THE STARTING pistol has been fired and the 2013 federal
election race has officially begun, but some of the constestants are yet to take
their marks.
On Wednesday, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced this year’s
federal election would be held on September 14.
In the Mallee electorate, the
early announcement seems to have caught even her own party by surprise, with the
preselection of a Labor Party candidate not expected to take place until May.
So far only one candidate has put up his hand to contest the Mallee
electorate, the National Party’s incumbent Member for Mallee John Forrest, who
labelled the early announcement a “disgrace”.
“The nation’s confidence is
haemorrhaging under the current government,” Mr Forrest said.
“I hear it
everyday and see it when I walk away around Swan Hill and see all the businesses
that have closed.
“I’d rather the election was sooner, but it’s going to be a
long campaign.”
An Australian Labor Party spokesperson told The Guardian
pre-selection was currently underway for the Mallee electorate and a candidate
would be announced before the end of May.
For more on this story, see Friday’s edition of The Guardian (1/2/13).
