Labor candidate for Leichhardt Matt Smith (right) talks to Lockhart River Aboriginal Shire Council CEO David Clarke about the issues impacting the eastern Cape York community during a factfinding trip this month. Photo: Supplied.
With a wet season federal election becoming ever more likely, candidates for the two major parties have already hit the hustings across Cape York over the past fortnight as the battle for Leichhardt unofficially begins.
While Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is yet to pull the trigger on setting a date for the country to go to the polls in 2025, speculation is mounting he may do so around Australia Day, with many political pundits tipping 8 March as election day.
Former Cairns Taipan Matt Smith will attempt to win the seat for Labor and kicked off his Cape York campaign with visits to Weipa, Mapoon and Lockhart River last week.
The candidate said the trip had been an opportunity to meet key stakeholders and community members in their own backyard, as well as run a number of basketball clinics for remote pint-sized future stars of the game.
“It was a great opportunity to not only get out into these communities, but to meet with a wide range of people, councils and businesses, and hear about their priorities and what is important to the people of Cape York,” he said.
“I have been travelling into the Cape for years with my work, but a highlight always is for me the basketball clinics I get to run for the kids in these communities; I have been running these clinics in the Cape and NPA for about three years now, because it has always been important to me to use basketball as a way to give back to communities that have always been so welcoming to me.
LNP candidate for Leichhardt Jeremy Neal, pictured with his wife Leearna, was part of the crowd enjoying the 150th Cooktown Races on 9 November. Photo: Chisa Hasegawa.
“[The kids] really give it their all and it is so much fun for everyone involved.”
Liberal National Party candidate Jeremy Neal, who will be fighting to keep Leichhardt in conservative hands following the looming retirement of long-serving MP Warren Entsch, has also been hitting the road across Cape York and ended his first trip by being part of the big crowd celebrating the 150th Cooktown Races on 9 November.
No other runners have yet announced their candidacy to replace Mr Entsch, but Cape York Weekly understands Duane Amos, who flew the flag for Katter’s Australian Party in Cook at last month’s state election, is weighing up the options of contesting Leichhardt as an independent.
At the 2022 federal election, 11 candidates contested Leichhardt.
Matt Smith found time to revisit his former professional basketball roots by holding a number of clinics in Weipa, Mapoon and Lockhart River while out on the hustings recently. Photo: Supplied.
