Rebekha Sharkie widens more crossbench support for her Mayo by-election campaign

REBEKHA Sharkie is calling on all her mates to help her re-election campaign, with two more crossbench MPs expected to hit the streets of Mayo in coming weeks.

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REBEKHA Sharkie is calling on all her mates to help her campaign, with two more crossbench MPs ­expected to hit the streets of Mayo in coming weeks.

Victorian MP Cathy McGowan and Tasmanian independent Andrew Wilkie are planning trips to South Australia to show their support for the Centre Alliance candidate for Mayo.

Ms Sharkie has defended her decision to campaign with other crossbenchers — including Bob Katter, who flew into town last week — despite not seeing eye-to-eye with them on all issues.

“We are very respectful of each other’s views,” she said.

Katter's Australian Party leader Bob Katter with Rebekha Sharkie in Yankalilla last week.

Ms Sharkie said she hoped support from her crossbench colleagues would highlight the importance of having strong, independent voices in Parliament.

“I think, if nothing else, the fact that we have been able to get a royal commission up into the banks shows the value of the crossbench,” she said.

She also shrugged off suggestions that she was being supported by Labor, which has been vocal in attack­ing Liberal candidate Georgina Downer despite not yet having its own candidate.

“Labor will have their own ­candidate, as they should, and the ­Liberals should have candidates in WA (the Perth and Fremantle by-elections) but they don’t,” she said.

Labor was expected to finalise its candidate for Mayo in the coming week.

Ms McGowan, who represents the rural Victorian electorate of Indi, said she wanted to see Ms Sharkie re-elected.

Independent MPs Cathy McGowan and Andrew Wilkie with Mayo by-election candidate Rebekha Sharkie.

“I will be supportive of Rebekha’s campaign and I will be willing to help out if I can,” she said.

“Rebekha has made a significant contribution to the parliament and I would like to see her continue.”

Denison MP Mr Wilkie labelled Ms Sharkie an “exceptional” MP and was “keen that she’s re-­elected”.

Mr Katter, who represents the seat of Kennedy in northern Queensland, came under fire last week for helping Ms Sharkie campaign while federal Parliament was sitting.

“Rebekha Sharkie has played an essential role in the Parliament. Without her, there would be no royal commission (into the banks),” he said.

“And while it is a Claytons inquiry, it is still an inquiry and we would not have anything without Rebekha.

“Rebekha brings a moral objectivity and a passion of moral outrage to her job. She was one of the few people who carries a moral compass in her pocket.”

Mr Katter credited Ms Sharkie and former party leader Nick Xenophon for fighting against the sale of the S. Kidman & Co cattle empire to Chinese buyers.

Mr Katter said he hoped his “flamboyance” would help to draw attention to Ms Sharkie’s campaign.