Liberal out of central casting: The man who wants Gladys Berejiklians seat – Sydney Morning Herald

Among party faithful, Mr James is described as a factional operator and culture warrior, tags and labels the 46-year-old vehemently rejects.

One Liberal Party source, not authorised to speak publicly, said, He is Liberal out of central casting. The party mainstream, people who show up and hand out, feel like no one listens to them. Who does? Tim James. He can work a room.

Ms Berejiklian this week endorsed Mr James as the candidate in a pre-recorded video that drew the ire of some senior party members who said it was akin to a hostage video, accusing Mr James of previously working against Ms Berejiklian.

People should just focus on the reality, Mr James told the Herald. I am so proud of Gladys. I have only supported her. She is a daughter of the Liberal Party and I am a son of the Liberal Party.

Another moderate Liberal Party source said the shift from Gladys, the poster child of post-war migration to a conservative, white Australian male should not be understated.

I think its highly unlikely Tim James and Gladys Berejiklian share some sort of parental patronage in the Liberal Party. If anything they are step cousins, three times removed.

It marks Mr James third attempt to land on Macquarie Street, after losing to Felicity Wilson for the seat of North Shore in 2018, before taking Supreme Court action to overturn the result. He was unsuccessful and the case was ultimately dismissed. But he said multiple bids hadnt fazed him.

I know it took [former prime minister] John Howard three attempts, [former NSW premier] Mike Baird three attempts. So this is obviously not at all unusual. Whats kept me going is obviously a passion for people and community.

His preselection prompted local lawyer and voluntary assisted dying campaigner Penny Hackett to also contest the byelection. Ms Hackett, the president of Dying With Dignity NSW, said she had been encouraged to run by voters disappointed with the Liberal replacement for Ms Berejiklian.

It was a big shock to a lot of people there is a palpable sense of rage, she said.

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This is a seat which is really ripe for the right independent. I dont expect to win, but I would hope to take a bit of skin off for the point of proving that they cant just take a safe seat for granted.

Mr James said, No one was taking the seat for granted, adding that he had spent more years in the electorate than Ms Hackett.

My only ambition is to be the member for Willoughby, to listen and serve, he said.

Ms Hackett, a mother-of-two, will run as a candidate for the Reason NSW Party, after it merged with the Voluntary Euthanasia Party following the 2019 election.

Ive become more involved [in politics] as a result of the voluntary assisted dying campaign, which has given me a much greater insight into what actually goes on in Parliament and politics and the machinations, and Ive been pretty depressed about it all to be honest, she said.

Ms Hackett believes the Coalition governments recent handling of the Omicron outbreak could swing votes away from the Liberal Party in the lower north shore seat.

Also contesting the byelection are North Sydney Council deputy mayor William Bourke for the Sustainable Australia Party, and independent candidate Larissa Penn.

Ms Penn, a mother-of-three and Willoughby local, is also the convener of Stop the Tunnels, an organisation set up to rally against the slated Western Harbour and Beaches Link projects.

Willoughby is not simply a thoroughfare for commuters, a land bank for developers or a pollution trap for unfiltered toll road stacks, as it has been treated by the state government, she said.

The Liberals hold Willoughby with a margin of more than 20 per cent and a primary vote above 57 per cent. NSW Labor is not running a candidate.

Today a Mosman local, Mr James has lived in the Willoughby electorate for most of his life. High on his agenda are schools, investment in the Royal North Shore Hospital and green space. He will also consult the community to bring a fresh set of eyes to the divisive Western Harbour Tunnel and Beaches Link projects.

Tim James and wife Nikki at their wedding in 2014.Credit:GM Photographics

He met his wife Nikki, a marketing executive, after the two featured separately in the same edition of the local newspaper in early 2012. At the time Mr James was chief-of-staff to Planning Minister Anthony Roberts, having already worked in the electorate offices of mentors Joe Hockey and John Howard.

He has also worked in the private sector, including a 14-month stint as the head of pharmaceutical lobby group Medicines Australia.

He has recently departed as a director of Life Education NSW, behind the Healthy Harold school program, and is a listed secretary of the Australian Nationhood Foundation.

The organisation publishes resources exploring the national identity, which it describes as encompassing Aboriginal people, the British settlers the British language and British culture, as well as migrants.

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Liberal out of central casting: The man who wants Gladys Berejiklians seat - Sydney Morning Herald