THE Bendigo branch of the Liberal Party has set its sights on the 2016 Federal Election after holding its annual general meeting on Sunday.
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Former candidate for Bendigo East Greg Bickley was elected branch president and will also serve as the chairman of the party's Bendigo Federal Electorate Conference.
Despite there being no State or Federal Election scheduled for 2015, Mr Bickley said the year would be crucial for the party in Bendigo.
"We will look at Federal pre-selection next year," he said.
"The party will have to regroup and look at the lessons from the Victorian campaign to apply to the Federal campaign."
Counting from the Victorian Election concluded on Friday, as Bendigo East remained a marginal Labor-held seat. The final margin was 5.05 per cent with a swing of 1.8 per cent, below the statewide average swing of 2.5 per cent.
The margin in Bendigo West finished at 12.2 per cent.
Mr Bickley said Federal issues had played a major role in the election and the Liberal Party had a lot of work to do ahead of the 2016 poll.
"I think anyone who says Federal issues didn't play a part in the election are a little delusional," he said.
"There are issues to be faced. There is a lot of work to do to win back people's trust.
"A major positive is that the Liberal brand is growing in Bendigo, it's on the map here. The Federal seat of Bendigo is now the second most marginal in Victoria."
Mr Bickley said he would step up again as candidate if the Liberal Party asked him to.
"I certainly think I have something to offer in political life," he said.
"I'm looking forward to getting back involved in the Liberal Party in an organisational sense."
Counting from the Victorian Election continued for the Upper House, with the final two Northern Victoria seats yet to be confirmed.
With 93.8 per cent of the votes counted, the Shooters and Fishers Party occupied the fourth seat and the Australian Country Alliance held the fifth seat.
The Liberal, Labor and National parties filled the first three seats.