THE Liberal Party has preselected businesswoman and communications professional Megan Purcell as its candidate to contest the seat of Bendigo at the upcoming federal election.
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The party confirmed the selection of the Maldon resident on Tuesday night.
“Megan Purcell was tonight preselected as the Liberal candidate for Bendigo,” a statement on the Liberal Victoria Twitter account said.
Ms Purcell, 32, an Army Reserve member and contestant on the latest series of reality TV show The Farmer Wants a Wife said she was looking forward to the journey ahead.
“I’m very excited to be part of Malcolm Turnbull’s team ahead of this election,” she said.
“I’m grateful for and humbled to have the support of the local members.
“I’m looking forward to getting out and meeting people right across the electorate.”
This is not Ms Purcell’s first foray into politics – she stood for parliament in the seat of Brindabella in the ACT in 2004, after joining the Liberal Party in 2002, aged 18.
Educated at La Trobe University, Deakin University and the University of Canberra, Ms Purcell is the owner of Bisbee & Co, a homewares store that recently opened in Maldon.
She has been the director of Purcell Advisory, a public relations company, for six years.
Active in the community, Ms Purcell has been a board member at the Maldon Hospital, Zonta International, the Maldon and District Community Bank, and is a former adviser to Bendigo-based Nationals Senator Bridget McKenzie.
She has previously worked with government departments.
Ms Purcell beat other local Liberal hopefuls Fred Ackerman and Ken Aldred – a federal Liberal member for three electorates from 1975 to 1996 – for the chance to contest the seat.
Ms Purcell adds to the list of women representing the main parties in the battle for the marginal seat of Bendigo, which Labor has held since 1998.
Labor’s Lisa Chesters, elected in 2013, also has competition from the Greens’ Rosemary Glaisher to retain her seat.
The Nationals are yet to select a candidate for Bendigo. Sarah Sheedy ran as the Nationals’ candidate in 2013 – the first time the party had contested the seat since 1998.
Fairfax Media reported on Tuesday that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull had told his party room that campaigning would likely begin within six months, setting things up for a possible election in September.
According to the report, Mr Turnbull also said a double dissolution election was still possible. If that approach is taken, an election would have to be held by mid-July, six months before the Parliament is due to be dissolved.