"COVID and my community" are the focus of Bega MP Andrew Constance.
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Not whether or not he will seek pre-selection for the seat of Gilmore at the next federal election.
On Tuesday (September 28) Australian Community Media revealed rumours circulating in local Liberal circles that Mr Constance was contemplating a tilt at the federal seat
"My focus is not on politics, it's on my community and COVID," Mr Constance said.
"We had our first death in the region (a 77-year-old Batemans Bay woman) and that is more important than any thoughts of federal politics.
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"This is not the time to be worried about political games.
"This is the time to be focused on my community, and the issue of COVID and that's what I'm doing.
"We have families and businesses down here hurting...hurting as much as just after the bushfires.
"My focus must be here and how we get this community through this COVID emergency."
While not ruling out any intention to stand for Gilmore, he reiterated at this stage "there are more important things to worry about."
I'm not interested in the inner machinations of the Liberal Party and its pre-selections - there are more important things than politicking at the moment and I think people will take a very dim view of anyone wanting to politicise things at the moment and will mark it down.
- Bega MP Andrew Constance
"Locally it has to all be about COVID," he said.
"We have 27 cases in Batemans Bay alone and that's only one town in the region.
"Getting us to those three steps to freedom - 70 per cent vaccination on October 11, followed by the 80 per cent target and getting us to the 90 per cent in early December."
Mr Constance said he was not even aware of when pre-selection nominations might open.
"I don't even know the time frames," he said.
"I'm not interested in the inner machinations of the Liberal Party and its pre-selections - there are more important things than politicking at the moment and I think people will take a very dim view of anyone wanting to politicise things at the moment and will mark it down.
"There are way more important things to deal with and worry about in the world.
"I know the Liberal Party, the Prime Minister and the Premier are very focused on what we need to do to get through the next two months."
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