Rockdale councillor Andrew Tsounis has joined the race to become the Labor Party candidate for Barton at this year’s federal election.
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Cr Tsounis, 51, is a project manager in the construction industry, a long-time Sans Souci resident and is serving his first term on the council.
He is president of the Fifth Ward Ratepayers Association and president of the Ramsgate Life Saving Association.
Cr Tsounis has strong Labor Party “grass roots” connections through his roles as president of the Sans Souci-Ramsgate branch and secretary of the Rockdale State Electorate Council.
He is a former staffer in the Iemma and Keneally governments and, for about four years, worked for former minister and Rockdale MP Frank Sartor.
“People have asked me to be part of this election process,” he said.
“I considered this, said, ‘Why not?’, and threw my hat into the ring.”
Cr Tsounis said he decided to become more involved in the political process after the fight to stop a car park being built on sand dunes at Brighton-Le-Sands several years ago.
At the time, he was secretary of the Cook Park Reference Group, which Mr Sartor established.
Cr Tsounis said he believed a letter he wrote to the government pointing out how the proposal failed to adhere to the Cook Park plan of management was an important element in winning the battle.
Nominations for preselection are expected to be called this month or in March.
Ethnic community leader George Vellis is the only other declared candidate.
Other candidates could include former Premier Morris Iemma, assistant secretary of Unions NSW, Emma Maiden, head of media at the University of Sydney, Kirsten Andrews, Hurstville councillor Brent Thomas, Rockdale councillor Shane O’Brien and union official Mark Buttigieg.
