27 September 2024

Lee fronts media to tackle Roberts and Kikkert issues

| Ian Bushnell
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Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee with her deputy Leanne Castley at Canberra Hospital today. Ms Lee said Ms Castley took questions on Wednesday while she was busy at the Seniors Expo and with other candidates. Photo: Ian Bushnell.

Opposition Leader Elizabeth Lee has rejected claims she was hiding from media on Wednesday in the wake of the revelations about a Liberal candidate’s contentious social media posts and the leaking of a video designed to damage disendorsed candidate Elizabeth Kikkert.

Ms Lee, who was unavailable to media all day, told a press conference at Canberra Hospital on Liberal health policy that it was always the plan for her to visit the Seniors Expo and candidates’ mobile offices while her Deputy, Leanne Castley, announced the party’s plan to boost elective surgeries.

“I had a great day yesterday talking to hundreds of Canberrans about the issues that affect them directly,” Ms Lee said.

“We issued a statement, the Deputy Leader was available to answer questions and I’ll point you to the fact that every time anything has happened, I have always fronted the media.

“So I utterly reject the notion that I haven’t.”

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Ms Lee said the views of Ginninderra candidate Darren Roberts, as expressed in social media posts under the name Bert Poppins, were not the views of the Canberra Liberals or her own views.

She had spoken to Mr Roberts and he understood that the posts did not align with her or the party’s views, but he would remain on the ticket.

“He’s an endorsed candidate, the ballot has been done so it’ll be up to the people of Gininnderra as to whether they vote for him.”

Asked whether she could work with Mr Roberts, Ms Lee said there were always diverse views in political parties and she would have to see how the election went when there would be a further discussion.

Ms Lee stood by the party’s decision to dump Mrs Kikkert, agreeing the video played a significant role, but it was up to the division whether a full version could be released.

She said she had not seen the video before it made its way into the media, and Canberrans would make up their own minds about it.

Ms Lee brushed off questions about the campaign in Ginninderra being in disarray, saying that no one had asked about these issues when she was out and about on Wednesday.

“The voters are concerned about the cost-of-living prices,” she said.

“They’re concerned about the fact that they can’t access housing.

“They’re concerned about the fact that they have continually been told by this government many, many promises in relation to fixing the health system, education, housing, cost of living and community safety, and this is a government that has not followed through.

“That’s what I’m hearing from voters.”

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Chief Minister Andrew Barr rounded on the Canberra Liberals, calling them a rabble.

Mr Barr said Mr Roberts’ Facebook views bubbled away under the surface of the membership of the Canberra Liberals every single day.

“We see this not just with Mr Roberts, with Elizabeth Kikkert, with a number of other Liberal candidates and members and staff in their public discourse,” he said.

“Mostly, they do it under their own name, so it’s pretty clear who it is and where they’re coming from, but the fundamental issue here is the conservatism, the racism, the transphobia that’s sitting behind all of this, and it’s not just one candidate.

“It’s endemic within the Liberal Party, particularly in the ACT.”

Mr Barr said Mr Roberts should be disendorsed.

He said Ms Lee had been endeavouring to suppress these sorts of views but not very effectively, and she was now on to her third Deputy Leader.

“One quit the Assembly entirely, another she sacked, she’s expelled Elizabeth Kikkert, Nicole Lawder’s retired, Alistair Coe left the parliament as well.

“There’s not much left of the Canberra Liberals. How could they possibly form a government with this rabble?”

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20+ years is too long…but is that enough reason to vote in a dysfunctional ACT Liberal leadership? Maybe Parton/Castley in 2028 might give the Libs a real chance of leading the ACT.

HiddenDragon8:02 pm 26 Sep 24

There will be people who will be genuinely offended the views of “Bert Poppins” – just as there are people who are offended by the policies and pronouncements of a government which too often seems to be at war with the values and lifestyles of many Canberrans.

