Green dip liability for Burnet

GREENS alderman Helen Burnet is the early frontrunner for Hobart deputy lord mayor but the Greens’ electoral decline may stall her race.

There was 3.53 per cent swing against the Greens at the March state election.

Since then, Greens Leader Cassy O’Connor has been forced to defend herself against allegations of racism levelled by the national co-convener of the Young Greens, Mark Clayton, for her position on Chinese Government influence in Tasmania.

Election analyst Kevin Bonham said it was difficult to gauge whether the damage to the Greens would be reflected at a local level.

“Ald Burnet has a history of performing strongly and polls better than other Greens candidates,” he said.

“The question is to what extent the Greens’ decline will affect her.”

Ald Burnet said she had no concerns about the Greens’ brand and was happy with her campaign so far.

“I think the issues of housing affordability, the mountain, building heights are very Green issues but they resonate with voters far beyond our members and supporters,’ she said.

Dr Bonham said she would face serious challenges from candidates Zelinda Sherlock, who is running with Ald Damon Thomas’s Liveable Hobart Group, and Simon Behrakis, an independent with a strong Liberal following.

“If Ald Burnet gets a strong enough primary vote then they may not catch her,” he said.

An EMRS poll asked 2680 people last week if they planned to vote with 548 saying they did. Of those, 42 per cent were unable or unwilling to express a preference with Anna Reynolds emerging as favourite for lord mayor with 15 per cent of the vote and Ald Thomas and Green Bill Harvey nabbing 8 per cent each.