Rachel Williams
LAUNCESTON City Council alderman Ted Sands has resigned his Labor Party membership to stand as a “totally independent” candidate for the Upper House seat of Windermere. Mr Sands yesterday became the third person to announce their candidature for the Legislative Council position. It follows former Bass Labor MHA Kathryn Hay’s decision to re-enter politics after an abrupt exit in 2006 and confirmation that incumbent Ivan Dean will recontest. Ms Hay created controversy on the weekend by announcing her decision to run as an “independent Labor” candidate, although notification of her intention was sent from the Labor Party. Mr Sands was a former candidate for Federal Labor preselection in Bass, which was won by Jodie Campbell. He said he resigned his membership last year because it was best not to have any party affiliation. “You have to be able to say you can’t endorse all policies that are taken to the Upper House for decision,” Mr Sands said. Upper House elections will be held in May and if Mr Sands is successful he said he would not recontest his position at the council when local government elections are held later in the year. “One man, one job, give it your all and be effective,” he said, referring to Mr Dean, who is also a Launceston City Council aldermen. Mr Sands said his main platform was finding and funding a solution for silt extraction to improve the Tamar River, demanding the construction of closed loop sewerage treatment systems, getting the Dilston bypass constructed and improving other northern road infrastructure, improving the palliative care system and investigating house and land packages for low-cost living. He said he remained “totally opposed” to Gunns’ $2billion Bell Bay pulp mill. Read more here
And the ABC story, for when the Ex link goes cold in 24hours: Here
Earlier: Independent … Labor
