A Victorian National party candidate who had been due to face court on rape charges has died days before the state election, causing the election to be declared “failed” in his electorate.
Shaun David Gilchrist was due to face the county court on 30 November charged with one count of rape and three counts of sexual assault ahead of a trial that had been scheduled for next year.
But the body of the 47-year-old was discovered at Rawson, in the state’s east, on Sunday.
Gilchrist was the Nationals candidate for Narracan, a seat that starts just outside Melbourne’s eastern fringe and finishes before the Latrobe Valley. He is survived by his partner and two children.
The Nationals state director, Matthew Harris, described the death as tragic and unexpected.
“The Victorian Nationals express our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr Gilchrist, and our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time,” Harris said in a statement.
Peter Walsh, the leader of the Victorian Nationals, later told reporters he would not comment on how Gilchrist was preselected despite the criminal charges.
“I’m not going to get into a commentary about the issues because I have been specifically asked by his widow to respect their privacy,” he said.
“She’s [got] two young children and she said to me this morning, ‘I’ve had to explain to them that their father will not be coming home’ and she doesn’t want the issues that you’re raising talked about until she’s had some time to talk to her children.”
Matthew Guy, the opposition leader, also refused to answer questions about Gilchrist.
Guy said he was confident no other Coalition candidates were facing criminal charges. Victoria police declined to comment on when Gilchrist was charged and when the alleged offences occurred.
National party rules in Victoria state that a nominee to be a candidate must sign a statement that they are a “fit and proper person” and disclose any information that might be relevant to whether the nominee could be disqualified from becoming or continuing to be a member of parliament if elected.
Under Victoria’s Constitution Act, anyone convicted or found guilty of an indictable offence punishable by a prison term of five years or more cannot be an MP. Both of Gilchrist’s charges carried maximum prison terms greater than five years.
The Victorian Electoral Commission said on Monday the election for Narracan had been declared “failed as a result of Gilchrist’s death over the weekend”. A supplementary election for Narracan will be held at a date to be determined.
Voters in the electorate are still required to vote for their upper house candidates.
The Victorian premier, Daniel Andrews, issued a statement offering sincere condolences to Gilchrist’s loved ones on Monday morning.
“While Shaun and I had never met, I know he was respected by so many across the community for his warmth, his humour and his hard work.
“I have no doubt he shared the same ambition so many of us do in wanting to get involved with politics to change society for the better and make a positive contribution to the community around him.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends, as well as his colleagues and his supporters, who are all grieving the most tragic of losses.”
In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. Other international suicide helplines can be found at befrienders.org
