Labor election campaign targets Coalition seat Leichhardt

ABC NEWS (Australia)

On election night, one of the seats to watch is Leichhardt in Queensland’s far north. Year after year, voters in the region have elected the same man, Warren Entsch, but his resignation has thrown the race wide open.

Transcript

00:00Twice the size of Tasmania, Leichhardt is a vast and diverse electorate.

00:08Beyond the northern tip of Queensland, it takes in the Torres Strait Islands.

00:13More than half a dozen Aboriginal communities are scattered through the Cape.

00:17On the west coast is the mining town of Weeper.

00:20On the east, the spectacular Daintree Rainforest,

00:24the sugar milling town of Mossman and the beach resorts of Port Douglas.

00:29But the big population base is in the city of Cairns.

00:3280% of Leichhardt's voters live here.

00:39For nearly three decades, their federal member has been the LNP's Warren Ench.

00:44This is him now, with the man hoping to succeed him, former paramedic Jeremy Neal.

00:50We're very, very focused on making sure that taxpayers get value for money.

00:53And with his departure, Labor senses an opportunity.

00:56It's pre-selected former Cairns Taipans basketball player, Matt Smith.

01:01We know that supporting the reef means supporting jobs for far north Queensland.

01:06But it's a crowded race with ten candidates on the ballot paper.

01:10So what is motivating people at the ballot box here in Cairns? Let's find out.

01:16Definitely cost of living, because at the moment my wage pretty much pays my rent and that's about it.

01:22Crime around Cairns is pretty important to us, making sure we feel safe in our own houses.

01:27For me it's healthcare, 100%, and housing in remote Indigenous communities.

01:32Probably sound economic management.

01:35Free or lower HECs.

01:37Protection of our assets, Australian assets, is important, like no foreign ownership.

01:43Everything that Labor's doing is a flaming mess.

01:46What was the thing right at the top of your mind?

01:48Environment, climate change.

01:51For the first time in years I've just completely undecided, you know? Yeah.

01:56Why is that?

01:57Oh, I just, you know, don't want nuclear power and I don't want the guy that tried to get the voice in and the referendum.

02:04You're not impressed by any of them? No, not really.

Category

Transcript

Recommended