World-record holding marathon runner Erchana Murray-Bartlett will run as an Independent for the long-held Liberal National Party (LNP) seat of McPherson in the upcoming 2025 election.
The seat on the Gold Coast has been held by the LNP for decades and is considered a safe seat for the party. It’s currently held by the retiring Karen Andrews, a former Morrison government minister who first won the seat in 2010.
Murray-Bartlett officially launched her campaign for the seat over the weekend, saying it was time to do politics differently.
“I’ve been a passionate advocate, and now I’m ready to take that work to the national level, and give our community a strong, independent voice in Parliament,” Murray-Bartlett said.
“I’m not your everyday politician. I want to do things differently. I will put our community first when it comes to the big issues,” she said, adding that when her community asked her to run, she knew she “had to step up”.
“The seat of McPherson has been held by the same political party for over forty years. If I were elected as your representative, I would be accountable to you, not to a political party,” said Murray-Bartlett.
“McPherson deserves a fresh approach to leadership, one that listens and truly represents our community. Together, we can build a better future, it’s time for change.”
Last year, Murray-Bartlett pulled off the monumental feat of running across the length of Australia and racking up 150 marathons in a row.
She did it all to raise awareness and funds for Australia’s wildlife extinction crisis. Her fundraising saw more than $98,000 go towards the Wilderness Society.
Now, with her announcement as an Independent candidate for McPherson, she’s ‘running’ for change again.
Karen Andrews has been the LNP Member for McPherson for 14 years, and announced last year that she would not contest her seat in the 2025 election.
In April this year, there was a Liberal National Party preselection vote for the Gold Coast seat, where four men– and not one woman– nominated to be the party’s next candidate.
At the time, Andrews told ABC News that the Liberal Party tried to find women, but it was difficult with a lack of women in the Coalition or wanting to join.
“I certainly approached a number of women but couldn’t get them across the line for a range of reasons,” Andrews said, adding that women were reluctant to face the “constant criticism and constant, constant negativity”.
Speaking to the GC Bulletin about Murray-Bartlett’s run for the seat of McPherson, Andrews said: “I’ve been made aware of the candidate’s impressive background and congratulate her on her achievements to date.”
“Communities deserve leadership that listens, understands and acts with integrity. Leadership is a long-term commitment to the community and more like a marathon than a sprint.”
At the 2022 federal election, a number of female Independents won safe seats over the Liberal Party in areas across Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.