Baw Baw Shire West Ward councillor Ben Lucas announced yesterday that he had joined One Nation Victoria.
Mr Lucas said he resigned from the Liberal Party last month after not feeling aligned with the party's policies and the "in-fighting that we all see through the media."
Following a conversation with One Nation Victoria state president Warren Pickering, Mr Lucas said he was invited to join the party. He said he would be involved with the One Nation Victoria state executive, focusing on the "broader, strategic level view of where the party's going" and helping with tasks like creating branches, assisting with candidates, attending meetings and "helping out where I can."
Mr Lucas said remaining transparent was one of his top priorities.
"I've always been of the opinion that party politics shouldn't be involved in local council," he said. "I would never be influenced or be told how to vote on something and One Nation know that."
Mr Lucas said it was likely he would run as a candidate at the next state election, however he would not contest the seat of Narracan.
"A sitting councillor running against a sitting member of parliament isn't great for a conducive working relationship," he said.
"I don't think it's healthy for me to run against Wayne Farnham. I get along with Wayne quite well, and I'd like it to stay that way, regardless of our political leanings, and that's the way it should be."
Mr Lucas said he hadn't been promised anything by the party thus fur and he was "not really hunting a position or a job." But at this stage it was likely he could contest the seat of Bass or the Eastern Victoria Region in the upper house.
When asked if he thought the decision would receive backlash from the community, Mr Lucas said "absolutely."
"But I have to be the one that sleeps straight at night, and I feel very comfortable with my decision and where I'm at," he said.
"To those who oppose it or don't like it, that's politics, and that's what makes Australia the best country on earth, we should be able to agree to disagree on certain policies. For people that don't agree with me or don't like my decision, that's okay. I'd just agree to disagree, and I'd be happy to have a chat with anyone about it."