The Labor Party flaunted its interest in Gilmore, opening a campaign office in Nowra for its federal Candidate Fiona Phillips on Friday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Side-by-side with Ms Phillips, Shadow Treasurer Chris Bowen remarked Labor leads the Coalition in the tousle for the marginal seat.
“Here in Gilmore we have a first-class candidate, the LNP doesn’t have one at the moment, so that’s a rather large advantage for us,” Mr Bowen said.
“Fiona’s been well ahead of the game for some time, she’s been campaigning for some time, she hasn’t waited for a campaign office, she’s been door knocking, ringing, street-stalling, doing all the things a good candidate does to earn the votes and respect of the people whom she’s asking.
“We’re quietly confident and taking nothing for granted, and of course we’re backing our candidate Fiona Phillips, it’s important the people of Gilmore feel the ALP is taking them seriously, we led with a commitment on the bridge at Fiona’s urging.”
Mr Bowen, who has held a house of representatives seat since 2004, wholeheartedly endorsed Ms Phillips.
“Fiona is amongst the hardest-working Labor candidates I’ve had the pleasure of campaigning with,” he said.
“We’re not just campaigning to win to defeat a dysfunctional, ramshackle, out of touch government, we’re running to replace it with a government intent on doing good things.”
He touched on keystone element’s of Labor’s campaign – stagnant wages, penalty rates, hospitals and school funding.
Ms Phillips thanked about 50 local supporters, donned in red shirts, crammed into a muggy room at the Berry Street office for their contribution to the campaign so far.
“We have so many people doing it so tough in our electorate and that’s what I remember when I go out every day, so we’ll continue to make their phone calls from this very place,” she said.
“This is a space where people can come in off the street and volunteer, ask questions, because we are fighting so hard for people in Gilmore, I am fighting so hard for people in Gilmore, and we will continue to do so.”