War of words erupts as Labor candidate hits back at Chamber

Gympie Labor candidate Geoff Williams defends absence at Gympie’s election forum after Chamber’s swipe at his failure to respond to invitations

Gympie ALP candidate Geoff Williams

A letter to the editor from Labor candidate Geoff Williams:

 

I ASSUME I have the right of reply to the article published on the The Gympie Times dated 17th October 2020, "Disappointing, verging on Ignorance".

READ FULL ARTICLE "Disappointing, verging on Ignorance" HERE

I feel if anyone's behaviour is disappointing verging on ignorance it is that of the Chamber of Commerce.

I take offence at being conscripted into something before being asked and I also find it down right rude.

 

Gympie Chamber of Commerce president Tony Goodman and Labor candidate for the seat of Gympie in the October 31 Queensland state election Geoff Williams.

Let me give you a timeline of events:

1. 30th September. I opened up The Gympie Times online while having my morning coffee and saw the article about being part of the debate, which was astonishing as I hadn't even been consulted.

2. Over 6 and 1/2 hours later I got a private message through Facebook which I didn't respond to.

3. 6th October, I received an email from Sharlene Makin, that she stated she had already sent twice before to the wrong email address. I did not respond.

4. 7th October. Received another email this time from Tony Goodman, again I did not respond. Why the non response?

As a newcomer to politics having always been a blue collar worker, I was advised that all media invitations were to go through Party office, I forwarded all of the above contacts to my media advisor as well as my prior engagement.

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Candidates at the Gympie state election debate held last week.

I always thought the Chamber of Commerce was supposed to be apolitical.

I just want the chance to be the voice that Gympie hasn't had and help it grow the way it should without waiting for the next attack in The Gympie Times.

Abridged.

 

It should be noted that The Gympie Times approached the Chamber of Commerce for comment on the fact that Labor candidate Geoff Williams failed to respond to the invitations to attend the Gympie election forum held last week.

 

The ballot draw for Gympie's seat in the 2020 Queensland Election was determined on Sunday, October 11: Tim Jerome (IND), Donna Reardon (IND), Michael Blaxland (ONP), Geoff Williams (ALP) and Tony Perrett (LNP).

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