Former Mornington Peninsula Shire Councillor Sarah Race has announced her candidacy for the federal seat of Flinders, standing as the Labor Party’s representative. Speaking on RPP FM’s Peninsula Talks, Ms Race revealed that the decision to run came after being inspired by the late Dunkley MP, Peta Murphy, during their discussions prior to her passing.

The former Nepean Ward councillor, Ms Race is the second candidate to enter the race for Flinders. Her announcement follows Ben Smith, CEO of the Mornington Community Support Centre, who declared his intention to run as an independent last week.

Ms Race, once aligned with the Teal Independents, explained her shift to the Labor Party during her radio appearance, highlighting the importance of being part of a governing body:

“It’s an interesting take, isn’t it? And I do get where the independence is coming from, but it’s governments that make the decisions and it’s people having a seat at the table that get to advocate loudly for their communities.

“And that’s why I’ve chosen to join the Labor Party and put my hand up as their Labor candidate, because you need to be at the table making decisions and advocating loudly for your community.

“I think bringing a genuine local voice to genuine local representation is really important,”

She said.

The seat of Flinders is shaping up to be a diverse contest, with incumbent Liberal MP Zoe McKenzie defending her position against Sarah Race for Labor and Ben Smith running as the Independent for Flinders.

Subscribe to STPL News

For more stories on local events and the vibrant communities around Mornington Peninsula, stay tuned to the Somerville Times & Peninsula Local – STPL NEWS by subscribing to our free E-News.