Just around the corner from Liberal MP Chris Crewther’s office, Alexandra Pavilion was a full house on Tuesday night, packed with locals and volunteers who want to see him and his blue counterparts replaced by orange.
The September 8 event officially launched One Nation’s Nepean and Mornington campaigns, bringing together Mornington candidate Ashli Beards and Nepean candidate Darren Hercus, with Peter Angelico serving as MC.
Hercus Returns For Another Shot At Nepean
Hercus said he was ready to contest Nepean again after learning from the recent by-election campaign, while renewing his criticism of the Liberals’ conduct and treatment of him during the contest.
He secured 24.52 per cent of first-preference votes, finishing second on primary votes behind Liberal Anthony Marsh.
Independent Tracee Hutchison later overtook Hercus through preference flows, with Marsh going on to win the seat.
Hercus also argued the Liberals had misrepresented One Nation’s public-private partnership proposal to rebuild Rosebud Hospital.
He called for measures to help businesses operate and employ more people, alongside greater action on local homelessness, while praising Mornington Community Support Centre and similar organisations for supporting residents in need.
Beards Takes Aim At Bail Decisions
Beards, whose legal background includes commercial law, recalled serious youth crime cases from her early career and criticised decisions to grant bail, describing the outcomes as a failure by the state.
She told the room she would not have imagined 30 years ago that she would one day stand for One Nation, while praising what she regarded as Pauline Hanson’s courage.
Beards will challenge Crewther in Mornington, a seat decided by just 590 votes at the 2022 state election.
Crewther defeated independent Kate Lardner with 50.70 per cent after preferences.
Minor-Party Campaigns Build Across Peninsula
The launch adds to a rapidly expanding minor-party contest across the Mornington Peninsula, coming just two days after the Greens launched their Nepean and Hastings campaigns in Red Hill, drawing more than 60 supporters.
The field is set to widen again later this month, with One Nation previously confirming it has selected a candidate for Hastings and telling STPL News the candidate is expected to be publicly announced in late September.
That announcement would give One Nation candidates across Mornington, Nepean and Hastings as parties step up campaigning ahead of the November 28 state election.
How to Support Independent Local News
STPL News covers the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston with independent reporting, community news and public interest coverage.
You can support the work in three ways: join the free daily e-news, make a one-off contribution, or become a financial member.
Your support helps keep local public-interest reporting available to the community.
