New poll lifts Liberals’ hopes in Tasmania’s Bass

New polling has the Liberals ahead in the key Labor-held Tasmanian marginal seat of Bass.

Liberal candidate for Bass, Bridget Archer. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

New polling has the Liberals ahead in the key Labor-held Tasmanian marginal seat of Bass, a significant boost for Coalition hopes in the island state.

A survey of 847 residents in the northern Tasmanian seat on Monday night has Liberal candidate Bridget Archer on 54 per cent of the two-party-preferred vote.

The UComms automated phone poll, conducted for a forest industry group, has incumbent first-term Labor MP Ross Hart on 46 per cent of the two-party-­preferred vote.

It is a promising sign for state Liberals, who are targeting Bass, held by Mr Hart with a margin of 5.4 per cent, as well as the marginal seats of Braddon and Lyons.

Mr Hart is well behind on first preferences, with the poll showing: Labor with 32.6 per cent of the primary vote, the Liberals with 42.8 per cent, and the Greens on 10 per cent. With several conservative minor parties, preference distribution favours the Liberals.

The poll suggests forestry remains an issue in the electorate, which includes Launceston and Flinders Island, with 80 per cent of voters rating the sector as important or very important.

“This survey in a key electorate of national focus demonstrates that voters want political parties and candidates to support forest industries,” said Ross Hampton, chief executive of the poll’s commissioner, the Australian Forest Products Association.

Today the Coalition will further its pitch for Tasmanian votes by announcing $100 million for a new irrigation scheme that would benefit all three electorates.