Andrew Wilkie: Focus on the public interest, not grubby preference deals

I call on the political parties to, for once, focus on the public interest and not do any grubby preference deals in Denison at this election.

I’m not trying to tell the parties what their How-to-Vote cards should look like because ultimately that’s their business. But their preferences shouldn’t be based on backroom deals stitched up for no purpose other than political gain.

It’s an open secret that the Greens and Labor are in the process of doing a preference swap in Denison, even though the leadership of those parties have been at each other’s throats in recent months.

There are also reports that Labor is trying to secure Liberal preferences in Denison, despite them being sworn political enemies.

Seems that everything the parties claim to stand for amounts to nothing when it comes to their political self-interest. This betrays their members and all those who support and vote for them.

And it throws up bizarre outcomes. For example at this election it could see a Labor voter ultimately helping to elect the Liberal candidate, or a Green voter having his or her vote end up with Labor.

I make the point again that I will not enter in to any preference negotiations or do any preference deals at the election, or do any deal afterwards with any party to help it form government.

Download copies of the letters I sent to Labor, Liberal and the Greens to that effect:

AWilkie_to_Tas_Political_Parties_re_preferences_16_May_13.pdf
Andrew Wilkie MP, Independent Member for Denison