TASMANIAN Senator Jacqui Lambie has defended her decision to travel to Townsville and campaign against the Queensland government.
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The independent senator travelled to Lavarack Barracks this week to again raise the issue of the government’s pay offer to defence force personnel.
During her speech, Senator Lambie urged Queenslanders to put Liberal National Party candidates last when they head to the polls tomorrow.
‘‘Your local LNP federal politicians may have let you down, but you can send a powerful signal to the LNP leaders, Tony Abbott and Campbell Newman this Saturday,’’ she said.
Tasmanian Liberal MHRs Andrew Nikolic and Eric Hutchinson both questioned the campaign.
‘‘At the end of the day it is Senator Lambie’s decision about where she spends her time and she will have to answer for that to the people of Tasmania,’’ Mr Hutchinson said.
‘‘But the question is whether going to Townsville to meet defence force personnel is more important for a well-paid, full-time Tasmanian senator than negotiating with the government about delivering good deals for her state.
‘‘Most Tasmanians would expect their politicians to be focused on all the things that are of concern to the Tasmanian community like jobs, the economy, fixing the budget and delivering good outcomes for this community.’’
Mr Nikolic commented via Twitter, ‘‘Why is Jacqui Lambie in Queensland involving herself in non-Tasmanian matters? How is this relevant to her taxpayer-funded duties?’’
But Senator Lambie defended her decision to visit Queensland, and to claim a travel expense, saying the defence pay issue affected around 10,000 Tasmanians.
‘‘If I’m successful it will also mean the veterans and ADF families nationwide and Diggers serving overseas will also be better off,’’ she said.
‘‘Every Liberal member of Parliament should have joined my protest outside of the Army barracks in Townsville – if they really cared for the national interest.’’