Queensland election 2017: Greens in ‘final sprint’ to unseat Jackie Trad

THE Greens are recruiting volunteers from interstate as they plan a “final sprint” to unseat Deputy Premier Jackie Trad on November 25.

THE Greens are recruiting volunteers from interstate as they plan a “final sprint” to unseat Deputy Premier Jackie Trad on November 25.

The party has put out a call to locals with spare rooms and couches to help accommodate the travelling campaigners in the final two weeks before polling day.

“South Brisbane will run a program called the final sprint which will bring in dozens of interstate volunteers to boost our campaign in the last two weeks,” an email sent by the party – headed with the subject line ‘Do you have a spare room’ – and obtained by The Courier-Mail states.

“This is an amazing opportunity for our campaign. There are dozens of keen volunteers in other states who could really boost our campaign. They just need somewhere to stay.”

It asks locals to contact the “final sprint co-ordinator” if they have a “spare room or a guest room with a bed or a fold-out couch and you would be willing to host a volunteer from interstate for free”.

The Greens consider Amy MacMahon a real chance to unseat Jackie Trad.

Jackie Trad’s inner-city electorate is one of the Labor seats most vulnerable to the Greens.

“We are asking those who live in South Brisbane to host a volunteer for a maximum of two weeks. Volunteers would sort out their own food and transport.”

The Greens are planning their final sprint to begin on November 10 and end on polling day on November 25.

Greens candidate Amy MacMahon defended the move, insisting that it would be closer to seven volunteers rather than the “dozens” referred to in the email.

“We’ve built an amazing grassroots campaign, with over 600 volunteers from Brisbane, and seven enthusiastic interstate volunteers who are excited to fight for a better future,” she said.

“I think our campaign has given people hope, not just in Queensland but around the country, and I’m quite proud of that.”

Ms Trad, however, said she would not be “flying anyone in from south of the border”.

“I’ve been a local for 40 years and I’m proud of the fact that my campaign is driven by locals,” she said.

“This campaign is being run like all my previous campaigns, by locals talking to locals.”