Former Liberal Party stalwart Alexander Downer makes surprise visit to old electorate

REBEKHA Sharkie is comfortably clear in the polls, but the Centre Alliance candidate faced an unexpected Downer on the campaign trail in Mayo on Tuesday.

REBEKHA Sharkie is comfortably clear in the polls, but the Centre Alliance candidate faced an unexpected Downer on the campaign trail in Mayo on Tuesday.

Former federal Liberal leader and long-serving foreign minister Alexander Downer joined his daughter, party candidate Georgina Downer, at Mt Barker.

Ms Downer and Ms Sharkie were both outside the town’s pre-poll booth handing out how-to-vote cards before the encounter occurred.

Centre Alliance candidate Rebekha Sharkie and Alexander Downer seen campaigning at a pre-poll booth in Mt Barker on Tuesday. AAP Image/David Mariuz

Mr Downer, who held the seat of Mayo for 24 years, greeted Ms Sharkie before joining his daughter to speak to voters.

It came hours after Ms Downer was joined by Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who warned voters against supporting Ms Sharkie, who, he said, did not back the Government’s hardline stance on border protection. Ms Downer, who believes it will be a key issue for voters casting their ballot at the by-elections, said: “We cannot give an inch to the people smugglers”.

Mr Dutton is the latest in a carousel of Coalition MPs, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, to lend their support to her bid to reclaim the Downer dynasty. An Advertiser-Galaxy poll this week showed Ms Sharkie 18 points clear of Ms Downer.

Five by-elections will be held across four states on Super Saturday, four caused by the so-called citizenship crisis that claimed four scalps.

Page 21: Mayo, but not much pork