Ed Cocks and Senator Zed Seselja celebrate the preselection victory. Photo: Facebook
The Canberra Liberals have endorsed public servant Ed Cocks as the party’s candidate to contest the new southern federal seat of Bean.
He defeated businesswoman Jane Hiatt in the recent preselection ballot.
Mr Cocks has a young family and lives in Monash, participating in local councils and on the Monash Primary School Board. He previously stood as a Canberra Liberals candidate in the 2016 ACT election in the seat of Brindabella, and has lived in Tuggeranong since 1992.
He works for the Commonwealth Department of Health and has been a policy convenor with the Liberals since November 2016.
Mr Cocks thanked Liberal Party members for their support, saying he would lead a strong campaign against Labor.
“I will stand for a stronger economy and a better deal for the electorate of Bean,” he said in a statement. “A stronger economy means more jobs for Canberrans, and guarantees the essential services the people of Bean rely on.
“I believe Australians should keep more of what they earn, and not be punished by Labor’s attack on electricity prices, small business, housing and seniors.”
He will take on Labor Senator David Smith – who replaced Katy Gallagher in the Upper House, but successfully negotiated a move to a Lower House race when he won preselection for Bean in August – and the Greens’ Johnathan Davis.
Mr Cocks’ preselection adds to the Liberal Party team for the election likely next May, with Senator Zed Seselja and Robert Gunning already endorsed for the Senate ticket earlier this year.
Senator Seselja said Canberrans had a clear choice in the upcoming election between the Liberal-National Government’s stronger economy, and Labor’s plan for $200 billion in higher taxes.
“The Liberal-National Government is delivering a strong economy, keeping electricity prices down, and backing small business. Labor has promised to increase taxes, and implement policy that will cause electricity prices to skyrocket, and take a sledgehammer to the property market,” he said.
“Ed is an outstanding candidate and will stand up for the values important to the electors of Bean.”
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