Fed: Abbott and co confident of win in Bradfield circus

AAP General News (Australia)
12-05-2009
Fed: Abbott and co confident of win in Bradfield circus

By Adam Bennett

SYDNEY, Dec 5 AAP - With a Kevin Rudd impersonator standing in for an absent Labor
Party, a pole dancer handing out how-to-vote condoms, and the dust still to settle on
the Liberal leadership, predictions the Bradfield by-election would become a circus came
true.

The blue-ribbon Liberal seat on Sydney's north shore took on a festival atmosphere
as booths opened at 8am (AEDT) on Saturday.

The fake PM ingratiated himself to voters and candidates, even receiving a warm reception
from new federal Liberal leader Tony Abbott.

Meanwhile, a flamboyantly dressed Marianne Leishman, aka Zahra Stardust, said the Australian
Sex Party had attracted votes across the spectrum.

The pole-dancing human rights lawyer was predicting a bright future for Australia's
newest political party.

"We've had people from eighteen years old to 70-year-old women saying they voted for
us," said Ms Leishman, who spent the morning handing out how-to-vote condoms printed with
Pope Benedict XVI's image.

"We're very thrilled to have such a successful and colourful campaign."

While Labor opted not to run in Bradfield, 22 candidates put their hands up for the
seat vacated by Brendan Nelson.

Liberal candidate Paul Fletcher has been the frontrunner through the campaign, but
turmoil over his party's leadership and its opposition to an emissions trading scheme
were expected to spark a backlash against the party.

The Greens were expected to garner much of the protest vote, but even leader Bob Brown
has admitted the Liberals' 13.5 per cent margin was a bridge too far.

Campaigning by Mr Fletcher's side in Roseville on Saturday morning, a recently elevated
Mr Abbott said the Liberals would overcome any protest vote.

"By-elections are traditionally difficult for the incumbent party. There is usually
a slight swing against the incumbent party," Mr Abbott told reporters.

"I think we can say pretty much for certain that there should be a swing to the Greens,
but no one should read into that because they are probably the main opposition here today.

"I'm confident that Paul Fletcher is going to Canberra."

Some voters at the Roseville polling booth confirmed Mr Abbott's predictions of a backlash.

One Liberal voter, Richard Summerville, said he voted for one of the independents to
give the Liberals "a bit of a wake-up call".

Another, Peter Brockington, said he was supporting the Christian Democratic Party because
he was a "bit disillusioned with the major parties".

"The Liberal Party will still win, but this is just my voice to say I'm a bit disappointed
with the way they are conducting themselves," he said.

Mr Fletcher cast his vote with Dr Nelson at Lindfield Public School, where the former
Liberal leader said a Bradfield win was not being taken for granted.

By-elections were always unpredictable for the incumbent party, Dr Nelson said.

However, he expected the desire for a strong local candidate to outweigh any frustrations
over climate policy.

"Everybody has their own views about climate change," Dr Nelson said.

"We know the people of Bradfield are intelligent and educated and can see beyond the
turmoil that we've seen in Canberra."

Mr Fletcher has been quick to dismiss the importance of climate change in the minds
of Bradfield voters, instead positioning local issues as the key to his campaign platform.

"There is a whole range of local issues, as well as a whole range of national issues
going well beyond the ETS, that people are concerned about," he said.

Greens candidate Susie Gemmell disagreed, saying climate change was at the forefront
of voters' concerns.

"There is a very strong mood in the electorate that they're dissatisfied with Tony
Abbott becoming leader of the Liberal Party, and with his brand of climate denial," she
said.

AAP ab/jl/de

KEYWORD: BRADFIELD WRAP (PIX AVAILABLE)

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