The Liberal party have dumped their candidate for the seat of Kimberley the state election.
Darren Spackman made deadlines after WA Today highlighted a 2022 social media post he’d made following a break the Kunanurra pub he operates. The publican had posted pictures of the break in, describing it as a “Welcome to Country”.
In a media interviewed Spackman had defended his comments denying they had a racist connotation, but in a foul mouthed interview with The West Australian Spackman said a decade ago he would have wanted to hang young indigenous people who break the law.
“I have changed my attitude, but 10 years ago I would have said hang the c…s … if you commit the crime, bang, that’s it you’re done,” he said.
“Now I’ve seen the other side of it where I’ve been to juvenile justice . . . you only been to school for three months of your whole life and you come to town and you’re couch surfing, how long until you steal food.”
Liberal leader Libby Mettam, who had stood by Spackman after his initial post was highoighted, demanded his resignation.
Mettam said Spackman’s behaviour was the kind she would not tolerate.
“These are not the values of the Liberal Party and more particularly they are not my values,” she said.
“I intend to put this behind me because the WA Liberals are exclusively focused on health, crime, cost of living, and restoring regional services, after a decade of Labor failures.” Mettam said.
Mettam’s stance against Spackman has left some political commentators asking why she hadn’t taken any action against other candidate who have been accused of misogynistic or homophobic posts on social media or in public life.
The region that Spackman was hoping to represent has an Indigenous population of over 40%. The Liberals held the seat from 1968 until 1980 but since then it’s most been in Labor’s hands, except for a five year period between 1996 and 2001 where Labor’s Ernie Bridge quit the party and stood as an independent.
The incumbent member is Labor’s Divina D’Anna. Since Bridge was elected in 1980 the seat has been represented by a member with indigenous heritage with Carol Martin and Jodie Farrer both holding the seat for Labor.
