Former rock star Angry Anderson will make a bid to enter federal parliament in September after being selected by the Nationals to contest the Wollongong-based seat of Throsby.
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Anderson, who lives on Sydney’s northern beaches, was unopposed in the preselection on Friday night.
He told Fairfax Media: ‘‘I have been an outspoken, passionate campaigner on many issues that relate to Australia and I felt that by putting my hand up to try to enter federal parliament I would be able to take that to the next level’’.
Anderson has been criticised for his views on Muslim immigration and refugees and participated in series two of the SBS documentary Go Back to Where You Came From. In 2011 he fronted a controversial anti-carbon tax rally in Canberra.
The chairman of the NSW Nationals, Niall Blair, said Anderson, 65, would make a ‘‘great conviction politician’’ who would ‘‘say what he thinks’’.
‘‘This is an exciting opportunity for the National Party which gives the people of Throsby a good choice,’’ Mr Blair said.
‘‘I think Angry is the type of candidate who will not only appeal to the people in the southern highlands, but also to the people of the Illawarra’’.
The previously preselected candidate, Nick Cleary, withdrew in March, citing family reasons.
Anderson had previously considered standing for the Liberals in the western Sydney seat of Greenway, but was unable to contest the preselection as his band, Rose Tattoo, was involved in a tour of Western Australia at the time.
He had also considered standing for the Nationals in the seat of Gilmore.
Throsby will be a three-cornered contest, with the Liberals preselecting Larissa Mallinson, a political staffer in the seat.
It is held by Labor’s Stephen Jones on a margin of 12.1 per cent, but Mr Jones has yet to be reendorsed by the party as its candidate at the September 14 election. The ALP is likely to call for nominations next Friday.
smh.com.au
