A Maitland councillor has ruled out a tilt at the federal seat of Paterson at the next election.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A source close to a local branch of a major political party told the Mercury that north ward councillor Philip Penfold had been approached to contest the seat in the next election.
When Cr Penfold was asked to comment, he confirmed that a representative of one of the major parties had approached him to stand as candidate for Paterson at the next poll.
But Cr Penfold, who announced last year he intended to run for the position of Maitland mayor in the next 12 months, said he had no intention of standing for a federal seat.
“Late last year, following the announced redistribution of the Paterson boundary to take in the majority of Maitland, my interest was sought by a representative of a major party in being their candidate,” he said in a written statement.
“I advised that I value my independent status and that my focus remains on representing the people of Maitland in local government.”
Cr Penfold stood as an independent at the 2015 state election, which Labor candidate Jenny Aitchison won.
Greens candidate John Brown, who also stood in last year’s election, has confirmed he will contest Paterson at the federal poll.
Incumbent Liberal Member for Paterson Bob Baldwin announced he would recontest the seat.
