Katter ignores polls, says McCarthy will win
CHRIS CALCINO cusp of victory despite a YouGov Galaxy poll commissioned by the Cairns Post this week placing him with only 7 per cent of the primary vote. He had little faith in polls. “The polling in the last election on me said I was going to lose by 7 per cent — I won by 12 per cent,” Mr Katter said.
Mr McCarthy said the mood in Leichhardt was in stark contrast to the independent survey results but predicted a “very, very close” race.
“We don’t waste money on polling — we’d rather invest that money on winning votes,” he said. Mr Katter said six times as many voters were taking his how-to-vote cards than those of Labor or the Coalition at the booths he had worked on.
He would not reveal which major party he thought would make a better government for North Queensland.
“We will decide who becomes the government of Australia in the interests of the people of North Queensland, as I have determined on each previous occasion,” Mr Katter said.
“I’m not interested in either party … Stomp them both.” MATTHEW KILLORAN THE tightly contested threecornered contest for the final two Senate spots in Queensland has a surprising new entrant.
The Greens, One Nation and billionaire Clive Palmer have been the favourites over the campaign to win the final two spots, with the LNP and Labor expected to take two each.
But momentum moving in the Coalition’s favour has some LNP pundits hopeful their third candidate, Gerard Rennick, could get up over Mr Palmer.
It could see Mr Palmer left without a senator in Queensland, despite the $60 million he has spent on blanket advertising across radio, television, print and online.
LNP campaigners say they are in with a shot of their third candidate finishing ahead of Mr Palmer and collecting preferences. But those in the Labor camp consider this an “optimistic” view, suggesting it will be the Greens, One Nation and the United Australia Party fighting it out.
Senator Larissa Waters, for the Greens, is considered a strong chance of being returned to the Senate.