Mayor to run for Robertson

Gosford mayor Lawrie McKinna will run as an independent candidate for the seat of Robertson in the September 7 federal election.

Mr McKinna said he believed the Central Coast had been overlooked by Labor and the Coalition for far too long.

He said he would seek to draw attention to and action on the neglected needs of the people of the Central Coast.

Mr McKinna said he had been "closely aligned" with the Central Coast for the past nine years as coach and ambassador of A-League Premiers Central Coast Mariners.

Former International test cricketer Nathan Bracken will run with Mr McKinna in Team Central Coast. He will contest the seat of Dobell.

Team Central Coast is being funded by businessman Mr John Singleton.

Mr Singleton, who has been a rate payer on the Central Coast for over 60 years, said he was funding the campaign because he believed that the residents of the Central Coast have been forgotten by both major parties during his entire life time.

"Of course, in a federal election, we expected representatives of the major parties to be focused primarily on federal-national issues," Mr Singleton said.

"That is as it should be.

"But it is surely not unreasonable for the people of the Central Coast to also expect from candidates who seek to represent us in Canberra, recognition of the major challenges and opportunities our region faces and a genuine commitment to doing something about them.

"The Central Coast opportunity is right now lost on both major parties.

"Our population lives in a depressing present and is faced with a limited future, only because of lack of leadership.

"I know something has to be done before the Central Coast becomes a lost and forgotten opportunity.

"I realise the odds are against our winning either of the seats we are contesting.

"But we will have succeeded if the major parties understand that your votes, and our candidates' preferences, will go to them only if they can demonstrate a real commitment to the future of the Central Coast.

"I stand to gain no more and no less from my actions than any other resident of the Central Coast which I believe has more, or as many, natural assets than anywhere in Australia."

Mr Singleton said that his researcher, Mr Ian Woolcott of Woolcott Research, has reinforced his disillusionment with the political situation on the Central Coast, with studies in both seats showing over 90 per cent of voters are tired of being continually forgotten.

The research also showed that 43 per cent of voters in the seat of Robertson would select Liberal candidate Ms Lucy Wicks as their first preference for their federal member.

Labor candidate Ms Deborah O'Neill came in second, with 33 per cent of voters indicating she would be their first preference.

Mr McKinna would receive 10 per cent of the first preference vote and nine per cent would select Kate da Costa from Central Coast Greens as their first preference.

Mr Singleton's Central Coast interests include his family holiday home at Killcare; Bells at Killcare Resort; Manfredi at Bells; Pretty Beach House; Bells Beach House; Strawberry Hill Stud; and the Bluetongue Brewery at Warnervale.

Media release, 12 Aug 2013,

Monique Marks, Team Central Coast