2007.
Franklin covers 10,009 square kilometres of Clarence, Kingborough and the Huon Valley and is split into two by the electorate of Clark.
