Liberal National Party candidate for Leichhardt Jeremy Neal says he is concerned a federal election being called during the wet season will have a negative impact on Cape York and Torres Strait voters. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
The candidate hoping to replace retiring MP Warren Entsch as the Liberal National Party (LNP) representative for Leichhardt is urging Prime Minister Anthony Albanese not to get “trigger happy” and set up a wet season federal election for Cape York and Torres Strait voters.
Sitting down with Cape York Weekly last week, paramedic-turned-political aspirant Jeremy Neal pulled no punches when asked what he thought it would mean for candidates and communities if the election was called for early March 2025, as many Canberra observers are tipping.
“I’m not going to lie, it’s going to be very difficult,” he said.
“We’ve got a wet season coming up and if it’s anything like the last one, we’ll have communities cut off in a matter of days, if not weeks.
“Depending on how long we have to campaign over, it’s going to determine how we’re going to campaign up the Cape.
“The idea is just being in front of actual people up in the Cape, you know, then to be seen in front of organisations and heads of government up there; it’s being in front of actual people, hearing their issues.”
Mr Neal was preselected by the LNP in September and said while he expected an early election to be held, he believed it would be detrimental to communities across northern Australia as the wet season became a priority.
“I’m not too sure what the game is for the current government for calling it or having it earlier on,” he said.
“I do worry that if they are a bit trigger happy and go early, that we aren’t going to be able to get around to being in the communities to hear what they need, what they want, especially from Canberra.”
Mr Neal will be supported with his campaign by wife Leearna and sons Taj, 15, Kai, 12, and four-year-old Winston, and said he decided to throw his hat in the ring to replace Mr Entsch after seeing “how Canberra directly affects our lives, even though it’s so far away”.
“We’re talking four days’ drive from Canberra, if you’re lucky,” he said.
On the subject of driving, Mr Neal said he expected road infrastructure to be a key concern raised by Cape York voters during the campaign, adding he was committed to ensuring funding for future stages of the Cape York Region Package remained a federal priority.
“We have to be realistic, this is not going to be an overnight fix,” he said when asked what his vision for sealing the Peninsula Developmental Road (PDR) would be if elected.
“We need to identify the areas along the PDR that do go under first [during the wet season] and be working hard on those areas to start with.
“I know some of the roads are [State Government] controlled and some are with councils; I don’t mind who owns the roads – if the locals need it, I’ll be advocating for it.”
So far, only two candidates have been formally announced to contest Leichhardt, with former Cairns Taipans player Matt Smith set to fly the flag for Labor when voters head to the polls.
