Greens on march, says poll report

    TIM MARTAIN
    Mercury
    February 23, 2014


DESPITE the tough-talk from the two major parties, the Greens appear to be putting a scare into some of their rivals as the election approaches.         

Polling analysis commissioned by Greens Leader Nick McKim suggests the Greens could pick up an extra two seats, one in Denison and one in Franklin, giving them seven seats and Labor six.         

Even Liberal Leader Will Hodgman seemed to consider Mr McKim to be a credible threat, making mention of the possibility of “Premier McKim” during a visit to Tas Live Abalone with PM Tony Abbott.

“We understand that if people vote for Labor, the Palmer United Party or the Greens, the very likely outcome will be another minority government with Nick McKim as its leader,” Mr Hodgman said.

“The only plans they’re making is who is going to lead the next minority government in Tasmania and Mr McKim is pushing himself towards the front.”

The report, prepared by polling analyst Kevin Bonham using EMRS and ReachTEL polling, has predicted a scenario in which the Greens could win two seats in each of the electorates of Denison and Franklin if they can secure around 24 per cent and 25 per cent of the primary vote respectively, which is less than their 2010 vote.

And even a minor swing in the Greens’ favour would make them favourites to pick up an extra seat in each of those electorates, at the expense of two Labor seats.

In the event no party wins a clear majority, this could put the Greens in a position to form a minority government of their own with other ­parties.    

“We have vastly more ministerial experience in our ranks than the Liberal Party,” Mr McKim said during the launch of the Greens advertising campaign.

“We have served our apprenticeship and we are ready to form government.”

The Premier Lara Giddings said voters appeared to be over the Greens.

“Wherever I go around Tasmania the consistent message I’m given by Tasmanians is that they are sick and tired of the Greens being anti-everything,’’ Ms Giddings said.

In Hobart to endorse Mr Hodgman’s campaign to win government in Tasmania, Mr Abbott said previous Labor-Green Governments, both state and federal, had shown themselves to be “congenitally hostile to business”.

“We need state and federal governments to work with each other, not against each other,” he said.

“Tasmania has got to be an economy as well as a national park.”

McKim is a popular figure in Tassie and given the behaviour of the Libs and Labor in the rest of Australia it would be no surprise to see the Greens pick up a few more seats in Tassie 

Vote 1 Australian Greens.  A good change from labor Tweedledee, or liberal Tweedledum.