Tireless campaigner John Mikita – grandson of Irma Palasics, who was murdered during a robbery at her McKellar home in 1999 – is among the 25 preselected Canberra Liberals candidates for the October 19 Legislative Assembly election.

Mr Mikita, who is standing in Yerrabi, never gave up publicly campaigning for police to find his grandmother’s murderers and late last year two men were extradited from Melbourne and have been charged with the murder.

The candidates were revealed on Saturday morning and include former Liberal staffer Joe Prevedello, who has put his hand up for Ginninderra. And Amardeep Singh is back for another shot at Murrumbidgee.

Former Liberal candidate for Eden-Monaro at the last NSW state election, Dr Jerry Nockles is having a tilt at the central seat of Kurrajong.

All sitting members, with exception of Nicole Lawder who is retiring from Brindabella at the election, have been preselected.

They include recently dumped deputy leader Jeremy Hanson, who has always been a popular Liberal choice in Murrumbidgee. As acting leader last year, Hanson was seen as an impressive figure in challenging the government, especially during the Calvary Hospital takeover, before being despatched to the back bench in a party room coup led by returning leader Elizabeth Lee.

Elizabeth Kikkert, who was similarly stripped of her shadow portfolios and demoted to the back bench, has been preselected for Ginninderra.

Nonetheless, Liberals leader Lee says she’s “excited about the calibre of candidates the Canberra Liberals will put forward at the ACT election this year.”

Yerrabi