Mayor of Geraldton

Like Durack's Labor candidate, when Shane Van Styn was preselected by the

Nationals he was facing a virtual mission impossible to unseat Liberal Back Bencher Barry Haase from his very safe Liberal seat he had held for 15 years. Since then Mr Haase has announced his retirement and the Australian political landscape has been reshaped by the return of Prime Minister Rudd.
Mr Van Styn is a City of Greater Geraldton Councillor, business owner and accountant. In 2011 he was fined $15,000 and banned from any involvement in a licensed premises for three years after an employee died from acute alcohol toxicity in a Geraldton nightclub owned by Mr Van Styn.
Mr Van Styn is continuing something of a Nationals' tradition in saying he will vote against coalition policies where he believes they are at odds with the Durack electorate. He is calling for a moratorium on unconventional gas due to the potential for groundwater pollution from shale gas fracking. He's at odds with state Nationals in that he doesn't believe controversial plans to develop James Price Point north of Broome should proceed.
Mr Van Styn has a more conventional Nationals position around other development issues in the seat of Durack.