Sydney, August 28: Tennis champion John Alexander has joined the race to replace former opposition leader Brendan Nelson as the next Liberal Party member in the safe Sydney seat of Bradfield.
Mr Alexander, who has seven singles titles to his name, told the Sydney Morning Herald today that he was “very enthusiastic” about standing.
The 58-year-old sports commentator joined the Liberal Party only weeks ago and attended his first branch meeting on Tuesday night, the day Dr Nelson announced he was quitting politics.
If preselected, Mr Alexander would join another sports star, ultra-marathon runner Pat Farmer, on the Opposition backbench.
A promotion to the ministry in a future Coalition government would make Mr Alexander the highest-profile sports star turned federal politician since Sir Hubert Opperman, the international cycling champion who served as immigration minister under prime ministers Robert Menzies and Harold Holt.
Opposition frontbencher Tony Abbott welcomed Mr Alexander’s entry into the Bradfield preselection race.
“He’s a fine man. It’s good to have someone like him there,” Mr Abbott told ABC Television, adding he hoped a large, talented field would contest for preselection.
The Liberals hold Bradfield, on Sydney’s upper north shore, by a 13.5 per cent margin, making it the party’s safest metropolitan seat in the nation.
Labor is not fielding a candidate in a by-election expected to be held in November.
—Agencies