Burra resident David Gazard won Liberal preselection yesterday for the bellwether seat which has gone to the government of the day since 1972 and immediately set about falling into party line.

Mr Gazard said Opposition Leader's Tony Abbott's promise to slash public service by 12,000 positions in the ACT was the right one.

''Tony, in his announcement has discussed attrition only, in that there would be a freeze on hiring rather than cutting jobs and there is a difference. But it is the right decision to take,'' he said.

A former journalist, Mr Gazard is also the acting party director and campaign manager for the ACT Liberals and owns a communications and government relations firm.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times