LIBERAL Party candidate for Flinders Zoe McKenzie says she had an “exceptional evening” discussing “Australia’s national security and intelligence landscape” at the same time that 400 people gathered in Mount Martha expecting to hear from all 10 candidates.
McKenzie told organisers during the morning before that evening’s town hall meeting that she would not be attending as Senator James Paterson was available to attend a meeting at Portsea Sorrento RSL.
Animal Justice Party candidate Pamela Engelander was also absent from the meeting on Wednesday 11 May organised by the non-political community group Peninsula Voice and radio station RPP FM.
The News sought comment from McKenzie but as has become normal during this election campaign, was instead offered quotes from an unnamed spokesperson or “Zoe McKenzie campaign”.
The closest to a direct comment from McKenzie was posted on her Facebook: “Exceptional evening to discuss Australia’s national security and intelligence landscape, AUKUS, and recent events in Europe and the Asia-Pacific, together with chair of the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security, Senator James Paterson.
“Thank you to the local RSLs, men’s shed and many members of southern Mornington Peninsula community for joining us, as well as Sam Groth and Susan Bissinger.”
Groth is the Liberal Party candidate for the state seat of Nepean and Bissinger a Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 17 May 2022
