Cash splash for Braddon

THE major parties are wooing the voters of Braddon with a cash splash up to 10 times more generous than on offer in other electorates.

Braddon voters are being treated to an unmatched example of pork-barrelling, with promises amounting to between $1500 and almost $2000 per person.

By contrast, in the electorates of Longman (Queensland) and Mayo (South Australia), where by-elections will also be held this Saturday, the promises amount to between $200 and almost $800 a voter.

A News Corp analysis of the Liberal and Labor parties’ spending promises in the socalled Super Saturday of byelections reveals that Braddon could be up to $100 million better off depending on the outcome.

The Labor Party has promised a total of $142 million to the electorate, equivalent to about $1950 for each of Braddon’s 72,000 voters.

The Liberals have promised $118 million, or more than $1600 per voter.

The staggering amounts being promised in Braddon dwarf the promises made in both the Mayo and Longman.

In stark contrast, the other two by-election contests of Perth and Fremantle, considered safe Labor seats and uncontested by the Coalition, offer very little to voters.

In Longman, Labor has made $82 million worth of promises to boost the chances of returning Susan Lamb to the House of Representatives. That adds up to about $780 per voter.

By contrast, the Liberals have pledged $42 million, or $400 per voter, on behalf of Trevor Ruthenberg.

In Mayo, Liberal Georgina Downer is taking on Nick Xenophon party candidate Rebekha Sharkie.

The Liberals have promised Mayo voters $22 million, the equivalent of about $200 each. Ms Sharkie’s promises are uncosted, while Labor is offering $15 per voter.

The battle for Braddon is predicted to be extremely close.

Several opinion polls have given no candidate a clear lead, suggesting the final outcome will be decided by the preferences of the popular independent candidate fisherman Craig Garland, whose how-to-vote ticket favours Labor.

Internal Liberal Party poll-

ing figures revealed by Southern Cross last night claimed the Liberals were ahead 51-49 per cent on a two party preferred basis, while Labor figures pitched their candidate as the preferred option.

Federal Opposition leader Bill Shorten was in the electorate yesterday talking up Labor’s health policies.

“The number one issue in the Braddon by election is health care,” he said.

“The reality is that the Liberals nationally have neglected health outcomes for Tasmanians. There’s some really upsetting statistics which were given a human face last night when I talked to older Tasmanians complaining that they have to wait and wait and wait to get elective surgery for matters that people on the mainland take for granted.”

Liberal candidate Brett Whiteley said only he could offer the benefit of working as part of a Liberal team in government in both Canberra and at the state level.

“I just want to stress the importance of working in synch with the State Government led by the Premier Will Hodgman and obviously with Malcolm Turnbull at the leadership of the Coalition,” he said.

“It is just so important as we go into this by-election to understand the positive ramifications that can come from having a local federal member as part of the Federal Government team working alongside Will Hodgman and his team.”