Former Footscray and Western Bulldogs player Paul Dimattina has expressed a desire to enter Victorian state politics.
Dimattina, 46, is the owner of South Melbourne based establishment Lomaro's Hotel and has long expressed disdain for the Daniel Andrews led Labor government's lockdown laws.
“We were the most liveable city in the world … we’re not anymore, which is really sad. I’m a proud Victorian, well, I was, I can’t say I am anymore," Dimattina told The Herald Sun.
The 131-gamer is a self-confessed life-long Liberal voter and stated that due to being roundly fed up with the lack of support he feels as a business owner, he is "seriously considering" running for the party at the next state election.
“It’s easy to be critical but if you really want to do something and make it positive, then I have contemplated running,” Dimattina told 3AW Drive listeners on Friday.
“That’s where we are at, at the moment.
“I’ve said all along that I want our state to be great again and I’m adamant we won’t be a great state under our current leadership regime.”
The son of former Richmond rover Frank Dimattina claimed that he had already been approached by members of the state Liberal party.
“I can reveal I have been approached and I’m contemplating, there’s obviously a lot to weigh up … but I am seriously contemplating it,” he said on Sky News.
“I’ve had the phones rung hot today … and the support’s been overwhelming so it’s probably maybe given me that little bit of impetus again as I said to seriously consider it.
“I genuinely believe I can bring something to the table and hopefully make this state what it should be again; a fabulous great state.”
The star recruit for the Victorian Liberals has been revealed!
And here I was thinking they couldn't do any worse than the current lot.#auspol #springst pic.twitter.com/LkmlsfgXvH
— Squizz (@SquizzSTK) July 16, 2021
It is believed that it is the Liberal party's desire to have Dimattina run opposed to Victoria's Health Minister Martin Foley in the seat of Albert Park.
“We think if he ran in Albert Park we could win that,” one senior Liberal member told The Herald Sun.
Should the former Bulldog still wish to take a bite out of the Andrews' government late next year, his name will be on ballot papers for the election that is currently slated to take place on 26 November 2022.
