McFeely to stand for Richmond

Peel Hotel owner Tom McFeely has been preselected to stand as a Liberal candidate for the seat of Richmond.

The Scottish-born gay pub owner will stand against sitting Labor MP Richard Wynne and Greens’ lesbian candidate Kathleen Maltzahn.

McFeely, who earlier this year announced he was seeking Liberal pre-selection for the Upper House Northern Metropolitan Region seat — described Richmond as a better fit.

“I’m very much an inner city candidate … I made it very clear at the pre-selection for the Upper House that I didn’t have a relationship with the outer suburbs,” he told Southern Star Observer.

“I [am] an inner city boy and made no apology for that. I know the area well, I know a lot of people in the area and I think all elected representatives should represent an area they know.”

McFeely is likely to be a controversial figure for the GLBTI community, already claiming to have received a death threat when he announced his decision to stand with the Liberals.

On the issue of gay marriage McFeely says he takes a “pragmatic” approach.

“It’s my view that government’s job is to recognise committed relationships,” he said. “I believe in equal rights and equal recognition for everyone, whether it’s pragmatic to include the word marriage at this moment in time, that’s what I’m questioning.

“I think there is something, somewhere down the track for government to recognise committed relationships regardless of what their sexuality.”

On same-sex adoption, McFeely said known parent and stranger adoption should be viewed differently.
“I think it’s a complex issue, for me it should be about the best interests in the child,” he said.

“There are some practical reasons [for] official recognition of adoption, however my view when it comes to stranger adoptions and nipping across to India or China just to pick up a kid, I don’t necessarily think that’s the right thing to do.

“My personal belief is, God made me gay, I didn’t get married, I don’t have a wife, we haven’t procreated. I think that might be for a reason.”

McFeely counts Margaret Thatcher as his political hero and said he would not be campaigning for gay issues, but rather focus on improving law and order and day-to-day cost of living.

In related news, The Australian Sex Party — strong supporters of same-sex marriage – has been officially registered by the Victorian Electoral Commission and is expected to field candidates for both Upper and Lower House seats in the November 27 election.