Independent Member for MacKillop Nick McBride has welcomed news the Liberal Party will undertake a “listening tour” in his electorate.
Former Federal Liberal MP Nicolle Flint, Liberal MLC Ben Hood and Federal Liberal Member for Barker MP Tony Pasin will embark on an 11-day tour of the MacKillop electorate next month.
According to Liberal Party insiders, the tour’s aim will to be raise the Liberal Party’s profile in the region, while also building a community contact database for whomever becomes the candidate at the 2026 State Election.
The tour comes several months after Mr McBride left the Liberal Party, instead opting to continue as an independent MP.
“I will not be distracted and I will not be threatened by anyone’s interest in MacKillop and probably all I will say is that I welcome it,” Mr McBride said.
“Be it Ben Hood, be it Nicolle Flint or anyone else, I know there was always going to be a contender, and I welcome any contender and any attention they bring.
“I think the more attention that is brought onto MacKillop the better.
“I think if the Liberal Party were to have a greater understanding of MacKillop perhaps the four years when they were in government things might not have looked so distant as they did when I was the member.
“I am going to say it is going to be challenging, anyone who wants to challenge my position particularly from a Liberal platform will be a challenge for me and a test.
“I think it’s going to be very interesting because as we all know MacKillop is a conservative area, it’s been a very, very strong Liberal area.”
