Westbury activist Linda Poulton and filmmaker Lara van Raay join The Local Party Senate ticket

A new political party – promising a “safe” alternative from mainstream options – has announced its full Senate ticket ahead of the federal election.

NEW Tasmanian political party The Local Party has launched its Senate ticket ahead of the federal election, promising a “safe” alternative from mainstream options.

The Local Party was established in March last year, promising to give Tasmanians a stronger voice in Canberra from its headquarters at the Fern Tree Tavern.

Tavern owner Leanne Minshull, who set up the Tasmanian branch of the Australia Institute, was announced as the party’s lead Senate candidate in August.

But as of the weekend, the party has now announced its full Senate ticket, with lawyer and one of the founders of WRAP (Westbury Residents Against Prison) Linda Poulton and filmmaker Lara van Raay joining the line-up.

“We know voters will be leaving the ALP and the Liberals at the next federal election. The Local Party is offering a safe place for people to park their vote,” Ms Minshull said.

“To have Linda and Lara stand with me and for the people of Tasmania is fantastic. Like many Tasmanians, they know we are in a climate crisis, and we need our elected candidates to prioritise the needs of their communities, not follow orders from back room party hacks.”

Ms Minshull said the last Senate seat would be a five-way race between her, Eric Abetz, Pauline Hanson’s candidate, Clive Palmer’s candidate and Jacqui Lambie’s candidate.

“I am the only person in that line up with a track record on taking action for the climate,” she said.

Speaking at Saturday’s launch at the Hobart waterfront, Ms Poulton said she and her community had “waged war” over the past two-and-a-half years against the government over plans for the northern prison.

She said she wanted to use her platform to raise her concerns over whether Tasmanian needed a new maximum-security prison at all, adding her voice to the national Justice Reform Initiative.

Ms Poulton also said she wanted to use her platform to “shed light on what I call the agency

of despair” – Centrelink.

Westbury Residents Against the Prison president Linda Poulton, now also a Senate candidate for The Local Party. Picture: Patrick Gee

Lastly, she said she wanted to call out corruption in government, particularly concerning whistleblower legislation, complaint processes within the Integrity Commission and local government code of conduct processes.

Filmmaker Lara van Raay is a Senate candidate for The Local Party.

“All of these mechanisms in my direct experience have failed the community complainant,” she said.

“They have failed because of an endemic fear of rocking the boat in Tasmania. But tragically, they have also failed because of corruption of process.”

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Originally published as Westbury activist Linda Poulton and filmmaker Lara van Raay join The Local Party Senate ticket