Labor candidate warns party it has lost its way in lead up to poll

A STATE Labor candidate in the lead-up to the State poll warned members that the party had “lost its way” and was out of favour with long term supporters.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with Labor candidate for Burleigh Gail Hislop.

A STATE Labor candidate warned members the party had “lost its way” and was out of favour with long-term supporters.

Straight-talking senior Coast ALP identity Gail Hislop gave an honest and brutal account of the party’s support at a meeting of a Burleigh branch just a month ago before being preselected.

She said members across various factions were “not happy” with the ALP and long-term supporters believed “Labor had lost its way”.

Ms Hislop cautioned that a candidate was only as a good as those who backed them and the branch would need to launch a massive campaign drive to raise funds.

LNP Burleigh MP Michael Hart yesterday used the comments to launch an attack on Ms Hislop as the pair fight out the biggest personal political battle on the Glitter Strip.

Michael Hart during election night in 2015. Picture: Regi Varghese

STATE ELECTION GUIDE TO BURLEIGH

Mr Hart beat Ms Hislop after a bitter campaign in 2015 but under recent electoral boundary changes his margin has been reduced from 6.2 per cent to 5.5 per cent.

“Labor has taken the Gold Coast for granted for three years and even their own candidates know that,” he said.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk scrapped job creating projects and played petty politics rather than getting on with the job of delivering the important infrastructure that the Gold Coast needs.”

Ms Hislop laughed when asked about her comment and launched into a tirade about Mr Hart’s tactics.

“Sorry for me laughing. I think the LNP are shaking in their boots. I had LNP voters today — I suppose you call them small “l” LNP say ‘we’ve never voted for Labor before but we are now with the Hanson-Nicholls alliance”.

“He knows that I’m right sniffing down the back of his collar. And I reckon I’m going to win it and he will use any dirty trick in the book.

LNP candidate Michael Hart reacts as the election results unfold at the Burleigh Brewing Company, his post election party office. Picture: Regi Varghese

“Where’s he been for the last three years. Why are the community saying are “you’re the local member Gail”.”

Asked about the context of her remarks, Ms Hislop said she had no concerns about the direction of the party and members “tossed up how things were going”.

“From month to month you look at it. Some months are better than others,” she replied.

The strong environmentalist explained her reasons for nominating late was because she had been pleased that Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk had fixed the Burleigh walkway and created the world surfing reserve.

“I felt really really good about Labor. I thought I will go back in. I thought I’m only running against Hart, I don’t need six months against him,” she said.

“I think I’m right. I reckon I’m right on his heels, we’re neck and neck at the moment. What you will hear in the next week is a whole lot of baloney and rubbish.

“Hart sits across from pre-poll most days on his leather seats outside a barber shop and watches his group do the work. He’s as lazy, as lazy can be. I think Burleigh deserves better than Michael Hart.”

Mr Hart during the campaign has ridiculed Ms Hislop for not moving into the electorate and remaining at Runaway Bay.

He believes Labor was desperate and preselected Ms Hislop rather than another candidate because she featured on old corflutes.