Peter Andren

Is it just me or does everyone sometimes wonder what fate is thinking?

Anyone who has been on this site before will know that I am standing as an Independent for the Federal seat of Fisher.

Yesterday, one of my heroes died.

Peter Andren, a former school teacher and news reader, was the Independent member for the federal seat of Calare (country NSW).

He won Calare in 1996 and at every election he increased his majority. By 2001 he had made the seat so safe he didn't even need preferences to be re-elected.

He was exactly the type of politician I want to be.

His close friend and fellow independent Tony Windsor described Mr Andren as the conscience of parliament.

Like me, Mr Andren was a vocal critic of many of the government's policies, including the Telstra sale, the treatment of refugees and Australia's involvement in the war in Iraq.

But his real passion was for the people of his electorate. He was decent and principled and his battle with pancreatic cancer lasted just 115 days.

Rest in peace Peter Andren, you did a really good job.