Is this the beginning of the end for Tim Pallas?
The state Treasurer and Werribee MP has come under fire in recent weeks for failing to represent the views of the community over the location of a youth detention centre, and it appears his actions could threaten his re-election success in the 2018 state election.
Following the recent announcement that a youth detention centre will be built in Werribee, a Star Weekly online poll of 1252 voters has shown that 68 per cent would vote for the Liberal Party at the next election.
Twelve per cent of respondents said their vote would go to an independent candidate; 11 per cent said they would vote Labor, six per cent picked the Greens and three per cent were undecided.
The numbers are in line with a Galaxy/Herald Sun poll of 551 voters that showed three in four people in the electorate believed Mr Pallas was doing a poor job of representing them.
The Werribee MP denied rumours that he would not be contesting the seat next year.
“I have served my constituents with pride and purpose for more than a decade, achieving great things for our community, and it’s my intention to continue doing so as long as the good people of Werribee want me,” Mr Pallas said.
Star Weekly understands a number of people are interested in contesting the seat including at least one Labor Party member.
The Liberal Party is “quietly confident” it has what it takes to win the seat of Werribee, despite Mr Pallas holding a 15 per cent margin on the safe Labor seat.
Western metropolitan MP Bernie Finn said the Liberals planned to run a concerted campaign to overthrow the incumbent member and secure a seat in Labor’s heartland.
Opposition Leader Matthew Guy confirmed that a couple of Liberal Party members had already put their hand up to contest the seat.
“We’ll preselect someone who’s from Werribee; we’ll put ourselves forward as representatives of the people of Werribee, and we’ll not build a jail in that seat,” Mr Guy said.
Five-time Wyndham mayor Shane Bourke, Werribee South Ratepayers Association president Joe Garra and newly elected Wyndham councillor Mia Shaw said they’d like to see fresh, independent faces standing, but none was willing to put their hat in the ring.
Point Cook’s John Frost, who missed out on a spot in Harrison ward in last year’s council election by eight votes, confirmed he was eyeing off the seat.
