Nationals Durack candidate Bailey Kempton says dislike for politicians paved way for his preselection

The Nationals candidate for Durack says his dislike for politicians led him to throw his hat in the ring for a Federal political berth. Bailey Kempton, a 26-year-old tradesman based in Geraldton, goes against the grain of traditional candidates given his age and life experience. However, he said his interest in running was piqued when he realised the importance of having his say. “I’ve traditionally never really liked politicians, and that was the biggest thing putting me off running for politics ... I don’t want to be one of those politicians,” he said. “Recently I’ve been looking around and I just thought to myself ‘if not me, then who?’. “Someone has to push for change . . . People who aren’t really interested (in politics) but care about WA need to jump in and get involved.” He is younger than his opponents in Liberal incumbent Melissa Price — who is eyeing off a fifth term — and Labor candidate Karen Wheatland, but believes it is a point of difference which could work in his favour. He said having a candidate for the younger generations could be an advantage. “I think it’s good to be relatable for younger people,” he said. “The current faces in politics are ageing, and I think it’s good to get new people in with different viewpoints. “The torch has to be passed over at some point. “I don’t think there’s a limit on how soon that happens.” Mr Kempton moved to Geraldton in 2021 and runs an electrical contracting business, and believed the skill of handling tradies would translate to the political sphere if elected. However, his roots to the wider Durack region were also felt, with his family history going back to settlement. “The first Kempton came here as a convict, and there’s Kemptons all the way up the coast in Geraldton, Carnarvon, Onslow, a bunch of different places,” he said. “Now living in the region, I’ve become passionate about the issues that people are facing and the neglect they’re facing.” Mr Kempton said neglect was another reason he put his hand up, claiming funding in the region had dried up. He was involved in recovery efforts after cyclone Seroja and said he saw first-hand the neglect the region suffered, even during a natural disaster. There was a significant swing away from Labor across regional WA in the State election, with the Nationals claiming six seats, including Geraldton. Mr Kempton said voters had made their feelings known and he was in the mix to claim Durack. “I am going in as a relatively unknown face, I’m not arrogant at all,” he said. “Based on the results Kirrilee (Warr) got, it’s pretty clear to me how regional WA feels about the Nationals. “If you look purely at the regional vote, I think we’ve got a pretty good chance.”