If One Nation wins Bass it won’t be Meg Edwards

ALL OF a sudden One Nation is in the frame to win the highly-marginal seat of Bass at the next State Election and they don’t even have a candidate in the race yet.

But it won’t be Bass Coast Shire Councillor Meg Edwards.

At 8.01pm last Saturday night, only moments after the by-election for the NSW-Victorian border seat of Farrer was declared for One Nation’s David Farley, Ms Edwards’ trigger finger fired off this congratulatory message on social media:
“Congratulations David Farley for Farrer (One Nation). You have fought a good and fair fight, and the good people of Farrer have clearly spoken. Well done to all candidates (and volunteers) - it takes real courage and tenacity to stand, and our democracy is richer for your participation.”

It prompted an exchange between former Bass Council candidate, Nikole Schellekens, and Ms Edwards, encouraging each other to nominate for One Nation.

But it won’t be Meg Edwards, at least not in the Lower House seat of Bass.

“I’m not the right person to be running for Bass. You’d have two Bass Coast Councillors running and it would tend to take the focus off the policies,” said Ms Edwards.

“But I did join the party (One Nation) last Wednesday and would be happy to help out.”

Ms Edwards has not, however, ruled out running for One Nation in the Upper House Electorate of Eastern Victoria.

“The Victorian state president, Warren Pickering, who lives at Pakenham, would make a great candidate, but if he doesn’t run, I wouldn’t rule it out,” said Ms Edwards.

Ms Edwards, a former candidate for the Liberal Party in 2018, said that while she still supported Liberal Party values, she acknowledged people were looking for a reset.

“Actually, I think Jess Wilson is doing a good job, and they’re moving in the right direction electing Brian Loughnane as state president, but they’ve lost their way.”

Ms Edwards prompted speculation about a move to One Nation when she was shown on TV coverage supporting One Nation candidate Darren Hercus during the Nepean by-election.

That support has translated into membership of the party and a possible run, which would be her fourth, at a seat in state or federal politics.

Previously Ms Edwards has run for the Liberals in Eastern Victoria (2018), the Liberal-Democrats in Monash (2022) and as an Independent in Bass (November 2022).

“I nominated for Bass, six weeks out, because I couldn’t get anyone to make a stand against the location of hundreds of 350-metre-high, offshore wind turbines between Phillip Island and the Prom. They would have been in Waratah Bay,” she said.

“We won that one, thank goodness.”