Labor's preselection race for Ballarat West seat under way

By Kim Stephens
Updated November 2 2012 - 1:59pm, first published May 2 2010 - 2:15pm
Sharon Knight
Sharon Knight

THE race for Labor preselection for the seat that will be vacated by Ballarat West MLA Karen Overington at this year's election has begun.Competition for preselection for the seat is expected to be hot, following the announcement by Ms Overington on Friday she would be retiring from politics after holding the seat for 11 years due to "personal reasons''.The Labor Party is expected to move quickly to endorse a candidate.On Friday, shortly after Ms Overington's announcement, Ballarat counsellor Sharon Knight became the first potential candidate to nominate.Ms Knight, a former electorate officer for Federal Member for Ballarat Catherine King, has a 20 year history working in counselling services in Ballarat and is now manager of Lifeline Ballarat and Family Counselling Services at Uniting Care Ballarat.She said she would bring, "energy, passion, visions and hard work'' to the seat of Ballarat West if preselected.Further nominees are expected to emerge in the coming days.Ballarat businessman Craig Coltman was endorsed late last year as the Liberal Party candidate for Ballarat West. Ms Overington was elected to the seat in 1999 when the Bracks Government swept to a surprise victory.Speculation about her political future had been rife in the months leading up to Friday's announcement.The death of her husband Brian from cancer in October last year and her own health problems contributed to reduced public appearances and comments in the past six months.

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