[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One Nation, Liberal and Labor have all lost endorsed candidates for both inappropriate behaviour and unacceptable social media posts.
Led by One Nation’s Steve Dickson with video emerging of him engaging in both crude behaviour and commentary at a Washington strip club, it was even too much for One Nation leader Pauline Hanson. It’s a bit hard to campaign on a platform of family values while cavorting with strippers and your wife is back home.
The Liberal Party to date have lost 3 candidates for unacceptable comments in regard to muslims and homophobic comments. Labor lost a Senate candidate in the NT for spreading Jewish one world conspiracy theories and their candidate in the seat of Melbourne resigned due to totally inappropriate social media postings, joking about rape.
All in all, it just ads to the general cynicism and distrust the public have both in regard to politics generally and major parties in particular as they are seen as the political establishment and ultimately the custodians of the political system.
It is no wonder then, that an increasing number of people vote for fringe and minor parties in protest at these types of antics.
Health Debate
On Thursday, Health Minister Greg Hunt went head to head with Shadow Minister Catherine King at the National Press Club in the traditional health debate.
In a lively debate both the Minister and Shadow Minister forcefully prosecuted their respective party’s health policies.
Catherine King was keen to highlight Labor’s cancer care policy, pensioner dental plan and the restoration of Commonwealth funding to state public hospitals.
Greg Hunt announced that a re-elected Morrison Government would allow older patients to have GP consultations by phone, email or text in an expansion of the Government’s telehealth trials.
He also highlighted that the Government has listed every recommended medication on the PBS and that this was only due to the strong economic stewardship of the Government.
Catherine King was keen to remind those present and hence the Australian community that it was Labor that created Medicare and the PBS.
Minor Parties and the Election
The preferences of minor parties will be key to deciding the outcome in a number of key seats, particularly in Queensland where the Government hold 8 seats on a margin of 4% or less.
Bearing in mind that Labor need to win a net 5 seats to win Government, a good result in Queensland alone could propel Bill Shorten into the lodge.
That being said, the preferences of One Nation, Palmer United and Katter’s Australian Party will be crucial in a number of these seats.
With the preference deal between the LNP and Clive Palmer, the Government will be hoping to save some key marginal seats.
In the key Queensland seat of Herbert, based on Townsville held by Labor with a margin of 37 votes, a recent poll found that a combined 40% of the electorate would vote for minor parties.
This puts into stark reality, the importance minor party preferences will play on May 18.[/vc_column_text][vc_zigzag][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/4″][vc_single_image image=”1915″ img_size=”full”][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”3/4″][vc_column_text]
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jody Fassina is the Managing Director of Insight Strategy and has served as a strategic adviser to MedTech and pharmaceutical stakeholders.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
