September 25th, 2024Liberal candidate Wes McKnight pulls out of race for federal seat of Ballarat

The Liberal Party has been left to find a new candidate to stand against incumbent, Labor’s Catherine King, at the next federal election after its candidate pulled out of contention on the weekend.

Wes McKnight is no longer contesting the next federal election, pulling out as a candidate due to his dual citizenship.

A Victorian Liberal Party spokesperson said in a statement Mr McKnight advised the party he was pulling out on Saturday, September 21, due to “personal circumstances regarding the need to relinquish his US citizenship”.

“The Party will advise its new candidate for Ballarat in due course,” the Liberal party spokesperson said

The Australian constitution does not allow dual citizens to be federal political candidates, unless they relinquish their second citizenship.

Ahead of the federal election next year, Member for Ballarat, Catherine King, has earlier confirmed that she will once again contest the seat.

Ms King first won the seat in 2001 from Liberal member Michael Ronaldson and has been re-elected seven times since.