Federal election 2025: Llew O’Brien denies claims by Independent Casey Iddon

Wide Bay Independent election candidate Casey Iddon has accused LNP incumbent Llew O’Brien of avoiding a debate and following a ‘safe seat playbook’ in the campaign, while Mr O’Brien has alluded to a smear campaign.

Wide Bay Independent candidate Casey Iddon (right) has accused LNP incumbent Llew O’Brien of dodging a debate with him and following a safe seat playbook in the campaign.

With the federal election just days away, Wide Bay Independent candidate Casey Iddon has accused LNP incumbent Llew O’Brien of dodging a debate with him and following a ‘safe seat playbook’ in the campaign.

Mr O’Brien has denied this, and said he would not dance to Mr Iddon’s tune. He also alluded to a smear campaign targeting family and staff.

In two statements issued to media this week Mr Iddon said he had been blocked from Mr O’Brien’s Facebook page after suggesting a debate.

“I left a respectful comment on his Facebook page, under a post praising ‘respectful political differences’.

“I asked for a debate between candidates. Within minutes, I was blocked. I can no longer comment, reply, or engage - not even as a registered candidate in a federal election.

Wide Bay Independent candidate Casey Iddon (right) has accused LNP incumbent Llew O’Brien of dodging a debate with him and following a safe seat playbook in the campaign.

“This is my first time running. I had hoped for better.

“Wide Bay has produced prime ministers. Now we can’t even produce a debate?”

Mr Iddon also had a go at funding promises that would not be delivered unless the LNP won the election.

“When Llew O’Brien stood beside Nationals leader David Littleproud, promising $4 million for the Noosa Dolphins Rugby Club, there was one big condition: If the Coalition wins government,” he said.

“Now fast forward to after the election. Imagine the club comes back and asks, ‘So… about that $4 million?

“And Llew shrugs and says, ‘Sorry. We didn’t win.’

Incumbent Wide Bay LNP MP Llew O'Brien 2025.

“But here’s the thing - that was never likely to happen. On 30 March, a YouGov poll put the Coalition’s chances of forming a majority government at just 2%. That’s not a prediction - that’s a statistical collapse. And that’s exactly when Llew started making these promises.

“Not just the Dolphins - but $49,000 for the Maryborough Bears, $57,000 for the Pomona-Cooran Cutters, $200,000 for The Hub Noosa, $100,000 for the Cooroy Badminton Club, $2 million for Maryborough Hockey - all with the same fine print: if the Coalition wins.

“It’s easy to promise money when you know you’ll never have to deliver.

“And in safe seats like Wide Bay, that’s the playbook: show up, smile for the cameras, announce a number - and walk away before the reality check hits.”

Mr O’Brien said in response that he had “always put Wide Bay first and I’ve never taken a backward step when it comes to providing strong representation to achieve results in Wide Bay”.

“I stand by my record of achievement and every voter in Wide Bay will have their say on our future when they cast their ballot,” he said.

Casey Iddon is running as an independent for Wide Bay.

“Election commitments are a fundamental part of our election system, they are used to announce policies and projects and everyone who I engage with understands how they are achieved. I have been working with on some of these commitments for 3, 6 or 12 months or longer.

“Opinion polls are not mentioned in the Australian Constitution and Government is not formed by opinion polls. Government is formed by Members of Parliament who hold a majority in the House of Representatives. A candidate or Member of Parliament who thinks opinion polls should dictate the direction of local representation is someone who only stands for what the next opinion poll tells them.

“Candidates themselves are responsible for making and managing their own election campaigns and of course my opponents would like me to dance to their tune, but that is a ridiculous proposal.

“I’m also not interested in political opponents and their teams when their tactics involve smear campaigns that target family and electorate staff in the most vile way both at work and on social media.

“I agree that MPs and candidates should expect to face strong views relating to them and their policies, but when a campaign’s team members engage in vile public attacks on people, including electorate staff simply doing their job helping the people of Wide Bay, I won’t be engaging with them.

PROFILES ON ALL WIDE BAY CANDIDATES

Originally published as Federal election 2025: Llew O’Brien denies claims by Independent Casey Iddon