Dirty play from Liberals in Legislative Council election

As a campaigner for Rosemary Armitage, I have enjoyed the tone of the campaign until now.

The candidates have treated each other with respect and worked hard on their goal. However Sam McQuestin’s behaviour over the last week has really shown me the lengths that some people (or parties) will go to to gain a few votes.

Rosemary Armitage over many years has stated in more than one forum that she is ‘not in favour’ of a pulp mill in the Tamar Valley As this is on record you would think that this could not be reframed in any other way. But yes, Sam McQuestin and the Liberals must think that Rosemary Armitage is a contender and feel the need to attempt to smear her 100% independence.

Following Liberal Jonathan Hawkes similiar comments last week, McQuestin says on his website:

A bizarre Greens survey may be further evidence that a vote for independents in the Launceston election could result in a defacto Green candidate being elected.

“It raises the question as to whether this survey is actually about promoting Rosemary Armitage’s anti-pulp mill and Green leanings, and as to whether Ms Armitage is really just a defacto Green candidate?

But then he strangely says:

“It appears that Rosemary Armitage is telling Greens that she opposes the pulp mill, and others that she supports it – what exactly is her true position?

Now he’s just not making sense. The Greens already fielded a candidate who pulled out and without a candidate you would logically think they may be trying to get an idea on who their supporters should vote for. With two independent candidates in the race McQuestin goes on to survey ONLY Rosemary Armitage with seven bizarre questions of his own.

I would hope that on May 7th the voters in the Launceston electorate will show Sam McQuestin that attempting to mislead them will only backfire.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Mandy Beveridge,

• What Sam McQuestin says

Armitage Campaign Defends Greens Survey

28 April 2011

The defence of the Greens survey by the Armitage campaign appears to be further evidence that a vote for independents in the Launceston election could result in a defacto Green candidate being elected.

“The Armitage campaign appear to be endorsing the bizarre strategy of the Greens political party surveying candidates ‘to get an idea on who their supporters should vote for’,” Sam McQuestin said.

“I have no problem with Rosemary Armitage cosying up to the Greens to get their votes but all the voters of Launceston deserve to know that this is what she is doing.

“Let me be crystal clear that I will not be pandering to the Greens or supporting their policies that are inflicting significant damage on the Tasmanian economy as part of the Labor-Green Government.

“While the Armitage campaign claims that she has always been against the pulp mill, in public, she now appears to be hedging her bets.

“The fact remains that on the ABC Mornings Candidate Forum there was widespread confusion from Ms Armitage and others about whether or not she supported the pulp mill.

“Ms Armitage’s position on the pulp mill has also been left without any mention on her website or campaign material.

“Ms Amitage is entitled to her view on the pulp mill but the voters of Launceston are entitled to a clear understanding of what her view actually is.

“If Rosemary Armitage is pandering to the Greens for votes she needs to be upfront about it, rather than pretending to be all things to all people.

“It appears that Rosemary Armitage is telling Greens that she opposes the pulp mill, and others that she supports it – what exactly is her true position?

“If the people of Launceston vote for Rosemary Armitage, which Greens policies will she be supporting?

Sam McQuestin said some questions that the voters of Launceston still had for Ms Armitage included:

· Does she support the Bell Bay pulp mill?

· Would she support the Greens Bill to overturn the pulp mill approval?

· Does she support a ban on native forest harvesting?

· Does she support the ban on canal estate developments?

· What other developments does she oppose?

· Does she categorically rule out ever accepting a Labor-Green Ministry?

· Does she support the Labor-Green Carbon Tax?