March 20, 2016 12:00pm by David Farrar

Tim Wilson wins Australian safe seat

Former human rights commissioner Tim Wilson has gambled his $400,000 a year job to punt on a career in Canberra, and won pre-selection in the safe Liberal seat of Goldstein.

Mr Wilson beat Georgina Downer, the daughter of former foreign minister Alexander Downer, and local favourite, Denis Dragovic, during pre-selection in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.

Ms Downer was eliminated after the first round of voting, leaving Mr Wilson and Mr Dragovic.

Mr Wilson won a close head-to-head vote.

Goldstein is one of the jewels in the Victorian crown for the Liberal Party, centred around the city’s well-heeled Bayside suburbs of Brighton and Sandringham.

Tim used to work at the Institute of Public Affairs thinktank.

He is a fearless defender of classical liberal values, and was a Human Rights Commissioner dedicated to free speech.

Very pleased to see him become an MP, and hopefully in time a Minister.