Latham warns of Shorten’s ‘lies’

FORMER Labor leader Mark Latham has joined forces with Pauline Hanson to attack Bill Shorten’s “lies” in a “robocall” phone call being sent to voters in the crucial Queensland seat of Longman.

Some Labor MPs yesterday were privately worried Mr Latham’s intervention could turn voters off the party in the by-election for the marginal seat on July 28.

Others lashed out at the “failed” politician who took the party to a resounding defeat in the 2004 election.

In the message, Mr Latham urged voters to reject Labor, and instead place their votes with minor parties.

“I’m Mark Latham, former Labor Party leader. I’ve had personal experience with Bill Shorten’s dishonesty. He just lies and lies and lies,” Mr Latham says.

“The reason we’re having a Longman by-election is because Shorten lied about the citizenship of his Labor MPs.

“Whatever you do, don’t reward Shorten’s dishonesty. Don’t vote Labor. Please support minor parties and independents to shake up the system. Put some honest politics back into Canberra.”

The message ends with an endorsement from Senator Hanson and her One Nation party.

Queensland Labor senator Anthony Chisolm said: “If Pauline Hanson thinks the people of Longman have any affinity for a superannuated failed politician like Mark Latham, she must be living on a different planet.”

But one senior Labor figure said there were “fears it will be effective”.

Queensland MP Wayne Swan said Mr Latham “ratted on battlers and working Australians years ago, so it’s no wonder he’s teamed up with Hanson”.

Mark Latham