PM boards campaign train before Fadden byelection

Anthony Albanese has hit the campaign trail on the Gold Coast before the Fadden byelection. Photo: AAP
A health educator and an Aboriginal community worker are vying to spring another byelection upset in a Liberal stronghold.
Labor will have a crack at winning another seat from the Liberals when voters head to the polls in the federal seat of Fadden on the Gold Coast on July 15.
The byelection was triggered by the resignation of former Liberal minister Stuart Robert, who has been mired in controversy.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched the campaign for Laborās pick Letitia Del Fabbro on Tuesday night.
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He described the nurse and health educator as a strong candidate but acknowledged winning the seat would be tough, particularly in a byelection held under the glare of a national spotlight.
The LNP holds Fadden by a margin of 10.6 per cent and has chosen Gold Coast councillor Cameron Caldwell as its candidate.
āLetitia has never been afraid of hard work,ā Mr Albanese said.
āShe doesnāt back down from tough challenges.
āShe wants her community to have a genuine choice at this byelection, and she wants her community to be represented by someone with integrity.ā
Mr Albanese made it clear Labor would spend the campaign reminding voters about Mr Robertās actions in Parliament.
āStuart Robert is resigning from Parliament having presided over one of the most shocking and cruel failures in the history of Australian politics ā Robodebt,ā he said.
āThatās the sort of person (Opposition Leader) Peter Dutton thought was good enough for his shadow ministry and thatās the sort of candidate the LNP thought was good enough for your community.ā
Mr Dutton said byelections were always ātight contestsā and the Labor Party would have āall sorts of dirty tactics and smear campaignsā in its arsenal.
āWeāve got a great candidate with a good story to tell,ā he told reporters.
āIām confident we can hold the seat but byelections are always difficult.ā
The Liberal Party lost the Victorian seat of Aston, previously held by Alan Tudge, to Labor in a shock defeat at an April byelection.
Indigenous-Aboriginal Party of AustraliaĀ candidateĀ Marnie Laree Davis is one of 13 candidates making a tilt for Fadden.
AnĀ Aboriginal community worker with a background in social health and domestic violence services, Ms Davis said she wanted to work with locals to deliver tangible outcomes.
Ms Davis said tackling the housing crisis, using preventative support measures to reduce crime, and accountability were high on her agenda.
āI am a proud AboriginalĀ woman and decided to stand up and try haveĀ my voice heard for familiesĀ and community,ā she told AAP.
Ms Davis said while the Indigenous voice to parliament proposal wasnāt ideal, it was a āgood stepping stoneā to brokering a treaty with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Greens, Pauline Hansonās One Nation and the Australian Democrats are also putting up candidates.
Mr Robert served as the veteransā affairs, national disability insurance scheme and government services minister under the Turnbull and Morrison governments.
-AAP








