LABOR SNUBS NORTH

IT’S one of the fastest growing areas in Australia, in desperate need of a hospital and $2.4 billion to build a second M1 – but its Labor candidate is AWOL.

Labor’s Coomera candidate Chris Johnson did not respond to repeated calls from the Bulletin during the last month to attend Thursday night’s election debate.

Campaign strategists were at a loss to explain his absence, or why he was the only Labor candidate to not attend.

LNP MP Michael Crandon was the sole attendee of Thursday’s Bulletin online debate, after One Nation’s Tabita Wilkinson, The Greens’ Lissy Gavranich, the Animal Justice Party’s Darryl Prout and the United Australia Party’s Heath Gallagher all boycotted the 30-minute event.

Independent Kris Bourbon and Informed Medical Options candidate She D’Montford were contacted on Thursday but were unable to attend.

Mr Crandon said the other candidates had abandoned the northern Coast, and he challenged them to another debate.

Asked about the Labor candidate not turning up to the debate, he said: “We have been left out for so long on the northern Gold Coast.”

He did not seem surprised that the other candidates had failed to surface, and agreed they did not appear serious about winning the poll or offering any solutions.

“Well I think you’ve said it all, they have taken so long to come back to you, to respond. I indicated my enthusiasm to come on board several weeks ago after I was first invited,” he said. “I will be pleased to debate all and sundry any time they like.

One Nation’s Ms Wilkinson was provided a briefing document on Tuesday but waited until just hours before the debate began to claim she had not received any information, and decline.

The Greens also confirmed on Thursday morning – after more repeated calls from the Bulletin – their candidate Ms Gavranich would not attend.

Coomera is one of the state’s most marginal seats, with Mr Crandon holding it by