Is it fourth time lucky for the battler from Braddon?

Craig Garland is standing for federal election in Braddon again this year. Could it be fourth time lucky for the former commercial fisherman who snagged 11 per cent of the vote in the last federal by election?

After a steady gain in support over three previous election campaigns, a determined Craig Garland says now is the time to capitalise on the public outrage at the current “abusive” political system.

“Communities around Australia, including Braddon, are sick and tired of the lies that keep coming out of politicians and people no longer know what to believe or trust,” Mr Garland, who will stand as an independent in the upcoming Federal election, said.

“This is from the top down and the only way to address it is to send a loud message that it is no longer good enough. Braddon – being the biggest “swingers” in the country have the perfect opportunity to show the rest of Australia how to walk away from this abusive relationship.

“The best ICAC you can get is throwing your vote through me to tell them in Canberra that enough is enough.”

Mr Garland, 57, a father of three from Boat Harbour, first stood as an independent in 2017 as a candidate for Braddon in the State election.

CRAIG GARLAND

Then he stood again in the by election sparked by the citizenship scandal which rocked the Australian parliament and snagged 11 per cent of the vote.

His preferences helped Labor’s Justine Keay- one of those forced to step down- back into parliament ahead of the Liberal’s Brett Whiteley.

Spurred on by that support he stood for the Senate in 2019.

This time around he is standing on several main platforms and is being supported in his campaign by a newly formed Braddon Alliance – a collective of businesses and community representatives who say they are also concerned for the future of Tasmania and the nation.

Among those platforms is putting communities before corporations, letting the experts inside the health system fix it, a free TAFE system, more land and less regulation to allow for cheap housing, local resources for local people, keeping Tasmanian energy in Tasmania to use it here, returning fishing rights to the local fisherman, rebuilding Tasmanian forests for sustainable use and freeing our waters from toxic salmon farm invasions.

He also has concerns about the current mandatory Covid-19 vaccine position.

“Of particular concern is the coercion and manipulation and stripping of human rights seen throughout the pandemic and the push for vaccination. Now they have crossed the line trying to force vaccination on children with bullet proof immunity,” he said.

“I represent those who have been left out of the discussion. It is time for a much bigger discussion on this issue.”