Labor candidate for Bass Janie Finlay says her raffle to fundraise for her political campaign is legal and common for political candidates, despite the Liberal Party claiming it breaches the Gaming Control Act.
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A raffle to raise funds for Ms Finlay's political campaign is offering a package for two people, including a 15-minute helicopter tour over Launceston and out to Josef Chromy Wines for lunch.
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Ms Finlay said raffles were a common fundraising tool for political candidates, especially those running grassroots campaigns like herself.
"All parties run these type of fundraisers from time to time," she said.
However, Liberal spokesperson Michael Ferguson claimed Ms Finlay had breached the provisions of the Gaming Control Act 1993.
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"The raffle, proceeds of which will support Ms Finlay's personal campaign, is in clear breach of the Gaming Control Act 1993," he said.
Ms Finlay said the raffle was an easy fundraising tool that meant her campaign could remain focused on the issues that matter to the people of Bass.
Mr Ferguson said raffle proceeds were not meant to be used for private gain.
"[It] states 'raffle proceeds must be used exclusively for the lawful purposes of a not-for-profit organisation or a charitable purpose and not for the private gain or benefit of any person except by way of charity'," he said.
Similarly, an invitation sighted by The Examiner shows incumbent Lyon's Liberal Member Guy Barnett held a raffle, auction and lucky door prize to 'get Guy elected' in 2013.
The Liberal Party's New South Wales counterparts recently hosted a raffle, the Winning Back Warringah Raffle, for former Prime Minister Tony Abbott's old electorate.
Tasmanian political electoral analyst Richard Herr said the accusations against Ms Finlay were not related to the Electoral Act 2004 and it was therefore not disqualifying of a candidate.
"It is a kind of political distraction we get regularly in elections, which are basically the sort of thing that distracts the public from the real issues of the campaign," he said.
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Isobel Cootes
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
Sports reporter at The Canberra Times. A Novocastrian with a passion for football (or soccer as they call it in the capital) via The Examiner and The Port Lincoln Times.
