Territory Alliance cops criticism for not printing campaign banners locally

TERRITORY Alliance’s candidates have come under fire for using a Queensland company to print their campaign banners

A Territory Alliance banner printed in QLD on display in Alice Springs

TERRITORY Alliance’s candidates have come under fire for using a Queensland company to print their campaign banners.

The party’s candidate for Port Darwin Gary Strachan was grilled at a meet the candidates event at the Smith Street Social on Friday about the issue.

Mr Strachan was making a point about the importance of buying local when a member of the audience called him out about his party using an interstate company to make some of their campaign materials.

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Mark Teakle from Zip Print said he was disappointed to see Territory Alliance candidates in Alice Springs, Robyn Lambley, Dale McIver and Matt Paterson, had their campaign banners printed by a QLD company.

Mr Strachan reassured the crowd that all of his own campaign material had been printed locally in Darwin.

“Our policy is to buy local and spend local. All the candidates I know have been using locals for printing too,” he said.

A Territory Alliance spokeswoman said they used the interstate company for eight banners and all other campaign materials had been done locally.

The meet the candidates event for Port Darwin was attended by Labor incumbent Paul Kirby, CLP’s Toby George, Independent Leah Potter and Mr Strachan.

Topics included the economy, fracking and a controversial proposal to build the Darwin RSL at the Cenotaph carpark.

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Mr Kirby said he supports the RSL plans but thinks it’s the wrong location.

Mr Strachan said he wants to see the RSL in the mall.

“The Esplanade is a park and we don’t need drinking and gambling in the park,” he said.

Mr George said the location was significant to many Darwin RSL members.

“I’ve seen the designs, it’s not a drunken pokie house at all,” he said