“He will now work hard to be elected by the community, so he can take his passion and drive to get things done to the Australian Parliament,” Mr Spence said.

Cr Simmonds said he was pleased to have been selected to stand in the federal election.

“There will be a very clear choice for voters, the LNP that manages the economy responsibly for the benefit of all Australians, or Labor – who wants to impose higher taxes, and take more income from the pensioners and self-funded retirees who live in this community," he said.

“Locals tell me that they can’t stomach the thought of Bill Shorten becoming Prime Minister. I’ll be doing all that I can to make sure that never happens.

“I’ll be standing up and fighting for our area – I won’t stand by as Labor and the Greens try and take what our residents have spent a lifetime building simply because Labor and the Greens can’t manage a budget or the Australian economy.”

Comment has been sought from Mrs Prentice.

Mrs Prentice was herself the councillor for Walter Taylor Ward when she won preselection in 2012, being replaced in Brisbane City Hall by Cr Simmonds.

She sought LNP preselection after former LNP Ryan MP Michael Johnson, after he was expelled from the party when it found he had misused his parliamentary resources.

Previously, Cr Simmonds was employed as Mrs Prentice's policy liaison officer at Brisbane City Council, when Mrs Prentice held the public transport portfolio in future premier Campbell Newman's City Hall administration.