Labor threatens to tear up Greens preference deal over ‘fugly’ social media post
Furious Labor members are demanding the party tear up its preferences deal with the Greens in a number of key electorates unless one of its senior figures apologises for referencing the term “fugly slut’’ in a social media post about Jackie Trad.
QLD Votes
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Votes. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Labor Party is threatening to tear up its longstanding preferences deal with the Greens in a number of key electorates unless one of its senior figures apologises for referencing the term “fugly slut’’ in a social media post.
The post was made about an article quoting former Deputy premier Jackie Trad saying the Greens were obsessed with themselves.
Last night, the Paddington branch of the Labor Party was asked by two life members to pass a motion to tear up its preference deal with the Greens in the seat of Cooper, being vacated by senior Cabinet Minister Kate Jones.
Annastacia Palaszczuk, Deb Frecklington campaign in southeast Queensland
Deputy Premier Steven Miles accuses Scott Morrison of taking a ‘week off’ to campaign for LNP
Jack and Lue Camp have written to the branch secretary Jack Araullo demanding a special meeting of the branch to sanction the Greens by not exchanging second preferences unless the Greens apologise.
“In our many decades living in this area, we have never seen such a personal and offensive comment made and excused by a political party about a rival candidate,’’ they said.
“It is our belief that the Greens candidate for Cooper must demonstrate a minimum level of backbone to denounce sexist comments when she sees them, if she wants to attract the second preference of Labor voters.’’
In a tweet, Greens South Brisbane branch secretary, Joanna Horton, posted on her personal Twitter account a news article, quoting the electorate’s Labor MP, Jackie Trad, adding:
“This party is the nastiest skank bitch I’ve ever met. Do not trust them, they are a fugly slut..”
The motion calls on the Cooper Greens candidate, Katinka Winston-Allom to publicly denounce the remarks, otherwise the Greens’ second position on the how to vote card would be changed.
Labor sources say the ALP is so incensed by the remarks it will ask for a “please explain’’ on why it shouldn’t expand the preferences ban to other electorates.
Ms Jones said the Greens can’t turn a blind eye to this kind of attack.
“If it was a Labor or LNP campaign worker they would be the first to scream to have them sacked,’’ said Ms Jones.
“The Greens must act and show they stand for something, not just grandstanding and telling everyone else what to do.’’
The Greens and those defending the tweet online downplayed the incident saying it was a reference from the movie Mean Girls and was parodying what Ms Trad had said about the Greens in the quoted news article accompanying the tweet.
It’s understood former deputy premier Trad and Greens candidate Amy McMahon were both campaigning on the same street corner in the electorate on Saturday.
It comes after last week Ms Trad’s corflutes were vandalised and sexist slurs, including “slut”, written across her signs in a series of hits that were reported to police.
At least 10 separate locations were hit, that also saw supporters’ private property vandalised.
There is no suggestion the Greens were involved in the corflute vandalism.
Originally published as Labor threatens to tear up Greens preference deal over ‘fugly’ social media post
‘Labor needs to get out’: Mackay early voters have their say
Exit polling on one of Labor’s safest seats has shown it could be at risk with the LNP proving popular with 100 early voters on day two of the election period.
One Nation candidate laughs off ‘sex change’ rumours
The conservative minor party candidate said just because she has “bigger balls than most” people want to call her a male — but her untypical birth name Brett is just a family quirk that she’s dealt with since school.