CLP’s Steve Doherty ‘chose not to attend’ political debate

THE CLP’s candidate for Nightcliff Steven Doherty refused to attend a debate with his electorate’s other election candidates last night

CLP candidate for Nightcliff “chose not to attend” a debate alongside fellow candidates for the seat.

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CLP candidate for Nightcliff Steven Doherty refused to attend a debate with all the other election candidates last night.

Candidates for the seat of Nightcliff – sitting member Labor’s Natasha Fyles, the Greens’ Billee McGinley, Territory Alliance’s Melita McKinnon, the Animal Justice Party’s Shelley Landmark and the CLP’s Steve Doherty – were all invited to take part in a political debate at the Lucky Bat Cafe & Pizzaria.

The host of the debate said Mr Doherty “chose not to attend.”

He said Ms Landmark had to pull out at the last minute because of a family emergency.

Topics on the table included jobs, renewable energy, fracking and the GST.

When asked why Labor has a pro-fracking policy when polling suggests the majority of Territorians are against it, Ms Fyles said “we need to stop playing the politics around it.”

“It’s really important that we look holistically at this issue and remove the divisiveness,” she said.

“For me around fracking it’s an uncomfortable issue, something I’m not personally enthusiastic about, but we did a scientific inquiry – there’s 130 recommendations. Who do you trust to uphold all of them in government?”

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The CLP has been contacted for comment regarding Mr Doherty’s absence.