Adelaide City councillor Robert Simms is the frontrunner to replace retiring federal Greens Senator Penny Wright, InDaily understands, increasing the chances of a return to the council by former Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood.

InDaily understands Simms, a former adviser to Greens senators Scott Ludlam and Sarah Hanson-Young, is the internal favourite against five other candidates for Wright’s Senate seat.

Last week, InDaily revealed Town Hall speculation that Yarwood may make a bid for Simms’ area councillor position, should he be endorsed for the federal Senate spot.

Yarwood – who was toppled by now Lord Mayor Martin Haese at last year’s election – said he was “100 per cent focused” on his new consultancy business City2050, but did not rule out making a return bid.

Former Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood.

Simms is competing for the Greens’ endorsement against five other candidates, including former Greens candidate for state parliament Matthew Carey.

Other nominees for the plum position include Rebecca Galdies, the Hindmarsh branch convenor for the SA Greens; Ruth Beach,  a former Greens candidate for the federal seat of Adelaide; Samuel Taylor, an adviser to state Greens leader Mark Parnell; and one other candidate who does not want to be named.

“I think I’ve got the experience and the skills to be able to make a contribution and hit the ground running,” Simms told InDaily this morning.

“I’ve worked as a political staffer to two Greens senators, but I’ve also got experience working within a level of government here in Adelaide City Council and delivering results, and pushing a progressive platform.”

However, Simms said he was competing against “a very strong field” of candidates.

He said curbing unemployment in South Australia by pursuing jobs in renewable technologies would be a key focus, should he win the Senate seat.

“We’ve got record unemployment, but I don’t think Labor or the Liberals have a clear plan to create new jobs of the future,” he said.

“There are some real opportunities for our economy here in South Australia as we transition away from coal and carbon – in particular … creating new jobs in renewable energy, and really using the skills of our manufacturing industry for green innovation.”

Simms has run as a Greens candidate on two other occasions since joining the Greens in 2007.

Carey said he would be an advocate for people with disabilities, workers’ rights and environmental issues, should he win his party’s endorsement.

“I decided to nominate myself because … I feel very passionately about Greens values and policies,” said Carey.

“I have a wide range of policy interests (including) the environment and climate change.

“As someone who is totally blind I have a particular interest in the disability area.

“If I’m successful I would only be the second blind person to enter federal parliament.”

He said he was able to attract positive media coverage during his unsuccessful 2014 campaign for the state seat of Morphett.

Taylor told InDaily he nominated “because I’m keen to destroy the fallacy of neoliberalism and reckless free-marketeerism”.

“Trickle-down economics is flawed, and neoliberal, so-called traditional economics does not solve the problems that it purports to address…

“It’s not so-much an opposition to markets per se … it’s an opposition to the idea that by deregulating the market, you can solve social ills.”

Taylor said his background as a marine biologist gave him an interest in improving scientific literacy among the population.

The Greens are due to announce their endorsement for the Senate seat early next month.