Shots fired in battle over Broadwater
LABOR candidate and copper Peter Flori warned Gold Coast LNP heavyweight David Crisafulli that he was in for a fight before last night’s Meet the Candidate’s debate kicked off in front of about 50 residents.
But the ALP hopeful in the Broadwater seat managed to get a broadside from his two opponents before the speeches began at the Paradise Point Community Hall just after 7.30pm.
“David Crisafulli is keeping a low profile because he doesn’t want to be held to account for the damage he caused as a senior minister for Campbell Newman,” Mr Flori told the Bulletin.
“You only have to look at the last election. Crisafulli was happy to hang his hat with Campbell Newman but this time around we’ve hardly heard a peep.
“History tells us to expect if David Crisafulli and Tim Nicholls are allowed to join forces again — cuts, cuts to schools, hospitals, roads and infrastructure, and cuts to frontline jobs, nurses, teaches, doctors and police.”
Mr Crisafulli, as he prepared for the meeting, when advised of the comments chuckled to himself.
“I’ve been called a lot of things, but never low profile,” he replied.
“What I am is hungry to serve and keen to bring new energy to the local area.”
Mr Flori released a media statement and photographs of Mr Crisafulli jogging with the former Premier Newman when he was a Local Government Minister.
After moving to the Coast, Mr Crisafulli beat the sitting LNP MP Verity Barton in a preselection battle in May.
He has blitzed the electorate with signage and staged several media conferences.
Boundary changes have improved the seat for the LNP from a 7.2 per cent margin to 16.3 per cent.
Labor can expect to get preferences from well-known Green candidate Daniel Kwon while One Nation candidate Brendan Ball, an experienced campaigner, is the X-factor.
Mr Ball last night said he was the only other candidate apart from Mr Crisafulli who could win the seat.
“He (Mr Flori) would be lucky to get five per cent of the vote. It’s the most ridiculous statement I’ve ever heard,” Mr Ball said.
“Preferences between One Nation and the LNP in Broadwater are going nowhere. We are absolutely going to finish one and two.
“Look at Sportsbet. He’s 34 to one and I’m eight to one.”