BATTLE LINES ARE
Coast Labor Senator Murray Watt vows win or lose May 18’s Federal election, Labor will one day take control of the city from the LNP and is “in it for the long haul”.
Mr Watt said the seat of Forde – held by the Liberal National Party’s (LNP) Bert van Manen by a tiny 0.6 per cent margin – was a prime chance for Labor to claw its way into a regional seat through candidate Des Hardman at the looming Federal election.
But newly retired long-serving Moncrieff MP Steven Ciobo – who officially finished up yesterday morning when Prime Minister Scott Morrison called the election – warned Gold Coast voters “should not take the risk on Labor” particularly because of proposed negative gearing changes.
“There is no doubt Labor has measured the curtains. They have been cocky for close on 12 months,” Mr Ciobo said.
“Everything Labor says and does comes across like they think they have this election in the bag.
“From our perspective it will be critical to reinforce people should not take the risk.”
Labor will campaign in the strong LNP seats of McPherson, Moncrieff and Fadden at the election set for May 18.
Labor will not field a candidate for Wright, held by MP Scott Buchholz, where Mt Tamborine tourism identity Innes Larkin has decided to challenge as an independent. The LNP-held electorate will also be contested by the Greens, Katter’s Australian Party and United Australia.
Mr Watt said he was not confident Labor would wrestle any of the three safe Coast seats from the LNP but Forde offered a key opportunity to infiltrate LNP heartland.
“Labor sees rebuilding on the Gold Coast as a long-term project,” he said
“When I put my senate office on the Gold Coast in 2012 I was the only Labor representative at any level of government on the Gold Coast. We’ve now managed to win a State seat with Meaghan Scanlon (in Gaven).
“If we can win Forde that gives us a Federal seat and would assist us then to potentially pick up a couple more state seats.
“We’re in this for the long haul and we really are serious about making sure Labor has more of a presence on the Gold Coast and that the Gold Coast gets a much better deal than what it’s been getting from wall-to-wall LNP members.”
Mr Watt said the LNP “takes the Gold Coast for granted” and he would like to see voters give the LNP a wake-up call.
Mr Ciobo said “no doubt Bert van Manen’s seat of Forde is a key battleground”.
“Bert has worked consistently over the past three years and I believe that will hold him in good stead come the election,” he said.
“My concern is Labor’s broad policy approach.
“They will have a massive tax and spending approach. It is fine to say you are going to increase funding but every Australian knows the Government doesn’t create money – every extra dollar they put into things is ripped out of someone’s pocket as an extra tax.
“It’s a very straightforward question – do you believe you can tax your way to prosperity? We have seen that approach to be thoroughly misguided.”
Mr Ciobo warned voters against endorsing Labor’s policy to limit negative gearing at the ballot box.
“In our city, the Gold Coast, the construction industry is one of the biggest employers. I think of thousands of holiday apartments in the city and people cleaning them and fixing them,” he said.
“All that is under threat from Labor’s negative gearing policy because all the new stock coming on stream won’t be purchased by investors because they can’t negatively
THERE IS NO DOUBT LABOR HAS MEASURED THE CURTAINS. THEY HAVE BEEN COCKY FOR 12 MONTHS.