Election puzzle takes shape

It could be her own mission impossible, but Dawn Jecks says she will do everything she can to stop Liberal candidate Donna Gordin from winning the Federal seat of Brand at September’s election.

Last week, Ms Jecks revealed exclusively to the Telegraph she would stand as the Greens candidate for the Federal seat.

Ms Jecks and Ms Gordin will take on incumbent Gary Gray for a second time in the battle for Brand after the duo’s failed tilt in 2010.

In a blistering assessment of the Liberal Party, Ms Jecks said she believed Tony Abbott would “run riot” if the Liberals took control of both houses of Federal Parliament and described the Opposition leader as a “wolf in sheep’s clothing”.

“They’re using fear to sell their message,” Ms Jecks said. “We’re looking down the barrel of Tony Abbott beeing able to run riot in the Federal Parliament.

“We’re looking at a situation where, if Tony Abbott wins both Houses, we’re going to end up with not having a fair society, it’s going to be worse than it is now.”

Ms Jecks was also critical of Labor’s changes to the single parenting payment.

“We’ve got single mothers out there, going to university and having to cut back on their studies, situations where they can’t afford text books, can’t afford child care because they’re now on unemployment benefits,” she said.

“We don’t really have a caring Government and under Tony Abbott it is going to be a lot worse.”

Mr Gray backed Ms Jecks claims about Liberal tactics.

“I have seen the material being distributed by Tony Abbott and other Liberal Party members and it is misleading and sensationalist,” he said.

Ms Gordin rejected claims of a Liberals fear campaign and said voters would see the most relentless negative fear campaign in the history of Australian politics from “Labor and their union mates”.

“The Liberals have a positive plan to help local families reduce their cost of living,” she said.

“Only the Liberals will scrap the carbon tax because that’s the quickest way to reduce power prices and help families with the cost of living.”

A Palmer United Party spokesman said it would announce its candidate for Brand at the end of the month.

The Australian Christians confirmed Bob Burdett as its candidate last week.

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