“The Pittwater community is not interested
in a right-wing Liberal coming from outside the electorate to take up its
blue-ribbon seat,” The Manly Daily reported on the weekend.

Avalon resident Harvey Rose from the Save
Mona Vale Hospital lobby told the paper that unless the Liberals put forward a
moderate candidate like former MP John Brogden, grassroots groups would ensure
an independent stood at the by-election.

Pittwater
and independents aren’t new. Surfing legend Nat Young forced the Liberals to
preferences in the 1986 by-electionrunning on a sewage pollution platform.

Meanwhile, a Crikey subscriber asks “From
my recollection this is the third consecutive time (Longley, Brogden and now)
that Pittwater has had a new MP at a by-election. Is this some sort of record?”