Liberal candidate quits over pandemic posts

A local Alderman has taken aim at cancel culture, COVID-19 lockdown rules and even Dan Andrews after standing down as a Liberal candidate, despite claims he was urged to run by the Premier. WATCH THE VIDEO + LATEST >>

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LIBERAL candidate for Franklin Dean Ewington has abandoned his run over comments he made online about the government's pandemic response.

Mr Ewington’s decision was made after a conversation with Premier Peter Gutwein on Wednesday afternoon over what the party leader described as a “fundamental difference of opinion in terms of the value of lockdowns”.

The Clarence councillor and gym owner had posted a video on his Facebook page strongly criticising the government's handling of the pandemic and calling for defiance in the face of “silly restrictions”.

Dean Ewington. Picture Eddie Safarik

“We live in a free society. No politician, no bureaucrat, no one has the right to treat us as mugs and to keep us in the dark like they are at the moment,” he said.

Mr Gutwein said the Mr Ewington would no longer be a Liberal candidate.

“We’ve had a discussion and Mr Ewington has decided that it would be best for him to resign his candidacy,’’ he said.

“The conversation I had with Mr Ewington was civil, frank, but at the end of the day we have a difference of opinion on the value of lockdowns and therefore he will not be running as a candidate.”

The candidate issued a short statement through the Liberal party, confirming his withdrawal and wishing the party well with its campaign. .

“I had a conversation today with Premier Peter Gutwein, and while we both respect the right to free speech, in light of the Premier’s strong stance with COVID-19 I feel there are irreconcilable differences given the strong views I hold on this matter,” he said

Premier Peter Gutwein at Incat at Derwent Park. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Mr Gutwein said he had seen the video in question for the first time only on Tuesday night and the party did not know about the video during the preselection process.

“They do social media checking, but this particular video wasn’t picked up,’’ he said.

On Monday Mr Ewington apologised for online comments in which he condemned the “hysterical rants” of Swedish environmentalist Greta Thunberg, who he described as “an autistic 15-year-old”.

He has previously also claimed opinion that climate change is not a man-made phenomenon and voted against the flying of the Aboriginal flag outside Clarence Council chambers.

Labor campaign spokeswoman Sarah Lovell it was obvious Mr Ewington was not a quality candidate.

“Dean Ewington’s radical ideas would make Pete Evans proud — but they make him thoroughly unfit to be a member of Parliament,” Ms Lovell said.

“It speaks volumes that the best candidates Peter Gutwein can manage are a COVID-19 conspiracy theorist, the disgraced former Mining Minister Adam Brooks and Labor turncoat Madeleine Ogilvie.”

EWINGTON REACTS

Annie McCann

Dean Ewington has taken aim at left-wing cancel culture, COVID-19 lockdown rules and Dan Andrews after standing down as a Franklin Liberal candidate, despite claims he was asked to run by the Premier Peter Gutwein himself.

The Clarence City Council Alderman and gym owner posted a lengthy Facebook post after he withdrew his Liberal party state election candidacy following a resurfaced rant from last year against the Tasmanian government’s COVID-19 lockdown laws.

Withdrawal of candidacy for Franklin The major reason I agreed to stand for parliament after being encouraged to do so...

Posted by Alderman Dean Ewington on Wednesday, 31 March 2021

“The major reason I agreed to stand for parliament after being encouraged to do so by the Premier last week, was the ability to have some input into the development of an innovative preventative health agenda that would help reduce not only the financial, but personal toll that chronic disease has on our state,” he wrote.

“This has been a passion of mine for over 3 decades now and I was genuinely looking forward to doing that.

“My other reason for agreeing to stand was my concern over the poison which is cancel culture and the stifling of free speech by the left of politics and the media.

“This is a major threat to the exchange of good ideas and development of better public policy.”

Alderman Ewington urged against “digging up old comments” to disgrace public figures.

“If the video on my personal page in Melbourne or my Alderman’s page re concerns over other aspects of COVID policy had not attracted interest at this time by those who saw me as a threat this issue would most likely not have been raised,” he said.

Dean Ewington. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“We unfortunately now see a pattern in public debate where the threat of being attacked or called a racist, homophobe, denier or misogynist, stops many from speaking out. But I will always say what I think and stick to the values I live by.”

Alderman Ewington had also written he agreed with Melbourne protestors who rallied against lockdowns and who called for the resignation of Dan Andrews.

“In hindsight I don’t need this sort of drama in my life. I’ve got a successful business career, a very fulfilling personal life and I and am more than happy to continue to focus on the work I am doing in the sport and recreation areas at Clarence City Council for the next 18 months.”

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