ROOKIE COPS IT
A YOUNG LNP candidate for the Gold Coast City Council is under fire for posing with a gun and talking up ABC cuts.
Alec Pokarier posted a gun-toting photo of himself with the words “I support QLD farmers growing food”, which Labor Senator Murray Watt has branded “concerning”.
A ROOKIE Gold Coast City council candidate is under political fire for a Facebook account that shows him posing with a gun and talking up funding cuts to the ABC.
Young Coast LNP identity Alec Pokarier, who has worked for Broadwater MP David Crisafulli, posted a photograph of himself holding a rifle with the words “I support QLD farmers growing food”.
In another post, Mr Pokarier is pictured on his feet in a parliamentary chamber with young colleagues calling out to “defund ABC”.
Labor has seized on the images, which they claim have been deleted from Mr Pokarier’s personal Facebook page.
“These images of Mr Pokarier are extremely concerning,” Gold Coast-based Senator Murray Watt said. “The last thing our LNP-dominated council needs is another right wing, Liberal hack.
“Even worse, by deleting his Facebook posts, Mr Pokarier is trying to hide his past, supporting cuts to the ABC funding and posing with guns.”
Mr Pokarier strongly defended his personal politics, saying he had spent the past month doorknocking locals in a bid to fix roads, keep our rates low and improve parks and recycling efforts.
“Council issues that matter. Like every Australian, I have personal views on issues that I am passionate about, like supporting our farmers,” he said.
“It’s sad to hear a senator living in Brisbane is disappointed that I support Queensland farmers in a photo of me on a Queensland cattle property.
“He mustn’t know but here in council Division 1, we’re home to the last family-owned sugar mill in Australia. Cane supplied by local farming families who have defined our north for generations and help to make our city so unique.
“All farmers deserve our support.”
Mr Pokarier was one of the first candidates to announce he would stand at the March 2020 local government elections after the Electoral Commission of Queensland outlined council boundary changes in mid-August.
He is standing in the city’s most northern seat, currently held by Councillor Donna Gates after the deputy mayor ran unopposed at the last poll.
Cr Gates is yet to make a decision on which seat she will run for but colleagues believe she may nominate for Division 3 under the changed boundaries.