Eyes will be on Indi over the next five months following independent Cathy McGowan’s declaration she won’t seek a third term and waiting for a nod from Senator Bridgit McKenzie – whose office, for the moment, is in Bendigo – on whether she will run for the seat.
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Speculation had swirled in the past year about whether the independent would recontest the seat she has held since 2013 but that ended on Monday when she said “it is time to pass on the baton”.
In reality, the battle for Indi is set to resemble a chess match with the next move from National’s Senator Bridget McKenzie, who will open an electorate office in Wodonga within the next month.
Senator McKenzie had thus far swatted away questions about making a run for Indi, saying “I’m in no hurry to move to the lower house … (and) I don’t see any signs of Cathy McGowan wanting to retire”.
Well, now we know that Ms McGowan will retire and the incumbent Indi MP appeared to lay down a challenge to Senator McKenzie on Monday when she said: “We're waiting to see what the National Party do, but I hope they bring a high profile woman to the debate.”
Senator McKenzie's term isn't due to expire until 2022, but with her eyes on a future National Party leadership bid there is speculation she’s after a move to the lower house. That speculation ramped up after she announced her office move.
Should Senator McKenzie throw her hat into the ring, she’ll be up against the Voices for Indi-endorsed Helen Haines, Liberal Steve Martin and Labor’s Eric Kerr.
Ms McGowan vowed to give people a choice when she ran against, and defeated, Sophie Mirabella six years ago and she has upheld her end of the bargain in the sense that Indi is on the political map.
With the Liberals and Nationals on the nose across the country, Indi has all the ingredients to be one of the more fascinating seats when an election is called.
Ultimately, though, the voters of Indi, not Ms McGowan, will decide who the baton gets passed on to.
The next move is Senator McKenzie’s. Will the Bendigo area be getting a new senator?
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