Julie Lambert

Julie Lambert

A veteran journalist and subeditor, most recently a medical reporter.
Julie Lambert
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The campaign's last hurrah in the heart of Bennelong

The campaign’s last hurrah in the heart of Bennelong

By Jack Sumner

September 6, 2013

Eastwood’s Rowe Street Plaza is always busy, lively and a pleasant place to shop or just sit and chill. As a band played, the Bennelong candidates’ support teams were out in force last weekend to win votes with a leaflet, a smile and a balloon.

Regardless of who prevails in tomorrow’s election, I am ready to declare my choice of winners and losers in the campaign for John Howard’s old seat in Sydney’s northern suburbs.

For me the only loser is John Booth, owner and publisher of local newspaper The Weekly Times, for his partisan support of the Liberal Party and disparagement of Labor. This week Booth printed this gem:

SYRIA ANYBODY? If you haven’t decided yet who to vote for this Saturday maybe Syria can help you. Field Marshall “comeback kid 747 Rudd supported by his sidekick General Bob Carr reckon we should be in there bombing Damascus while Libs Tony Abbott says it’s a case of “baddies and the baddies” so otherwise keep out.

How’s that for a contemptible misrepresentation?

Fortunately, there were lots of winners.

The other local newspaper, the Northern Times, has covered the campaign comprehensively without a hint of bias or favouritism. Congratulations to editor Colin Kerr and his team.

All eight candidates have worked hard to present themselves and their policy positions without any resort to personal abuse of an opponent.

Plaudits particularly to Lindsay Peters, Julie Worsley and Victor Waterson, who once again put themselves forward as candidates. An increase in their vote this time will be a victory for them. I wish them well.

Labor’s Jason Yat-sen Li,  has achieved a great deal in a few weeks. He has turned a probable walkover into a much closer contest.  Should he not prevail, I hope he will stay with Bennelong and fight again.

John Alexander, our sitting MP, has doggedly and determinedly presented the Liberals’ case.

Ping Pong. If the Liberals win, Bennelong  schools risk losing $920,000 over the next six years, but each would be guaranteed a table tennis table and entrants in the Bennelong Ping Pong Cup.

Over to you, Bennelong voters.

More Bennelong seat reports here