Campaign turns ‘nasty and personal’, says Pembroke candidate Doug Chipman

UPDATE: PREMIER Will Hodgman has pointedly failed to back Liberal Party state director Sam McQuestin’s handling of the Pembroke campaign. 80+ COMMENTS

PREMIER Will Hodgman has pointedly failed to back Liberal Party state director Sam McQuestin’s handling of the Pembroke campaign.

Mr McQuestin has remained firm amid controversy caused by campaign material which attempted to make the age of independent candidate Doug Chipman, 71, an issue in the by-election for the Legislative Council division of Pembroke.

A Twitter post and a media release suggesting Mr Chipman is not up to the job may have breached the state’s anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit “offensive, humiliating, intimidating, insulting or ridiculing conduct on the basis of age”.

But in a message to Liberal Party members posted on the party’s Facebook page, Mr McQuestin doubled down, saying the tactic had been carefully considered.

“Over the weekend we took the deliberate decision to distribute material highlighting why we believe Mr Chipman is not the best candidate for Pembroke,” he wrote.

“No one likes doing negative campaigns, but the facts are they work — just ask Mr Shorten and his ‘Mediscare campaign’.

“The difference here of course is that ‘Mediscare’ was a lie but Mr Chipman’s age is a fact.”

Feedback on the post was universally negative, criticising the party for what commenters perceived as an ageist attack on Mr Chipman.

In State Parliament, Mr Hodgman ignored a question posed by Labor’s Michelle O’Byrne and repeated points of order to deliver a lengthy response in praise of the Liberal candidate.

“Do you stand by your party director who has justified it by saying, ‘negative campaigns work’,” Ms O’Byrne asked.

“Yes, I do stand by our candidate in Pembroke, James Walker. He is doing a fantastic job. He is a very enthusiastic young candidate, but he is doing so in very difficult circumstances as well,” Mr Hodgman replied.

Ms White said the Liberal tactics were disappointing.

“It’s not inappropriate for political parties to hold each other when it comes to policy, but when it comes to personal attacks that are really nasty, the public turn away very quickly.

“It’s disappointing to see the Premier didn’t criticise or hold his state director to account today for stating quite clearly that negative campaigns work, when you look at the circumstances of the Pembroke by-election at the moment it has quite clearly become a very nasty and personal campaign.”

Ms White denied claims her 2010 “Pollywaffle” campaign which focused on her youth at the expense of veteran members David Llewelyn and Michael Polley has itself been ageist.

The by-election for Pembroke is on Saturday.

EARLIER: Liberal Party State Director Sam McQuestin says raising questions about a candidate’s age is just part running an effective negative campaign.

The party has come under fire for making the age of independent candidate Doug Chipman, 71, an issue in the election for the Legislative Council division of Pembroke.

And a Twitter post and a media release suggesting Mr Chipman is not up to the job may have breached the state’s anti-discrimination laws, which prohibit “offensive, humiliating, intimidating, insulting or ridiculing conduct on the basis of age”.

But in a message to Liberal Party members posted on the party’s Facebook page, Mr McQuestin said the tactic had been carefully considered.

“Over the weekend we took the deliberate decision to distribute material highlighting why we believe Mr Chipman is not the best candidate for Pembroke,” he wrote.

“No-one likes doing negative campaigns, but the facts are they work — just ask Mr Shorten and his ‘Mediscare campaign’.

“The difference here of course is that ‘Mediscare’ was a lie but Mr Chipman’s age is a fact.”

Describing Mr Chipman — as Mr McQuestin did — as a “retired ... 71-year-old ... who literally lives in a lifestyle village” is a shocking example of playing the man and not the ball. — EDITORIAL

Feedback on the post was universally negative, criticising the party for what commenters perceived as an ageist attack on Mr Chipman.

Also in Pembroke, independent candidate Hans Willink pleaded with vandals to stop taking down his opponents’ campaign posters.

“Leaving mine up makes it look like I’m the prime suspect!” he said.

“They only have to wait until Saturday, then they’ll all be gone!”

A Pembroke candidates’ forum will be held at the Rosny Bowls Club at 6pm tonight.

EARLIER: THE Liberal Party may have breached the state’s Anti-Discrimination Act with campaign material suggesting independent candidate Doug Chipman was too old to be elected to the Legislative Council.

The party’s state director Sam McQuestin has raised questions about whether the 71-year-old is up to the job.

But the head of the state’s peak body on ageing said she intended to raise a Liberal Party Twitter post and a media release with the state’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner Sarah Bolt.

In the press release, Mr McQuestin has questioned whether Mr Chipman was capable of representing the Eastern Shore division if elected on Saturday.

“Retired mayor Doug Chipman is 71 years old, has outlined no plan for the future and literally lives in a lifestyle village,” he said. “At the end of his first full term, Mr Chipman will be 80 years old.”

Doug Chipman says he is disappointed by claims from the Liberal Party that he is too old to run for the Legislative Council. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

He said that by contrast, the Liberal Party’s candidate, James Walker, was young and full of vigour.

“Mr Chipman has already reportedly stepped down as head of the local government association due to the ‘intensity’ of the campaign, yet he has confirmed he will continue as mayor if elected,” Mr McQuestin said.

“Given all the above, how can he possibly do the full-time job as member for Pembroke?”

Mr Chipman said he was surprised by the claims and had stepped down from the Local Government Association of Tasmania to avoid the perception of a conflict of interest.

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“The campaign has got nasty and personal. I find that very disappointing,” he said.

“I think it underscores the need for an independent Upper House where the real issues that matter to Tasmanians can be discussed without these nasty and personal attacks. I don’t feel old. I’m fit and healthy and love being engaged with the community and working with people to engage with the community.

“People are getting sick of party politics. I can’t understand why they’ve stooped to this.”

Mr Chipman said his age had not been raised as an issue in his discussions with voters, who were more interested in talking about things like traffic congestion, education and health care.

Pembroke deserves better than a retired Mayor. This Saturday, please vote 1 James Walker for Pembroke. #politas pic.twitter.com/3aiQhMbQ4p

— Tasmanian Liberals (@TasLiberal) October 29, 2017

Council on the Ageing Tasmania CEO Sue Leitch said the message was unacceptable in modern times.

“I’m quite firm on the fact that it’s a totally inappropriate message,” she said.

“When I first saw the [Twitter] post on Sunday, I was concerned.

“From the use of the props, they were heading down an ageist strategy towards the campaign which is not something we want to do.

“And it’s in conflict with the Active Ageing Plan that’s in place at the moment.

“We do hear of instances of ageism that happen in the workplace, but to see this happening in a media release from the Liberal Party is very disappointing.”

Ms Leitch said she would raise the comments with the state’s Equal Opportunity Commissioner.

Ms Bolt said she was not able to reveal if a complaint had been received, but said the definition of age discrimination was quite broad.

“The Anti-Discrimination Act 1998 (Tas) prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, as well as offensive, humiliating, intimidating, insulting or ridiculing conduct on the basis of age,’’ she said.

“The Act applies to certain areas, one of which is employment — which is defined in the Act as ‘employment or occupation in any capacity’.

“In the past year, age was the second most complained about attribute and employment was the area of activity most complained about.”

It is the second time the Liberal Party’s campaign tactics has run into controversy during the campaign for Pembroke. A Liberal social-media post featuring an image of Mr Chipman was ruled to be a breach of electoral laws because Mr Chipman’s permission was not sought and the post had to be withdrawn.