Candidates clash over comments

THE Liberal Party has fired its first shots in anger in the campaign for the Upper House seat of Pembroke, launching an attack based on a highly dubious rendition of an opponent’s radio interview.

The Liberals yesterday issued a campaign advertisement on Twitter and a media release yesterday claiming independent candidate Doug Chipman had endorsed government policy on TasWater — something he has consistently opposed.

The ad quoted Ald Chipman, the Mayor of Clarence, as saying: “What the Government is intending to do is to lower the price ...”

But the full quote from the ABC Radio interview yesterday conveyed a very different meaning.

“What the Government is intending to do is to lower the price for this election and their own State Election next year, but, in the long term, Tasmanians will pay more because it is essential that we are able to have sustainable water and sewerage prices,” he said.

In a media release issued by the Liberal party, candidate James Walker seized on the quote as “a telling admission”.

“Under the Liberals, the average household will save $550 on their water bills,” he said.

“And it’s not just me saying it — even Mr Chipman agrees.

“If the people in Pembroke want cheaper water bills, they need to vote for me, the Liberal candidate, so I can vote for cheaper prices in the Legislative Council.”

But Ald Chipman said he had been surprised at how blatantly selective the Liberals had been in quoting him.

“While the spin and selective quoting of the facts by the Government continues, the real issues for Pembroke are education, so our kids can get jobs when they leave school; good access to health services, particularly for the aged and unwell; and traffic-management issues,” he said.

Mr Walker stood by the claims. “I caught what I heard on radio,” he said.