Former Liberal Chief Minister and Senator for the ACT, Gary Humphries, has re-entered the political fray, nearly 11 years after he left Parliament and 10 years after he quit the Liberal Party, although he says he re-joined the party after leaving the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in late 2020.
Humphries has endorsed Tuggeranong accountant James Daniels as the Liberal of choice in the seat of Brindabella for the October 19 election for the Legislative Assembly. A letter from Humphries endorsing Daniels was sent out to households across Brindabella.
Humphries said Daniels, who was a friend, was someone who could help get the Territory's finances in order and who "understands the issues affecting ordinary people living in our valleys".
"With James in the Legislative Assembly, the people of Tuggeranong will have a champion who understands the problems and can argue in government for effective solutions," Humphries said, in the letter.
Humphries has not endorsed anyone else, saying there were some "good people standing in this election, but James stands out as a person who can make a real difference to the quality of life we live".
"At this stage of my career, I think I'm going to pick and choose who I'd like to see in the Assembly," he said on Thursday.
Humphries' endorsement would be seen as giving his imprimatur to a more moderate Liberal. Certainly not to anyone with plans to be the heir to Zed Seselja, who the party pre-selected instead of Humphries ahead of the 2013 federal election.
Humphries, meanwhile, is completing his PhD at the Australian National University, in the history faculty. His subject is ACT self-government from 1989 to 2001.
"I thought, 'I was there, I might as well write about it'," he said.
