- Published on
By Catherine Watson
FORMER Bass Coast mayor Brett Tessari is a surprise entrant in the November state election after being selected as the National Party candidate for Bass.
The National Party has never contested the seat before and Bass is certainly not the party’s heartland, but they found it hard to pass up on the popular home-grown councillor and footy club president.
Mr Tessari spent two years as deputy mayor and three as mayor and has a considerable personal following. At the 2020 council election, he secured 6372 primary votes, almost half the ward total in a five-councillor contest.
FORMER Bass Coast mayor Brett Tessari is a surprise entrant in the November state election after being selected as the National Party candidate for Bass.
The National Party has never contested the seat before and Bass is certainly not the party’s heartland, but they found it hard to pass up on the popular home-grown councillor and footy club president.
Mr Tessari spent two years as deputy mayor and three as mayor and has a considerable personal following. At the 2020 council election, he secured 6372 primary votes, almost half the ward total in a five-councillor contest.
The seat of Bass is held by another former Bass Coast mayor, Jordan Crugnale, who secured a 7 per swing in 2018 to win the seat for the ALP for the first time. The margin was 2.39 per cent, and is now considered to be even closer following last year’s redistribution, which removed the urban (largely Labor-voting) area of Pakenham from the Bass electorate.
Aaron Brown, a former deputy mayor of South Gippsland and son of former state Liberal leader Alan Brown, has been selected as the Liberal Party candidate.
Mr Tessari denied that he was standing to improve Mr Brown’s chances of winning the seat, which the Liberal Party held from 2002, when the seat was established, to 2018.
“I made it very clear when I was considering whether to stand that I was not interested in just taking the seat away from Labor,” Mr Tessari said. “I said I would only do this if the National Party shows they are serious about winning the seat.”
The party has already demonstrated its intent, with a surprise visit to Wonthaggi on Sunday by Victorian National Party leader Peter Walsh, who promised that if elected the Coalition would guarantee that 25 per cent of all new State Government infrastructure spending would go to the regions, in line with the population.
But how likely is a National Party win in Bass?
Mr Tessari acknowledged the path to victory would not be an easy one. “I reckon Liberal and Labor both have a 20,000 vote start on me so I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m going to get out into the community and listen to what people are saying.
“The federal election showed a lot of people are dissatisfied with the two major parties. There’s a lot said about the independents. The National Party is providing an alternative to the traditional Labor and Liberal.
“I’m very comfortable with the National Party platform of tackling coastal erosion mitigation, better public transport and roads and looking after our beautiful natural assets.”
On the latter he promises to speak up for permanent protection of the Western Port Woodlands in the face of a surge in sand mining. That would be a vote winner in a community that’s shown strong support for ending sand mining in remnant forest.
Aaron Brown, a former deputy mayor of South Gippsland and son of former state Liberal leader Alan Brown, has been selected as the Liberal Party candidate.
Mr Tessari denied that he was standing to improve Mr Brown’s chances of winning the seat, which the Liberal Party held from 2002, when the seat was established, to 2018.
“I made it very clear when I was considering whether to stand that I was not interested in just taking the seat away from Labor,” Mr Tessari said. “I said I would only do this if the National Party shows they are serious about winning the seat.”
The party has already demonstrated its intent, with a surprise visit to Wonthaggi on Sunday by Victorian National Party leader Peter Walsh, who promised that if elected the Coalition would guarantee that 25 per cent of all new State Government infrastructure spending would go to the regions, in line with the population.
But how likely is a National Party win in Bass?
Mr Tessari acknowledged the path to victory would not be an easy one. “I reckon Liberal and Labor both have a 20,000 vote start on me so I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’m going to get out into the community and listen to what people are saying.
“The federal election showed a lot of people are dissatisfied with the two major parties. There’s a lot said about the independents. The National Party is providing an alternative to the traditional Labor and Liberal.
“I’m very comfortable with the National Party platform of tackling coastal erosion mitigation, better public transport and roads and looking after our beautiful natural assets.”
On the latter he promises to speak up for permanent protection of the Western Port Woodlands in the face of a surge in sand mining. That would be a vote winner in a community that’s shown strong support for ending sand mining in remnant forest.
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Well here we are in June 2022, 35 years later and there are more children living in poverty. Just take a look at the Smith Family Ads and listen the statistics they quote.
The Liberal and National Parties, both Federal and State are all focused on power at all costs and have no vision for Australia.
They are all about Pork Barrelling to hold onto power at all costs and not what is good for our country.
There need to be a total redistribution of wealth in this country.
We need to introduce a Universal Basic Income into this country and stamp out poverty for good.
What's your vision for the future of Bass and the rest of our country Brett?
Cheers
Sadly though that will not get the Western Port Woodlands over the hump. In Labor’s Jordan Crugnale, we already have a local member who has long-time conservation credentials. Though she attended a rally to save the Holden bushlands with the then Save Holden Bushlands group outside Holden Proving Ground, in Government and presented the case for the environment, she also had to put the various other cases her constituents gave her to put. When it came to the crunch, she could not change party policy which put sand interests above environmental and community interests.
As for the current Liberal leader’s attitude to protecting the environment, you might like to read Matthew Guy’s record as Planning Minister. On 8.9.2011. he overruled Bass Coast Shire and the community and announced his intention to grant permission for subdivision of the Cadogan Land at Ventor. See Ventnor victory one for the ages - Bass Coast Post, 14.9.2018.
Given the National Party’s silence on protecting the Western Port Woodlands to date, what do you think your chances will be of getting it to permanently protect them?
Good luck in your efforts!
I wonder whether Brett has looked at the record of the National Party of "looking after our beautiful natural assets.” One example which bothered me hugely at the time was the Nationals support for cattle grazing in our Alpine and River Red Gum National Parks where we loved to bushwalk. I quote from Hansard 19/03/2015: P2039
Nationals Senator Brigid McKENZIE (Victoria) (19:39): Tonight I rise to speak about the thoughtless actions of the Victorian Labor Party, led by Premier Daniel Andrews, who, along with the Victorian minister for the environment, Lisa Neville, have turned their back on more than 170 years of Victorian history, by seeking a permanent ban on cattle grazing in the high country. Ms Neville this week introduced legislation into the Victorian parliament banning grazing in the Alpine National Park as well as in the River Red Gum national parks. The introduction of the National Parks Amendment (Prohibiting Cattle Grazing) Bill 2015 will amend the National Parks Act 1975 to prohibit cattle grazing for any purpose in these national parks. Minister Neville was quoted as saying:
Our national parks are for people to enjoy, not cows to destroy. The science is clear, cattle doesn't reduce bushfire risk in alpine areas, and they damage the alpine environment.
The Andrews Labor Government has acted so that alpine grazing will never happen again - we have closed the loophole that allowed the Coalition's so called 'scientific trial'.
I am with Meryl when she doubts that Brett, if he wins, would be successful in persuading the National party to protect our Western Port Woodlands
Leadership is taking people on a journey where they have not been before for the benefit of everybody.
It’s not being capable, passionate and committed.
This is why we need to hear what Brett’s vision for the seat of Bass is as well as his vision for Australia.
It was not my intention.
Brett is greatly admired and respected in our community and I take my hat off to him for this.
It will be good to read what his vision is for the seat of Bass in due course.
Cheers
I was concerned that you have chosen to stand for Nationals, you are going to be burdened with the parties baggage and lack of willingness to meaningfully address what climate change is going to bring to coastal communities like ours.
I would think that you would be able to do more for the Bass District as an independent.