Taimus Werner-Gibbings has a lot going for him. He's a Sydney University law graduate, holds the plum position of deputy communications director to shadow minister Andrew Leigh, and has a handsome mug which should attract some second glances to corflutes around south Canberra roadsides.
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But on his boss' own research, the Labor candidate for Brindabella will have to overcome the electoral disadvantage of his hyphenated surname if he is to join the Legislative Assembly in October.
In his book The Luck of Politics published last year, Dr Leigh said federal candidates with hyphenated surnames fared an average 2.3 percentage points worse than those without them.
No hyphenated person has ever become an MLA, and there is none in the current House of Representatives either. (Three senators have hyphenated surnames, matching Dr Leigh's expectation the Senate model of candidates running on party lists makes the issue less relevant.)
Mr Werner-Gibbings, who has joked that conservative Joh Bjelke-Petersen is his political inspiration, said he wanted to test his abilities on behalf of Tuggeranong.
"Tuggeranong has really looked after us, I'm really optimistic about it's possibilities and I want to be promoting that," he said.
Living with type one diabetes, he said health services were a key area of interest.
"Everyone knows there is a dearth of bulk billing doctors in Canberra, and if it's hard for me sometimes to get in front of doctors to pick up prescriptions, it must be a lot harder for other people," he said.
"The Labor government in Tuggeranong has opened up the walk-in health centre, which has made a huge difference, but do we need more of that?"
The keen sportsman and amateur actor, 34, said he knew he had a tough race to take what would be a likely third seat for Labor in an electorate home to Mick Gentleman, Joy Burch and two re-contesting Liberal MLAs (not to mention the sole hyphenated Liberal candidate).
The removal of popular local Brendan Smyth would appear to help his chances.
Mr Werner-Gibbings, who grew up in Weston Creek, said he would not win or lose because of the light rail policy, with mixed feedback from potential constituents on the issue.
Wife Libby, a radiation therapist at Canberra Hospital, said her farming and National Party-voting father had taken some time to get used to a Labor candidate in the family.
"Dad happened to be at our house the day we had a volunteer get together, and he said, 'I wouldn't vote for him, but the Labor group have got the right person representing them'," she said.
And while the German and English-heritage last name has been shrunk in much of the campaign merchandise, the Gowrie couple hope the equally distinctive first – the signs read Taimus for Tuggeranong – will aid name recognition.
