‘Dirt file’ claim apology

Dumped Liberal candidate says sorry to White for accusations

FORMER Liberal Party candidate Jessica Whelan has apologised to state Labor leader Rebecca White for claiming she was the source of a “dirt file”.

The Brighton councillor was disendorsed from the Liberal Party during the May federal election after the Mercury revealed she had posted antiIslamic comments on social media.

Ms Whelan admitted to all but one of the posts and referred the matter to the Australian Federal Police, who quietly dropped the complaint on June 17. Ms Whelan yesterday apologised via Facebook for comments she made blaming Ms White for the allegations which brought her candidacy to an end, but it appears that post has since been deleted.

“On 6 May 2019, I stated on Tasmania Talks with host Brian Carlton that the leader of the Opposition, the honourable Rebecca White MP, had provided a ‘dirt file’ to the media about me,” she wrote in the post which appeared on social media.

“Those comments were untrue. I apologise to Rebecca White for making this statement and apologise for causing any harm to her personal reputation or her reputation as the Opposition Leader of the Tasmanian Labor Party and member of the Tasmanian Parliament.”

The Coalition suffered a defeat in the marginal seat of Lyons after Ms Whelan’s late departure forced them to switch their endorsement to the National Party candidate.

She secured 24.2 per cent of the primary vote, 44.8 per cent after preferences.

Ms Whelan last month told the Derwent Valley Gazette she was still a member of the Liberal Party and hoped to run as a candidate again. “Yes I did the crime, but I have also done the time,” she told the Font PR-owned newspaper.

Ms White has always insisted the claims were untrue. “Ms Whelan has been caught out making false allegations against me and Will Hodgman should rule out the possibility of her ever standing as a Liberal candidate again,” she said.

“Her short time as a Liberal candidate was shrouded in controversy and this sort of behaviour isn’t acceptable, particularly for those seeking the privilege of representing the people of Tasmania in Parliament.”

Jessica Whelan