Likewise, there will be people dismayed at the dumping of Elizabeth Kikkert so close to election day – just as there are people who are dismayed at the unapologetic waste and incompetence of a government which has not been without its own “personnel” issues –

https://the-riotact.com/allegations-former-greens-mla-solicited-nude-photos-from-teenager-deleted-evidence-aired-in-review/742245

The reality is that the majority of the voters (i.e those who are not rusted-on) who will decide this election will, at best, have heard of Barr, Rattenbury and maybe Lee – Kikkert and Roberts will be of no interest to them because they have far more pressing priorities.

Blah blah blah. What’s your ‘pressing priority’? Seems obvious

Chief Minister Andrew Barr rounded on the Canberra Liberals, calling them a rabble. THIS IS NAME CALLING BARR. Why are you so obsessed with controlling the thoughts of Australian? Why are we expected to have YOUR values? Why can’t people crack a joke? Why do you endorse victimhood? Why the phobia division? Why? It is called “egocentrism” … and the little piggy cried “me, me, me, all the way home” VOTE 1. THOUGHT CRIME 1984.

Oh thanks so much for clearing that up Riotact. It sounds like a storm in a tea cup. Now, when is Tara Cheyne going to front the media over her refusal to listen to the plight of disabled citizens living in squalor under her portfolio? And the rest of it…. and when is Riotact running the story on it? That would be interesting to see….

It’s only a storm in a tea cup as it’s what we’ve come to expect from the Liberals. I pity Ms Lee trying to steer clear of Zed and his crazy cronies.

Given the billions $$ up for grabs through the NDIS there should be no reason for any disabled people to live in squalor.

Hi theberra, I am up at 3 am on suicide watch. This has nothing to do with the NDIS. It is a policy failure of Tara Cheyne and the Labor/Greens. It does not only impact disabled citizens but it impacts the whole of Canberra. It has been reported to the Riotact for journalists to investigate, so if you are interested in what is happening, give them an email. A complaint has also been lodged with the ABC for biased reporting, as they knew about the situation last year but ommitted it in their news story. It seems, these poor vulnerable people who are living in crisis don’t have a right to a voice in Canberra….. WHAT’S THAT ABOUT?….. VOTE 1. LABOR/GREENS THOUGHT CRIME 1984…🤐🤐🤐

Why do/did you feel the need to inform the internet you’re on suicide watch and insinuate that that is due to some kind of policy failure? I am sorry you’re in a position where your life is on the line but attempting to blame a current government for your mental health is weak

… and yet you claim Barr is the one endorsing victimhood

Hi theberra. Yes I claim Barr endorses victimhood. In fact, Barr has “selective” victimhood and selects who is worthy of being a victim and who is not. It all depends on whether they think like him. It is called “group think” … your empathy for people with a disability is off the charts… like Barr, you ASSUME too many things. I had hoped Riotact would speak truth to power on this real lived experience to clear it up.. but I have not heard from them… Oh well. I have a major media political reporter coming out to see me next week and you my dear empath, can miss out. Until then… keep assuming, keep judging and swallow the group think… my 6th sense is that I see fake people. Have a great weekend.

Can I reply to myself Riotact? Is that permitted? I have been trying to clarify the question below for 2 days … To prevent insinuation as to why I posted at 3.27 a.m. I included my job description. It is a job people. It is what Allied Health Professionals do. But no, that is too much brain muscle mass to join the dots or look up the definition of what it is. And instead, it is projected back on to the Health Professional.. It is called “stigmatization” where the employee becomes pathologized for working/speaking on behalf of vulnerable people. “Vulnerable people” is not victimhood. It is a description. It is why you have a working with vulnerable people card… I am seriously blown away… You all must have been educated under Berry.

Excellent, he’s still on the ticket.
Hope the persons who endorse quack ideologies get a rude awakening as to how many people… Don’t.
As happened with the voice vote.

Vote #1 Darren Roberts.

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