Jacqui Lambie Network reveals Franklin candidates as senator reveals ‘balance of power’ plan
A week after revealing the party’s Lyons candidates for the next Tasmanian election, Jacqui Lambie has shown off her Franklin team. Meet the candidates.
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A week after unveiling the party’s Lyons candidates for the next Tasmanian state election, Jacqui Lambie has shown off her Franklin team.
The firebrand senator is pledging to scrutinise and hold the government to account as part of her party’s strategy for the next state election.
“We want to put every piece of legislation under that microscope and make sure that you know, it all adds up before anything else is put into place,” she said.
“It comes down to political donations because we don’t take them from these big businesses and we don’t take them for the unions, so nobody owns the candidates that are running in the Jacqui Lambie network, but their electorates.
“They’re not going to be persuaded to vote for something because of the amount of money that they have received. That should make a significant difference down here in Tasmania to get the job done properly without that persuasion.”
The next election – which must be held by June 28, 2025 – will be expanded to a 35-seat House of Assembly.
Ms Lambie said she is hoping for an earlier election.
“Tasmanians are really feeling the pinch economically. They’re talking about the cost of living to me and how much it’s really affecting them,’ she said.
“They’re worried about how they are going to put bread and milk on the table. That’s what they’re worried about right now, let alone when their power bills come up after Christmas. They have to get all their kids school stuff started again in February.
“They’re going to have credit card bills coming through as well that they’ve tried to do the right things so their kids don’t go without for Christmas.”
She announced her three candidates for the state division of Franklin as Chris Hannan, Marshall Callaghan and Conor Hallahan.
Here’s what we know about the candidates so far.
CHRIS HANNAN
Ms Hannan, who is based in Seven Mile Beach and formerly ran for the JLN in Franklin at last year’s federal election, has spent the last two decades working as a mental health professional.
“I want to make things better,” she said.
“I’ve got two young kids and I want things to be better for them as they grow up. At the moment with the two parties, I just don’t feel like we’re seeing any change.
She also owns a small business called Pepper Tree Kids, which sells eco-friendly and ethically sourced dinnerware, toys, swaddles and gifts for young children.
“Franklin is a beautiful place to live. But I’ve seen how hard things are for mums, dads, kids, our veterans and their families when they are trying to get help,” she said.
“I want to get to know everybody. I want people to come up and chat to me, tell me what matters.”
MARSHALL CALLAGHAN
Mr Callaghan, who lives in Glen Huon, has worked as a teacher for 25 years and currently works as a senior practitioner in the child safety sector. He has also previously worked on Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
“I‘m running because the state of health and the state of child safety in this state is abysmal,” he said.
“I want to be able to lay on my deathbed at the end of my life and say I’ve made some sort of contribution to society.
“The under-resourcing in the (child safety) sector is putting children at risk every day, that’s something I really want to focus on but health is the other factor.
“What is happening at the Royal Hobart Hospital is a disaster. If it’s not sorted out it will cause so much heartache and damage to people’s lives.”
CONOR HALLAHAN
Mr Hallahan has had a background in farming and small business since he was 15 years old. He’s currently the general manager for a Tasmanian business with offices in southern Tasmania, throughout Australia and a number of countries in Asia.
He leads a team of engineers and project management experts who design and build large machinery and facilities for clients around the country.
“I know how to push through bureaucracy and I know how to work with government to get results,” he said.
“Cost of living is really one of the main priorities. Everybody’s feeling the pain at the minute and something has to be done. A lot of people feel the State Government currently is not addressing it as well as they could.
“Quality of life has fallen off a cliff in recent years and I want to stand up for the people of Franklin and turn this around.”
Originally published as Jacqui Lambie Network reveals Franklin candidates as senator reveals ‘balance of power’ plan
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