NEWS Gunner attack fuels dirty campaign talk
THE Country Liberal Party’s candidate for Fannie Bay, Tracey Hayes, says the Territory Alliance Party polling is dated and she is comfortable with what her own party’s polling is showing about her rating against incumbent Michael Gunner.
“I’m more than happy with what polling I have seen and the support I am getting at the doorstep,” Ms Hayes said.
“The only similarity in the polling is that the Gunner Government is on the nose and it has a serious trust deficit.
“There is deep concern out there about the mess the Gunner Government has made of the last four years.
“I am not letting polling distract me, I am focused on the Fannie Bay electorate and letting them know how I will make a difference for them.”
Member for Araluen Robyn Lambley says MediaReach polling suggesting she will hang on to her seat at the August 22 Territory election means little to her.
However, Ms Lambley said she was encouraged by the polling of her Alliance colleague in Braitling Dale McIver. “Polling is just that, it’s polling,” Ms Lambley said.
“But in Dale McIver’s case, the polling was done only just after she was named as the Alliance candidate in Braitling.
“And for the poll to have her ahead as the preferred candidate speaks volumes about the high regard she is held in.”
Ms Lambley said she believes the Alliance Party has been well received in Alice Springs.
“I never take my electorate for granted and never will,” Ms Lambley said.
“It’s’ a race to the finish line.”
TERRITORY Alliance leader Terry Mills says he expects Chief Minister Michael Gunner to sanction a dirty Labor election campaign to be run against himself and the party after being the target of a stinging attack from the Chief Minister yesterday.
Mr Mills said the Chief Minister’s response to independent polling obtained by the NT News, pointing towards the Gunner Government struggling to hold on to its majority, was an indicator of the ugly campaign come.
The poll by MediaReach, the same company that predicted the 2016 NT election wipe-out of the CLP, predicts a hung parliament is the most likely outcome of the looming August 22 election.
In his attack on Mr Mills, Chief Minister Michael Gunner said Territorians had seen the Terry show before “and we don’t need the sequel”.
“Terry’s Alliance will mean more job cuts and higher power prices, just like last time,” he said.
“I’m focused on dealing attacks to with the coronavirus and protecting jobs, not polls.
“I’ve been pretty disappointed with Terry’s behaviour over the past few months. While everyone else has been working their arses off, he’s been playing politics 24/7.
“This is a bloke who tried to take over opposition in the middle of the coronavirus crisis, and I think that says everything.”
Mr Mills said not only was he expecting the Chief Minister and the Labor Party to play the man in the election campaign, so too were the former Labor Party members, who have joined the Territory Alliance Party.
“When the Labor Party fears someone they make their campaigns ugly, dirty and personal,” Mr Mills said.
“Labor fears Territory Alliance because it has lost longterm members and a good many of its voters to the Alliance Party. The Johnston byelection is proof of that.
“August 22 is the poll that matters most and we’ve pledged a positive campaign. We will not bend to Labor’s low behaviour. Territorians want better.”
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro agreed with both the Chief Minister and Mr Mills that the only poll that mattered was the one on election day.
“The only poll that counts is on election day and we will continue to work hard to show Territorians that we are the team to rebuild the Territory,” she said.
“Getting rid of the Gunner Labor Government has always been our focus, because Territorians deserve better.
“The Country Liberal Party is working hard fighting for jobs, safety and opportunity for all Territorians.”