After Peter Watson was unceremoniously dumped as the ALP candidate for Southern Downs, a new candidate had to be quickly found to fill the breach.
The breach was filled by Suzanne Kidman, resident of Toowoomba; she had her name added to the ballot. That is all she is too, a name on the ballot, as she herself admits that it is UNLIKELY she will win the seat against long term time server, Lawrence Springborg.
Why then bother to have an ALP candidate, as it seems unlikely they will come close to winning the seat. The answer to that lies in the little known fact of electoral funding. If a registered party achieves 4 per cent of the primary vote, the party picks up about $2 in public electoral funding. So, even if a candidate loses by a mile, the party can do quite well out of the electoral funding. Anyone can recognise that 4 per cent of the primary vote for a major party is easily achievable.
Voters should be aware that, when you give any Party your first preference vote, you are actually donating public money to that Party. Electoral funding is no secret, but few know how the system works for the benefit of the political parties.
Jay Nauss
