So….we’re seeing the final line up of Liberal
Party wannabe MPs in poor old John Brogden’s seat of Pittwater.

Millennium Forum fundraiser Paul Nicolau,
the moderates preferred candidate, remains the favourite, but former MLC and
House of Representatives Member Stephen Much, will push him from the right.

But does it matter who gets the Liberal
preselection? Yesterday’s Manly Dailysays Pittwater Mayor Alex McTaggart is considering running for seat of as an
independent.

“If he does,” the paper points out, “he
will become the fourth Pittwater councillor to run for the seat in the
forthcoming by-election – making candidates out of almost half of the
nine-member council.”

McTaggart seems to have a better chance than most. He says he has been
approached to run by a number of community groups. And he’s demonstrating a
phlegmatic attitude. “After this by-election there will still be a Labor
government and there will still be a Pittwater Council and they have to be able
to work together,” he told the Manly Daily.

In fact, one local tells Crikey that if
McTaggart runs, “put the rent on it.”