of Blair Neil Zabel says he doesn't
want to play gutter politics with sitting
member Shayne Neumann.
LNP candidate for Blair Neil Zabel has declined the opportunity to return fire on attacks from his Labor rival Shayne Neumann.
LNP candidate for the Federal seat of Blair Neil Zabel says he doesn't want to play gutter politics with sitting member Shayne Neumann.
LNP candidate for Blair Neil Zabel has declined the opportunity to return fire on attacks from his Labor rival Shayne Neumann.
In Federal Parliament, Mr Neumann criticised Mr Zabel for being an opposition candidate after supporting the government as a councillor.
Mr Zabel, who is the deputy mayor of Somerset Regional Council, said he didn't want to "get down in the gutter" with Mr Neumann.
"I will not stoop to the gutter tactics that he is using. The fight that he gets from me will be clean," Mr Zabel said.
"I'm not into mud-slinging. I know Shayne and I've worked with him and you have to do that in public life."
Mr Neumann, meanwhile, was unrepentant when told of Mr Zabel's response.
"I'm only telling the truth," he said. "He's on record as supporting the government and now he's going to be fighting against our policies.
"I'm just pointing out to the electors of Blair the enormous political hypocrisy of the LNP candidate."
In his first major interview since becoming the LNP's candidate, Mr Zabel said he was encouraged to run by people who "value my background of family values and strong attention to the community".
"I enjoy local government and I enjoy representing people at that level, but I was influenced by a lot of local people to stand for the Federal seat. They didn't force me but they encouraged me very strongly," he said.
"I'm greatly concerned about the level of debt the Government is going to leave our children and grandchildren. In Somerset we have resisted borrowing and now that is paying dividends. I believe the same attitude has to prevail on a national scale."
He said he wanted to widen his local focus on roads to the Federal network, particularly the Warrego Highway, and especially the Blacksoil interchange and the Minden crossroads.
"They are both accidents waiting to happen," he said.
"The Ipswich Motorway is going to be choked up in 10 years so they need to make provision for the Goodna Bypass."
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COMMENT: Neil Zabel has effectively wrecked the chances of the LNP candidate in Ryan
winning the next election. With no candidate yet pre-selected for the LNP and with
Michael Johnson - the sacked LNP Member for Ryan - still hanging around, the ALP will be
rejoicing with Neil Zabel's gaffe of supporting a Goodna Bypass. The people of Goodna
don't want it, the people of Moggill don't want it but the Fernvale based country councillor
who is aspiring to the corridors of power in Canberra is calling for it. Neil Zabel is a nice
enough guy but when it comes to the intellect, wit, wisdom and performance of Shayne
Neumann, Neil is just a babe in the woods.
PaulGTully@gmail.com
