Kris Beavis announced as Nats’ Ballina candidate

The CEO of the Northern Region SLSA Helicopter Rescue Service, Kris Beavis, has been preselected by the NSW Nationals to run for next year’s state election seat of Ballina.

It follows the announcement of Ballina MP Don Page’s retirement next year.

Mr Beavis defeated Ballina Shire Cr Sharon Cadwallader for the candidacy.

While there is no political background in Mr Beavis’s CV, his career history – according to www.helirescue.com.au and www.linkedin.com – includes 20 years in retail, commercial banking and corporate finance.

After finance (Suncorp Metway, Westpac), he took a senior management role at Ballina’s Emmanuel Anglican College (2000–2008) and has been involved with surf life saving since 1970s.

Mr Beavis said in a statement that he is ‘running for parliament for the community, not himself.’

‘Unlike other parties, in the Nationals we know what our duty to the community is.

‘You deserve a government that works with and supports you. It means a government that looks to a sustainable future for our children and one that stringently protects our environment.’

Mr Beavis has been with the Northern Region SLSA Helicopter Rescue since 2008.

He remains active in beach patrol and competition activities, is current president of Ballina Lighthouse and Lismore Surf Life Saving Club.

Don Page praised Mr Beavis as an ‘ideal candidate’.

‘Kris is an outstanding servant of the community through his role in Surf Life Saving and his work as CEO of the Helicopter Rescue Service,’ he said.

‘I will be doing all I can to support Kris in the long election campaign ahead. We may have held Ballina since its conception in 1988 but we are taking nothing for granted.

‘I will work closely with Kris every day until the election because I know him to be the best person for the job,’ Mr Page said.