Longman listens to Latham attack on Shorten

Mark Latham has recorded an attack message against Bill Shorten for a robocall campaign authorised by Pauline Hanson | LISTEN

Former Labor leader Mark Latham

Former Labor leader Mark Latham volunteered his time to write and record an attack message against Bill Shorten for a robocall campaign authorised by Pauline Hanson targeting the by-election seat of Longman in Queensland.

In the message, obtained yesterday by The Australian, Mr Latham urged voters in the seat to vote for minority parties and accused Mr Shorten of dishonesty.

“I’m Mark Latham, former Labor Party leader. I’ve had personal experience with Bill Shorten’s dishonesty. He just lies and lies and lies,” Mr Latham says. “The reason we’re having a Longman by-election is because Shorten lied about the citizenship of his Labor MPs. Whatever you do, don’t reward Shorten’s dishonesty. Don’t vote Labor. Please support minor parties and independents to shake up the system. Put some honest politics back into Canberra.”

Mr Latham’s message to voters was immediately attacked by incoming ALP President and former treasurer Wayne Swan who said the former Labor leader had “ratted on battlers and working Australians years ago”.

“It’s no wonder he’s teamed up with Hanson,” Mr Swan said. “This is the same bloke who had a go at domestic violence campaigner Rosie Batty and can now be found in his basement making YouTube videos.”

Mr Swan said Senator Hanson voted with Malcolm Turnbull 90 per cent of the time in federal parliament. “When you vote Hanson, you get more Turnbull. It’s as simple as that,” Mr Swan said.

Mr Latham yesterday told The Australian he volunteered his time to record and write the message in the robocalls, noting that he had encouraged voters to support minor parties and independents.

“I’m a member of the Liberal Democrats and we’re fielding a candidate,” Mr Latham told The Australian. “I’m going up there to campaign in the coming period.”

Lloyd Thomas John Russell is the Liberal Democratic candidate in the electorate of Longman and has drawn the first spot on the ballot paper — one of the factors that helped with the election of NSW Liberal Democratic Senator David Leyonhjelm to the upper house when he stood in 2013.

Mr Latham told The Australian that Mr Shorten was “fundamentally dishonest” but warned that Malcolm Turnbull “could barely knock the top off a custard”. He said Longman electors should vote one for the Liberal Democrats and two for One Nation.