’A new team of three amigos’ ready to tackle federal election

Liberal hopes of winning back Tasmania’s three most marginal federal Lower House seats rest with what Prime Minister Scott Morrison has branded “a new team of three amigos”.

Senator Richard Colbeck, Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal candidate for Braddon Gavin Pearce at Forico Nursery, at Somerset, Tasmania. Picture: AAP Image/Sarah Rhodes

LIBERAL hopes of winning back Tasmania’s three marginal federal Lower House seats rest with what the Prime Minister today branded “a new team of three amigos”.

Liberal candidates Jessica Whelan (Lyons), Bridget Archer (Bass) and Gavin Pearce (Braddon) were feeling positive as Prime Minister Scott Morrison toured the state’s North and North-West.

Mr Morrison took a detour from the North-West today to launch the Liberals’ Bass campaign office in Launceston, where the mood was more optimistic than national polls would suggest.

PM WANTS MORE TREES IN TASMANIA

Ms Whelan said she had been privy to a little bit of polling information and didn’t think the percentage was very big at all.

Tasmanian Liberal candidate for Lyons, Jessica Whelan.

“I don’t think it’s really something, this early on, that we should be stressing ourselves about,” she said.

Nor was Ms Whelan — a Brighton councillor — fazed by the prospect of being elected to opposition.

NORTHERN SEATS TO FEEL PM’S LOVE

“I would just continue to work extremely hard for the people of Lyons and I would work with all the other candidates going forward for the other electorates to secure as many seats at the next election as we can,” she said.

“I wouldn’t simply give up because we’re not governing the country.

“It’s probably just as important a role.”

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Liberal candidate for Bass, Bridget Archer, greet Liberal supporters at the opening of the Liberal Party’s Bass campaign office in Launceston. Picture: AAP Image/Sarah Rhodes

EDITORIAL: HEAD SOUTH, MR MORRISON

Liberal candidate for Bass, the George Town mayor

Ms Archer, who is George Town mayor, also enters the federal arena with a background in local government, which Mr Morrison trumpeted in his address to party members in Launceston today.

“We do not have the approach which says Canberra knows best, or even Hobart knows best, for that matter, up in the North,” Mr Morrison said.

Liberal candidate for Braddon Gavin Pearce. Picture: AAP Image/Sarah Rhodes

BRAD STANSFIELD: CAUSE FOR CONCERN FOR FEDERAL LIBERALS

“That’s not how we do things. We understand that when it comes to what happens at local communities, you’ve got to listen to those communities and back in their plans.”

Earlier in the day at Somerset, Mr Morrison — accompanied by Mr Pearce — announced a forestry hub for Tasmania’s North.

Tasmania’s so-called Three Amigos — Eric Hutchinson in Lyons, Andrew Nikolic in Bass, and Brett Whiteley in Braddon — lost their seats in the 2016 federal election after swings of up to 10.5 per cent.