A former Liberal candidate beaten in Labor’s 2021 landslide election has won a second chance at entering Parliament in a shock preselection in the northern suburbs.
Liam Staltari won preselection for the seat of Carine on Wednesday evening, beating our former Liberal MP Tony Krsticevic 61 votes to 37.
Mr Staltari, who contested the Perth Hills seat of Kalamunda in 2021, will take on incumbent first-term Labor MP Paul Lilburne, who holds the seat on a narrow 3.9 per margin after a redistribution.
The seat is set to become a major target for the Liberals, who are looking to rebuild after winning just two seats at the last election.
Mr Staltari, who is a corporate partnership manager for Mineral Resources and former president of the Federal Young Liberals, had described himself as an underdog going into Wednesday night’s ballot.
Mr Krsticevic, who, after his 2021 defeat, was elected to Stirling council, pitched himself to delegates as the experienced candidate over Mr Staltari, 28.
Close to 100 delegates took part in the vote between Mr Krsticevic and Mr Staltari, who had been previously revealed as members of The Clan, an influential faction led by powerbrokers Nick Goiran, Peter Collier and Matthias Cormann.
Mr Krsticevic has denied being a powerbroker in his own right, while Mr Staltari previously worked as an electorate officer and adviser to Mr Cormann.
The result comes as the Liberal Party finishes its first wave of preselections ahead of the 2025 election, with human rights lawyer Lisa Olsson winning preselection for the neighbouring seat of Hillarys.
The seat is held by Labor’s Caitlin Collins, who won in 2021 and now holds it comfortably at 18.7 per cent.
City of Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas was also endorsed unopposed in Churchlands this week — Labor’s most marginal seat.
