ALP candidate put on standby for Fisher by-election ballot

LABOR put its endorsed candidate for Fisher on standby ahead of the startling resignation of former federal speaker Peter Slipper last Tuesday.

Bill Gissane, who had been gearing up to challenge endorsed LNP candidate Mal Brough at federal elections due next year, confirmed he had received a call Tuesday morning warning that a by-election may be imminent.

The semi-retired international business consultant said plans to work up to Christmas before starting to campaign full-time from January may have to be changed.

"Mal Brough is favourite," Mr Gissane said.

"But I'll be giving it a red-hot go.

"I've got no issue with Mal and will take him at his word on the Ashby matter.

"Ultimately that has nothing to do with the Fisher electorate.

"But the Coast has already got several state LNP members who are making careers for themselves in politics at the highest level.

"My focus will be to help the locals in Fisher.

"That's my ambition: to represent the people and interests of Fisher regardless of who is in power."

Mr Gissane settled on the Coast nearly two years ago after a career which took him from the steel mills of Port Kembla into a business career, first managing CSR timber processing mills before launching a global consultancy based on behavioural aspects of workplace health and safety.

After selling the business to Moody International, which works with ExxonMobil, BP, Shell, Woodside, Santos and Xstrata, Mr Gissane was stationed in Houston, Texas, as its vice-president before returning to the Sunshine Coast.