Liberal Bass MHR Andrew Nikolic will take part in the Bass Candidates’ Debate after Greens candidate Terrill Riley-Gibson pulled out.
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In a statement on Tuesday, Ms Riley-Gibson said she was withdrawing from the debate so “Andrew Nikolic has no excuses anymore for dodging scrutiny”.
Mr Nikolic swiftly confirmed he would debate Labor’s Ross Hart now Ms Riley-Gibson had pulled out.
“The choice at the election is between a majority Liberal Government, or a Labor-Green minority government,” he said.
“It is therefore appropriate that a representative from each side debate who is best placed to grow the economy and support continued job creation.”
Given the apparent withdrawal of the Greens Candidate, I have agreed to make myself available for this debate
- Andrew Nikolic
The Tasmanian Liberal Party originally said said Mr Nikolic would not take part in the debate, as part of a party-wide policy to only take party in Labor-Liberal debates.
The debate, hosted by The Examiner and the Launceston Chamber of Commerce, will be held at the Country Club on Thursday – register your free ticket here.
Ms Riley-Gibson said she had been looking forward to raising the issues of climate change, asylum seeker policy and cuts to health and education.
“But in this one-off case I am willing to test the waters to see if [Mr Nikolic] is choosing to hide from the public himself or is being hidden by the Liberal Party,” she said.
