The battle for Lyons shapes up

As Australia prepares for its 2025 election, due within six months from now, Tasmanians in the state’s largest electorate of Lyons are readying a first-rate roster of candidates.

Labor has held the Federal seat, with a brief exception, for the past 30 years.

The electorate’s value at a national level to both major parties is reflected in the multiple visits – even to small East Coast communities – made by senior officials in the past two years.

The Liberal candidate, Susie Bower – nominated well ahead of the poll – drew a swing of 13% in the 2022 election, losing to the Labor incumbent Brian Mitchell by just 1300 votes.

Ms Bower, a fifth generation member of the Meander Valley community, has served in senior education, local government and job creation roles, including with the Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone.

For the upcoming election, Brian Mitchell has stood down, enabling Rebecca White, the high-profile former Parliamentary leader of the State Labor party to lead Labor’s effort.

Mitchell told the Parliament in his valedictory speech he considered Ms White a “once-in-a-generation talent, a terrific representative for regional Tasmania in Canberra.

“I am also proud to have been part of a team that has cost-of-living relief at the top of its agenda, and which has delivered power bill relief, cheaper medicines, fee-free TAFE and higher wages to aged care and early childhood education workers,” he told the Parliament in late November.

The most recent project of benefit to Lyons’ rural-dependent economy is the Great Southeast Irrigation scheme, which connects three earlier systems. Support for the $150 Federal contribution was announced by both Liberal and Labor parties in the past few weeks.

In the announcement of Ms White’s candidacy, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he considered her “a future federal cabinet minister.

“Rebecca White is a person of conviction, she’s a person of substance and she’s a person who fights for what she believes in,” the prime minister said.

For her part, Ms White said it had been the honour of her life to represent the electorate of Lyons. “I grew up here, I’m raising my family here and I’m very much looking to representing this community in Canberra,” she said.

“I know that I can bring the experience and the skills that I have to make a real difference in delivering outcomes for our community… people who are my neighbours, they’re my friends, they’re my family.” 

With the Liberal candidate Susie Bower barely ceasing her campaign since the last federal election, Ms White acknowledged that the contest would be tight.

“This campaign will be won by the margin of our effort. We’ll have to work incredibly hard every single day to make sure that we get the support needed so that we can hold this seat and help deliver a Labor victory in 2025.”