CUT-THROAT VOTE

TWEED’S $534m hospital proposed for a site near Kingscliff is now the focus of a cut-throat, three-way battle for political power at state and federal level.

Federal Richmond MP Justine Elliot has brought Labor heavyweight Anthony Albanese to the Tweed to push the case against siting the hospital at Cudgen.

With booming support for the Greens in the region, Ms Elliot is also siding with vocal locals opposed to the farmland site.

Her husband, Craig Elliot, Labor’s candidate for the NSW state seat of Tweed, is also in a fight to roll the Nationals’ Geoff Provest. Yesterday he declared the state election would be a Tweed hospital referendum. The power couple’s desperation, particularly Ms Elliot’s, stems from Labor scenting victory at the federal poll – provided seats like hers are not lost.

Ms Elliot had a 2.38 per cent swing to her on a two-candidate preferred basis at the last election, but the real story lay in first preference votes in which there was actually a 3.33 per cent swing against her.

Nationals candidate Matthew Fraser led on first preferences, 37.61 per cent to her 31.05, with Greens candidate Dawn Walker on 20.44 per cent – up 5.07 per cent.

Greens preferences then won the day for Ms Elliot, pushing her ahead of Mr Fraser on the two-candidate basis.