Public unrest about Labor's "Hobart" funding promises has encouraged the Liberals to go hell for leather to win northern Tasmanian seats Bass and Braddon.
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The Liberals will pour most of their remaining Tasmanian federal election campaign funds into an advertising blitz in the two potentially winnable seats.
The Braddon-Bass focus was made easier by the disendorsement of Liberal Lyons candidate Jessica Whelan over anti-Muslim social media comments and the unlikelihood of the Liberals winning in Southern seats Clark and Franklin.
The Liberals are running hard on their criticisms of Labor's promises of $25 million towards a Tasmanian AFL team and $50 million towards public parts of mooted MONA developments.
... I'm focused on delivering for Braddon, not for Hobart.
- Gavin Pearce
A Liberal source said Liberal volunteers at pre-polling locations in Braddon and Bass were hearing "absolutely savage" feedback about the Labor commitments.
That followed polling for the Liberals which showed strong opposition in the northern seats to the Labor promises.
The source suggested it might be Labor's "Mark Latham moment" in the current campaign.
That was a reference to the 2004 campaign when union figures and even Labor premier Paul Lennon turned on then-federal Labor leader Mark Latham over his Tasmanian forestry policy.
The row was a factor in Labor losing Braddon and Bass.
Now, the Liberals will hammer the message they are the party concerned about the North-West and the North all the way to the May 18 election.
"By promising $50 million for MONA in Hobart and $25 million to move Launceston's AFL games to the South, Labor has completely abandoned Bass and Braddon," Liberal state director Sam McQuestin said.
"Unlike Labor, the Liberals are for the North, North-West and regional Tasmania.
"I won't go into specifics, but we will be dedicating nearly all of the resources available to us to make sure everyone in Bass and Braddon understands that we are for the north and Labor is focused on Hobart."
Liberal Braddon candidate Gavin Pearce said: "The overwhelming feedback I'm getting is that Labor has abandoned Braddon and people are angry about the handouts to MONA and the AFL in Hobart."
"Unlike (Braddon MHR) Justine Keay and Labor, I'm focused on delivering for Braddon, not for Hobart."
Ms Keay said: "This morning I participated in a radio forum with the Liberal candidate for Braddon who couldn't answer why Scott Morrison is giving over $100 million to mainland AFL and NRL clubs and not a cent to grassroots football in Tasmania or to support a future AFL team."
"Labor has committed over $260 million to start fixing the Liberals' health crisis, over $53 million for tourism infrastructure projects on the North-West and West coasts and over $3 million for upgrades at Braddon sports clubs.
"Can my opponent name one commitment he's made for tourism or sport in North-West Tasmania that he hasn't copied from (Nationals Senator) Steve Martin?
"I want my three boys and all our kids to be able to cheer for a Tasmanian AFL team and watch games in both ends of the state.
"International tourism to Tasmania has surged because of MONA, and international tourists don't just fly to Hobart and leave.
"They go to the West Coast, they go to Stanley, they go to Cradle and all our beautiful towns along the way."
