‘Sorry’ for rally abuse
A FORMER Nationals candidate who called Tweed hospital site protesters “the great unwashed” in an online video has apologised.
Matthew Fraser, who has previously run for the Nationals in the Federal seat of Richmond, posted a video of himself on Facebook slamming the Relocate Team protesters who were protesting outside Tweed MP Geoff Provest’s office on Friday.
In the video Mr Fraser made a joke about “working for a living” and then called the crowd “the great unwashed”.
Mr Fraser has told the Bulletin he regreted the comments.
“My comments regarding the rally were a generalisation and I was wrong,” he said.
“People have a right to stand up for what they believe.
“There were good community people who I happened to know who attended the rally.
“My real beef is with Justine Elliot (ALP Member for Richmond) using good people as political pawns for her own personal agenda.’’
Despite saying he regretted his comments, Mr Fraser had at the time of going to press not removed the video or changed the caption in which he calls protesters “the great unwashed”.
Relocate Tweed Valley organiser Hayley Paddon, who put together the protest, said politicians needed to “come down a peg”.
Ms Paddon slammed Mr Fraser’s apology, saying it was without compassion.
“He has wrecked his career here,” she said.
“To have someone who wants to represent the community sitting across the road recording a video of himself whIle another member doesn’t come out to see us, what does that tell you?
“Our protest was never about the hospital, it was about the site – the right idea, the wrong place.
“They all need to come down a peg and listen to the people.”
In the video, Mr Fraser also commented about Ms Elliott, accusing her of bussing in protesters.
It is understood he will put his name forward for preselection as the Nationals candidate in the coming months.