Cr Cadart, 65, was last week included on the Tasmanian Liberals ticket in Lyons for next year's state election.

He said he was sitting on his bed after the fires brushed past his Bicheno home when he realised he wanted to be proactive and help turn the state around.

"It was like someone hit me on the back of the head with a cricket bat," he said.

"I have a passion for Tasmania and I have been tossing around the idea for a very long time.

"I joined the Liberal party five or six years ago and I approached the Liberal party to put in an expression of interest."

Cr Cadart has been Glamorgan- Spring Bay Mayor since 2007 and if elected into the House of Assembly, he said he would continue in the role until September's local government elections.

In his time as Mayor, Cr Cadart has overseen challenges such as drought and the effects of the forestry downturn.

His role models include Margaret Thatcher, Ronald Reagan and Lee Kuan Yew.

"Even if we switch to the Liberal Party, we need to change, we need to get our pride back and not be happy to sit in mediocrity thinking the federal government and big island will come to the rescue," he said.

"This island has plenty of potential and the problem is not the island, it is with us the Tasmanians."

Cr Cadart joins Derwent Valley Mayor Martyn Evans, former senator Guy Barnett, Rene Hidding and Mark Shelton as the Liberal candidates for Lyons.