Redgum frontman John Schumann entering Mayo campaign for Rebekha Sharkie fundraiser

REDGUM frontman John Schumann is entering the Mayo by-election campaign, supporting Rebekha Sharkie at a music fundraiser 20 years after delivering a political scare for the father of her rival, Georgina Downer.

Musician John Schumann performs at the declaration of the 1998 poll in Mayo, won by Alexander Downer, right.

• Georgina Downer trails Rebekha Sharkie in Mayo by-election

FORMER Redgum frontman John Schumann is entering the Mayo by-election campaign, supporting Rebekha Sharkie at a music fundraiser 20 years after delivering a political scare for the father of her Liberal rival, Georgina Downer.

Mr Schumann, the Australian Democrats’ Mayo candidate in 1998, will be a special guest at Ms Sharkie’s RocKwiz Music Trivia Fundraiser event on Saturday night in Echunga.

The singer/songwriter stood against former Liberal leader Alexander Downer at the 1998 federal election, taking the blue-ribbon seat to preferences.

In a written statement, Mr Schumann told The Advertiser his “small gesture of support” for Ms Sharkie ahead of the July 28 by-election should not be taken as support for her party or her colleagues.

“Nor is it to be taken as my endorsement of any political decisions she has made in the past or will make in the future,” he said.

“Simply, it is because I think she is a decent, honourable person who has worked very hard — and that’s widely acknowledged in her electorate.

Singer/songwriter John Schumann will be a special guest at Rebekha Sharkie’s music trivia fundraiser event. Picture: Ray Strange

“Also, a short time after she was elected, she was generous enough to approach me and acknowledge that l’d laid the ground work for her victory back in 1998, when I proved that representing Mayo in the federal Parliament was not necessarily the sole prerogative of the Downer family. I appreciated that.”

Mr Schumann said he believed delaying the Mayo by-election until July 28 was, in part, a deliberate strategy to exhaust Ms Sharkie’s finances, so he was happy to lend her support at a fundraiser.

Other “special guests” at the fundraiser, promoted on Ms Sharkie’s Facebook page, will be her Centre Alliance colleague, Senator Rex Patrick, and independent MP for the Victorian seat of Indi, Cathy McGowan.

Ms Sharkie said she appreciated Mr Schumann’s support and again acknowledged his role in her 2016 win.

Ms Sharkie’s favouritism for the July 28 election has been further entrenched by another opinion poll putting her overwhelmingly ahead of Ms Downer.

A ReachTEL poll of 736 people in Mayo, taken on Thursday night, showed Ms Sharkie leading Ms Downer 62 per cent to 38 per cent, on a two-party preferred basis.

The poll, commissioned by The Australia Institute, showed Ms Sharkie with 43.5 per cent primary support and Ms Downer with 32.7 per cent.

Greens candidate Major “Moogy” Sumner attracted nine per cent primary support and Labor’s Reg Coutts 8.2 per cent.

John Schumann statement to The Advertiser

“My small gesture of support for Rebekha by taking part in the Music Trivia Night is not to be taken as support for her party or her colleagues. Nor is it to be taken as my endorsement of any political decisions she has made in the past or will make in the future. Simply it is because I think she is a decent, honourable person who has worked very hard — and that’s widely acknowledged in her electorate. Also, a short time after she was elected, she was generous enough to approach me and acknowledge that l’d laid the ground work for her victory back in 1998, when I proved that representing Mayo in the federal Parliament was not necessarily the sole prerogative of the Downer family. I appreciated that.

I also think that delaying the by-election until the end of July is, in part, a deliberate strategy to exhaust her financial resources. The Music Trivia Night is a fundraiser to help her keep going so, in that context, I’m happy to lend her some support.”