Federal election 2022: Craig Kelly admits Sydney seat will be hard fight

His party’s campaign ads proclaim him Australia’s next prime minister, but Craig Kelly admits the reality might be quite different.

United Australia Party MP Craig Kelly has admitted even he will have to “fight hard” for his own seat in the upcoming federal election, while also failing to identify key areas the UAP had a chance of winning seats in.

Speaking in Brisbane yesterday, the UAP leader said the party was pining for all 151 seats across the nation, but couldn’t specify which seats the party was hoping to win, saying “anything could happen” by 6pm on Saturday.

“I think with the election result, anything can happen with so many undecided voters going into the polls, and with the two major parties, their primary votes probably at historic lows,” he said.

“We hope we have the balance of power in both houses at a minimum … we’re making a really big pitch to them (voters) over these last couple of days.

“But the reality is, I’ve got a hard fight in my seat, as does every other candidate that we’ve got.”

United Australia Party leader Craig Kelly campaigning at the Chermside and Kedron pre-poll centre in Brisbane yesterday. Picture: Sarah Marshall/NCA NewsWire

When asked if Clive Palmer had lined up a job for him, Mr Kelly denied there had been no discussion or plans for him to work for Palmer if he loses his seat at the election.

“We’ll just see what happens on election night and go from there,” he said.

Mr Kelly vowed that regardless of the election outcome, the UAP would “vote against everything” unless parliament agreed to end mandates, reject an international Covid-19 treaty and undertake an “urgent investigation” into Australia’s health care system.

“Unless these are passed, we will be voting against everything.,” Mr Kelly said.

Originally published as Federal election 2022: Craig Kelly admits Sydney seat will be hard fight