The federal government’s decision to make the Braddon byelection campaign more than two months long could create a backlash against the Coalition, a leading political analyst says.
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University of Tasmania political expert Kate Crowley said it was “a disgrace” that the byelection campaign would be drawn out “for political reasons”.
The Braddon byelection will be held on July 28, alongside four other byelections across the country, three of which were sparked by the resignation of Labor MPs who held dual citizenship.
On Thursday, Speaker of the House of Representatives Tony Smith announced the date on which the byelections would be held, much to the chagrin of federal Labor, whose national conference is scheduled for the same day.
Some have even gone so far as to question the impartiality of the AEC as a result of the decision.
It was said that July 28 would avoid the school holidays period and allow the AEC time to implement new changes to citizenship vetting.
The Braddon byelection will see the most recent sitting member, Labor’s Justine Keay, who resigned due to citizenship issues, attempt to retake her seat.
She will contend with Liberal candidate and former Braddon MP Brett Whiteley.
Associate Professor Crowley said there was “absolutely no reason” for the byelection campaigns to be drawn out.
“I think that Justine Keay’s transgression was inadvertent, whereas the government’s manipulation of the election date is deliberate,” she said.
“[The byelection is] probably going to be a referendum on the Turnbull government rather than the actions of Justine Keay.”
Associate Professor Crowley said Braddon electors were now unnecessarily without a representative in the federal lower house for more than two months.
She said any potential election fatigue – Tasmanians went to the polls for the state election in March – would “go against” the government.
Political analyst Kevin Bonham, meanwhile, said the potential electoral impact of election fatigue was difficult to measure.
“This whole election fatigue thing … may be over-hyped,” he said.