Did Georgia Tree’s Woodside ties sink her Secret Harbour campaign?
Punter’s Politics founder Konrad Benjamin argues her position at the oil and gas giant hindered her election chances.
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“It didn’t bloody help, I don’t think,” he told Youth Jam’s Isaac Mulcrone.
Benjamin said he was stunned when he learned WA Labor was running an ex-Woodside lobbyist as its candidate for the high-stakes Secret Harbour by-election.
“When I heard that they were running an ex-Woodside lobbyist, honestly, I thought it was a joke at first. I thought the Labor party wouldn’t be that tone deaf to what they’re seeing across the country,” he said.
He claimed Labor knew early in the campaign it “wouldn’t play well”, yet failed to adequately respond to questions about Tree’s affiliation with the gas lobby.
Benjamin suggested an alternative approach for the campaign.
“I can give her some lines right now, you go ‘listen we all have different jobs, I’m leaving that behind me, I actually really want to represent the regular punters and I’m actually done with corporations’ would be a line I would love to hear.”
Tree was repeatedly questioned by journalists and activists about her pro-gas stance but maintained her silence.
