Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton MP has hit back against false claims made in an LNP-authorised flyer distributed this week to resident mailboxes that state: “A vote for Sandy Bolton risks four more years of Steven Miles and Labor”.
“This is completely false, and I am deeply saddened that again the LNP have resorted to misinformation, disinformation and these types of ‘gutter’ tactics that disrespects our community,” Ms Bolton said.
“There are 93 seats to target across Queensland, and to infer that a vote to stay independent in Noosa will deliver a Labor government, or any government, is ridiculous.”
The flyers which are authorised by B Riley, LNP, at an Albion address, are designed on the back to look like a scratch card, containing the words “Election Lottery, Play to Lose” with each scratchy panel containing the name Sandy Bolton. When removed they reveal a negative Labor image or message underneath. Above the panels it reads: “Scratch the panels to reveal what a vote for independent Sandy Bolton could get you”.
Ms Bolton described the flyers as “appalling”, saying the deliberate inference that she, an independent MP is in some way aligned with Labor, is “totally incorrect”.
During divisions in the last four years, Ms Bolton said she had voted with the LNP 92 times, with Labor 22 and with the Crossbench 13 times.
Ms Bolton said for the past seven years she had endeavoured to hold both major parties to account on their promises.
She said she had also called out their failings during the election campaign.
These included distributing postal vote application forms to residents that appeared to come from the Electoral Commission Queensland, but came from offices of the major parties, LNP’s vote to support the legislation for State Facilitated Development then stance against it in Noosa Junction, misleading claims that the Noosa Hospital needed ‘saving’ when it had never been at risk and a commitment of $30 million to deliver the remaining stages of the Tewantin Bypass, with an estimated $100 million needed to complete it.
“That both parties continue to disrespect our communities and voters across Queensland through a lack of transparency, integrity and decency is deeply disappointing,” she said.
Noosa Today contacted the LNP for comment on the claims the flyers were incorrect.
An LNP spokeswoman said: “A vote for Sandy Bolton risks four more years of Steven Miles and Labor. Only a majority LNP Government can deliver a Fresh Start for Queensland”. Their comment was “Authorised B. Riley, LNP, 281 Sandgate Road, Albion”.
