Cape York Weekly has spoken to Leichhardt candidates to find out how they intend to approach campaigning on Cape York and in the Torres Strait in the lead-up to voters going to the polls on 3 May. Photo: Cape York Weekly.
As campaigning for the federal election hits full swing, Leichhardt candidates have provided insight into if and when Cape York and Torres Strait voters can expect to see them on the ground before 3 May.
The timing of the election has been criticised by several of the six candidates currently vying to become the Leichhardt MP, with the wet season and five public holidays throwing a spanner in the works of multiple plans to campaign on the Cape.
Liberal National Party candidate Jeremy Neal, who is looking to keep the seat in coalition hands, admitted it would be a struggle to fully canvas the region during the five-week campaign.
“With multiple trips to Cape communities already, my campaign for all of Leichhardt started many months before the election was officially called,” he said.
“I’m disappointed that Albanese called the election for 3 May, as this campaign period has five public holidays and eight days of pre-poll; this drastically reduces the ability to get to every town in that time again.”
Greens candidate Phillip Musumeci, who was in Weipa for the Rio Tinto community forum on 3 April, said the party’s “Cape York strategy is to visit regions where we can find the time and money, so we can engage directly with local communities to listen and to learn, and also to explain our policies”.
Independent Munganbana Norman Miller told Cape York Weekly he would target as much of the region as he could during two planned trips.
“I am very keen to be on the ground in Cape York,” he said.
“Due to being an independent meeting my own costs, my plan is to do one trip to Cooktown, Hopevale and Wujul Wujul, and one trip to Weipa and Thursday Island; I have team members going to Bamaga and the [Northern Peninsula Area]; if finances come in enabling me to do more visits, I certainly will.”
Les Searle, who is flying the Family First flag in Leichhardt, said he would “not be able to be on the ground personally before the election”, but committed to having supporters campaigning on his behalf.
One Nation runner Rob Hicks said he was hitting the road from 13 April and had already lined up meetings with the Weipa Town Authority, Western Cape Chamber of Commerce and Cook Shire Council.
Labor candidate Matt Smith said he and his campaign team were aiming to head north over the Easter long weekend, adding he had been in regular contact with stakeholders since making a Cape York trip in late 2024.
“I promised the kids in Weipa I’d take them for a basketball shooting clinic, and I’m going to honour that commitment to them,” he said.
“I was in Cooktown just before Christmas, and I’ve been in touch with [Cook Shire Council] since.”
