Richards to run for Canberra

Jessica Benton
Councillor Andy Richards has pledged to continue working for his constituents despite announcing he will run for federal politics.
But ratepayers could be $50,000 out of pocket for a by-election to replace him if he wins his Labor preselection bid for the Melbourne-based seat of Calwell.
Cr Richards confirmed he had nominated for preselection after seven months representing Buckley ward, which stretches from Barwon Heads to Grovedale.
“I’ll continue to work for Buckley ward while the process is on. The process will be over in a month,” he said.
Cr Richards, who moved to Geelong two years ago, said he had ties to Calwell.
“My job as a union official for the Australian Manufa-cturing Union takes me to the area regularly. Along with Dandenong and Geelong, it’s one of the key manufacturing areas in Victoria. My partner’s family also live in the seat, so I know the area reasonably well.”
Cr Richards said ALP members and unionists had asked him to run for Calwell.
“Federal politics is not something I’ve thought about but, as my council colleague Andrew Katos has said in the past, you never say never.”
A City Hall spokesman said a by-election would cost about $50,000 depending on the amount of candidates
City of Greater Geelong has run two by-elections, when Shane Dowling stepped down from Deakin ward to return to Melbourne in 2008 and when Michael Crutchfield won the state seat of South Barwon for Labor in 2002.