Howard wont attend Bennelong Forum–Maxine’s Position: Me Too
04 November 2007
Peter Goldfinch, the Australian Democrats candidate for Bennelong, today slammed the decision by Maxine McKew to pull out of a local community forum as an example of “cartel politics”.
“At a time when both major parties are desperate for votes in Bennelong, Maxine’s choice to snub the only community run candidate forum shows either she has been given poor advice or has contempt for the constituents she is seeking to represent. At least Tony Abbott was merely late for the National Press Club he didn’t just decide not to go”. Mr Goldfinch said.
“The vote for minor parties including the Australian Democrats in Bennelong will be pivotal in deciding the seat. The latest Galaxy Poll shows the ALP on 47 and the Liberals on 46. Not enough of a margin for either party to show this level of disdain towards the organisers of a community event.
The support voters give the candidates who do bother to turn up to the Eastwood event on Thursday will decide the result in Bennelong.
“The Citizens for Integrity in Government have been planning this forum for months, but late last week Ms McKew pulled out on the basis that she had a better offer. She is showing herself to be no better than our current member, John Howard, who has always refused to plan his schedule to attend any ‘meet the candidates’ event in his own electorate.” Mr Goldfinch said.
Citizens for Integrity in Government has organised a candidates forum in the seat of Bennelong on Thursday 8 November at Eastwood Masonic Hall at 7.30. This coalition of local groups is associated with the GetUp! campaign which has been campaigning on the theme of voting for change.
The major parties stand to damage democracy and offend constituents when they won’t address voters at meetings that they and their minders can’t stage manage.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the cartel parties are colluding on this issue as well as all the other policy ‘me tooism’ that is such a hallmark of this election. We now see there is little difference between the Liberal and Labor parties – they’ve been running politics like an organised cartel for too long.”
“The people of Bennelong should express their disgust at the way they are still being treated, even in such a close race for the seat, and give their first preference to someone other than the two cartel parties.”