I mean honestly. No: strike that.
First Andrew Robb reckons not one not two not three but thirteen Labor Party candidates are ineligible for election. Why?
According to Mr Robb, high-level legal opinion suggests that Mr Newhouse was a member of the New South Wales Consumer trader and Tenancy Tribunal when he nominated as a Labor candidate for the election…
The other candidate[s] named by the Liberal Party include Victorian candidate for McEwen, Rob Mitchell, who the Liberal Party claims may still be employed as a senior adviser to the Brumby state government.
The others are: Tony Zappia (Makin, SA), Yvette D’ath (Petrie, Qld), Peter Conway (ACT senate), Shayne Neumann (Blair, Qld), Garry Parr (Hinkler, Qld), Alan Neilan (Kennedy, Qld), Sharon Thiel (Kalgoorlie, WA), Belinda Neil (Robertson, NSW), Mark Buttugieg (Cook, NSW), Ross Daniels (Ryan, Qld), Mark Reynolds (Tangney, WA).
Mr Robb said the party’s list of candidates was compiled after “investigative public searches”.
Mr Robb said the Liberal Party had not informed the AEC of its findings but said the issue of eligibility could be easily resolved if candidates produced the relevant documentation. ~ ’13 Labor candidates ineligible’, Gerard McManus and AAP, Herald Sun, November 20, 2007
Unfortunately, what “Mr Robb” meant by “investigative public searches” was “Google”: “The Herald Sun last night confirmed the Liberal Party claims were based on scouring websites, and did not involve any checks or phone calls to the respective boards, authorities and agencies involved” (Web search smear falls to pieces, Herald Sun, November 21, 2007).
Antics such as these would tend to suggest that the Tories are a little nervous heading into the polling booths on Saturday, as well they might be.
But wait!
There’s more!
Libs busted over vile race slur
Malcolm Farr and Brad Watts
The Daily Telegraph
November 22, 2007
THE Liberal Party has been hugely embarrassed over a campaign team caught delivering fake letters linking Labor with the Bali bombers.
The grubby night-time operation in St Marys, in the seat of Lindsay [Marginal Liberal 2.9%], was busted by a squad of ALP sleuths who conducted a stake-out.
Police have been called in to investigate the distribution of the letter, as well as the Australian Electoral Commission.
The Liberal Party yesterday expelled two members involved in the scheme.
The gang included Gary Clark, husband of retiring MP for Lindsay Jackie Kelly, and party state executive member Jeff Egan. Another was named by Labor as Troy Craig, president of the Glenmore Action Group.
Liberal sources said a group of campaign volunteers were involved and had not been authorised.
Mr Clark, a dentist, has a reputation among party campaigners for coming up with distinctive ideas and trying to carry them out…
I like that last line.
See also : Young Tories: Recruiting now! | I Was A Teenage Tory : John Hyde Page | Many Young Liberals are racist, sexist, homophobic nerds. And proud. Who knew?
