In Ernesto’s last Manifesto he asked a question of Nationals Candidate for the state seat of Shepparton Kim O’Keeffe if she could “rule out using grubby lies and social media attacks in her election campaign as were used by the Federal National Party to denigrate independent candidate Rob Priestly in the campaign to get Sam Birrell elected at all costs?”
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Kim O’Keeffe has yet to reply to my question, but Ernesto thinks the answer became clear last week.
While not spreading lies against the independent candidate Suzanna Sheed, the Nationals misleading and dishonest media stunt in trying to take the credit for the Shepparton rail upgrade may be a precursor of things to come.
Nationals Shepparton candidate Kim O'Keeffe, Victorian Senator Bridget McKenzie and Federal Nationals Leader David Littleproud at the Shepparton train station on Wednesday, October 5
Photo by
Anna McGuinness
Just to recap on the regional rail upgrade for Shepparton.
The Victorian Government funded 100 per cent of stages one and two at a cost of about $350 million.
This was due almost entirely to the advocacy of Suzanna Sheed and her “Stand up Shepparton” team of community advocates.
Who can forget the team on the Shepparton platform in their pyjamas a few years ago?
Without this work we would never had been in a position to proceed to the third stage costing about $400 million which was funded 80 per cent federal and 20 per cent state.
In fact, due to the infrastructure funding formula arrangements between state and federal governments it probably didn’t matter what colour the government in Canberra was, that money would have flowed anyway.
Finally, the cost of the rolling stock ($250 million for trains for the Shepparton and Warrnambool lines) is coming from the State Labor government, the previous Federal Government only provided $320 million of the almost $800 million of the upgrade costs without the cost of the velocity trains added in.
For the National Party to attempt to take credit for the Shepparton rail upgrade is both misleading and disingenuous. Ernesto is also disappointed the Shepparton News has aided them in spreading this misinformation.
One hopes that this behaviour is not the thin edge of the wedge leading to another National Party campaign of disinformation and lies in order to get elected at all costs.
Ernesto believes the electorate is thoroughly sick of these tactics.
A final word of wisdom from Ernesto, the coalition constantly bangs on about government debt and budget deficits, yet in this campaign they are promising to spend taxpayers money like drunken sailors in order to win government.
It doesn’t matter how many schools, underpasses, community hubs, change rooms and cheap public transport fares the national and liberal party promise to get elected in Shepparton, it will all mean nothing if our member of parliament is sitting on the back bench in opposition, which is looking extremely likely.
