From: Karalee Tilvern

Subject: Hi there

Well what can i say except i am
incredibly lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life … this
is an email to let you know that until mid Sept, i won’t be emailing or
contacting anyone but i really don’t want any of you to take offence.

A
few of you have wondered why i’ve been incredibly evasive this week,
the reason is i have decided to enter state politics for the Liberal
Party and am now locked into a bitter pre-selection battle for the
inner Melbourne seat of Prahran–there are 4 people going for it within
the Liberal Party and the preselection battle is shaping up to be
tougher than the actual state election tipped for November 2006.

The problem is that since leaving Channel 7 i am locked into almost a
month’s work of 6 day weeks beginning at 4am and ending at midday and
then am locked into having to meet this one and that one in politics
etc writing speeches etc for the rest of an afternoon, there are truly
not enough hours in the day. There was an article in Mleboume’s Age
newspaper Page 6 on August 4 and several of you cottoned on and texted
me, i was unable due to the legal position of preselection candidates
to text back and some of you were a tad annoyed!

I
know you are all there for me and want to do all you can to help me get
there. Which is why i say, the biggest help i could get from you is for
your understanding that i just won’t be able to catch up via phone,
person or email as we regularly do as since leaving Channel 7 and you
all know that was a stressful time, the politics is now my priority.

The
fact i am coming from a media background is helpful but of course it
carries the added responsibility of a higher profile and the fact i am
working weird hours, the last thing i want to happen is to bum out. The
preselection process was brought forward by a month so i had been
informed that i would have finished my radio newsreading by then, not
to be!

I know you’ll all want to wish me well and will reply to
this email, please please understand, you always comment on the amazing
amount of people in these bulk emails that i am lucky to have but, i
won’t be able to ring you or email you back, i am sure you’ll be
following the sure fire dramas in the newspaper etc.

I am
determined to do this and dare i say the truth, being a woman there’s
going to be far more focus on a 32 year old former TV reporter entering
the political arena than there is a man, and i have been warned of all
the dirty tricks that could be played … all i can say is lucky i have
worked in a TV newsroom for the last umpteen years and would hope by
now i know all the factional games that could be played by opponents.

Once
mid Sept is over, i will ring you all and catch up–i promise (there you
go you can see first promise as a potential MP!!!!!)

Love always, Karalee x

Karalee Tilvern