Liberal candidate for Bellarine Brian McKiterick has hit back at comments made by Lisa Neville over his recent move to Ocean Grove.
The current member for Bellarine, Ms Neville, questioned Mr McKiterick’s move from Torquay to Ocean Grove labelling it as “taking the piss out of the community”.
“He’s the Surf Coast Shire councillor, he’s come down here just like Ron Nelson did last time, rented a house and left as soon as he lost,” Ms Neville told the Voice.
But Mr McKiterick defended his move to the Bellarine.
“I moved to Ocean Grove as soon as I was preselected to do nothing else but understand the everyday lives of the constituents within the electorate – plus who wouldn’t want to live in the Bellarine?,” he said.
“I certainly wasn’t asked by anyone to make this transition – I did it by choice and moved my family to do so. I honestly hope this shows my commitment to this candidacy. It has proven to be a great decision.
“I can tell you which roads need fixing, which businesses are struggling due to exorbitant power price increases, what the community groups are working towards and I do my shopping within the electorate too.
“Why wouldn’t you live within the community that you represent?”
Mr McKiterick said he has worked within the Surf Coast, Geelong and Bellarine as a police officer for 20 years during a 39-year-career, including being based at Ocean Grove and supervising on the Bellarine Peninsula.
“Further, for my opponent to say I’m “taking the piss out of the community” is frankly just rude, immature and wrong,” Mr McKiterick said.
“Is this the way a Member of Parliament should present herself?
“In the 16 years she has been the member, for no period of time has she lived on the Bellarine. Being chauffeur driven between Geelong West – Ms Neville’s place of residence – and Spring Street, she doesn’t even pass through the electorate.
“I do not question her understanding of the Bellarine, as after 16 years you would hope any member would have some understanding of the main issues within their electorate, however to have never lived in the electorate you represent and live over 15 minutes – not five as claimed – from the border of it, honestly just shows contempt for the community.
“On top of this, as many residents within the Bellarine will note, several Labor MPs have been caught rorting tax payer money by claiming to live within Bellarine electorate for additional income. I have been extremely honest about where I am living, unlike Labor MP Don Nardella who was caught pretending he lived in a caravan in Ocean Grove and former Victorian speaker Telmo Languiller who said Queenscliff was his primary place of residence.”
