By Noosa Mp Sandy Bolton
Noosa incumbent MP Sandy Bolton has hit back at the dirty tactics she has seen and been targeted by this election.
During this election, as in previous elections, my focus has been to demonstrate how you can campaign with integrity, credibility and unification. There’s no need for denigration of others, spreading of misinformation, or disrespect for our community.
However, representatives of one major party have continued this election, to break our local laws daily, misinform, and mislead voters through a smear campaign – as well as use your personal information to spam you, with how-to-vote emails, texts and Facebook messages. And robocalls.
Residents have asked how this is allowed.
Well, remember when you were mailed postal vote applications with a reply-paid envelope to use? They omitted to inform you that this envelope is addressed to party offices to obtain your personal details.
Legal? Unfortunately, yes. Moral? Absolutely not.
Then a paid advertisement in last week’s Noosa Today, and letterbox drops designed to mislead, again.
The Photoshopped items have suggested that a vote for me is a vote for the ALP because I voted with government “over 120 times“ during the last term.
I did: 121 times.
But what they did not say is that I also voted with the opposition 104 times over the same three-year period.
That’s representative of a balanced and unbiased vote showing that I research and listen independently to both sides of the debate on our community’s behalf.
A vote for me is a vote for Noosa, full stop. The list of misleading and false information has continued including that I have done preference deals with other candidates/parties. False.
Just one look at my own how-to-vote card, available at the booths or online, clearly shows the reality. No deals, and no preferences on there, as that’s for you to decide.
I have included under the name of each candidate’s party they are with. Again, something you won’t find on the ‘HTV’s’ of the two majors, and you need to ask yourself why?
It has also been noted that other parties have preferenced me. Is it beyond comprehension that they actually prefer an independent to ensure their voices are heard without bias?
As your independent MP I have no need to misinform you, cover for others, toe a political party line, or ‘throw rocks’.
I am exactly as you know me: committed and aligned to this community that has been my home, and extended family, for 30 years.
Regardless of the behaviour and smears from this party, I’ll never stop efforts to see campaigns and elections that align to the expectations of our community. Free of misinformation, disgraceful behaviour and exterior influences. Ones that are full of respect for Noosa, and our voters.
To put an end to the rhetoric, tokenisms, false promises, unethical, unfair and disrespectful behaviours, simply reject these candidates and the party they represent.
Your voice and vote are very powerful. Parties will mend their ways once they see you will no longer support what you object to.
It’s worth pondering this: If they disrespect you during a campaign, what will they do if they gain power?
(Attempts were made to contact LNP candidate James Blevin for comment but by the time of publication there was no response.)
