The Victorian Trades Hall Council has announced it will specifically target Flinders MP Greg Hunt in the May federal election.
Phone callers and door knockers will play on Mr Hunt’s role in the overthrow last year of then Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull that led to Scott Morrison taking over leadership of the Liberal National government.
Health Minister Mr Hunt sought to be deputy leader in the failed leadership bid by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
The union umbrella group THC will also target Mr Hunt’s Liberal colleague, Chris Crewther in neighbouring Dunkley.
The involvement of Trades Hall comes weeks after left wing lobby group GretUp! Also announced its intention to unseat Mr Hunt, citing his lack of action in dealing with climate change. Mr Hunt denies the claims (“Hunt a GetUp! ‘target’ in federal poll” The News 20/3/19).
Flinders is seen as blue-ribbon Liberal territory – held by Mr Hunt since 2001 – and is being also being contested by high profile, former Liberal Julia Banks, former Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Susie Beveridge, Labor’s Joshua Sinclair (campaign manager for Chris Brayne who won the “safe” Liberal state seat of Nepean for Labor last November) and the Australian Green, Nathan Lesslie.
Labor is banking on Liberal voters still being angry over the way Mr Turnbull lost his job.
Ms Banks has confirmed to The News that his son, Alex Turnbull, helped setting up some aspects of her campaign for Flinders.
First published in the Western Port News – 2 April 2019
