As you drive through Perth’s suburbs during the election period the Division of Tangney is the city’s south is the space where you’re likely to see more billboards and roadside placards than any other region.
The streets are filled with campaign messages from Labor, Liberal and another player, The Australian Christian Lobby.
On Easter Saturday supporters for the Liberal candidate Howard Ong stood in the medium strip on South Street in Kardinya enthusiastically waving banners. Any street you drive down is filled with Corflute signs for Ong and Labor incumbent Sam Lim.
And in a park on High Road opposite the shopping centre a giant mobile Billboard attacks The Greens over their support for transgender women.
The Greens candidate for the seat, Eric Hayward, said the mobile billboard said more about those who commissioned it, and it was not reflective of the views of the local community.
“Targeting the Greens is a familiar tactic in the election cycle.” Hayward told OUTinPerth.
“It reflects badly on those that attack us and would be hurtful to members of Tangney’s LGBTQI community.
“After the same sex marriage debate, broader society has moved forward to include people of alternative gender orientation.
“I do not discriminate against LGBTQI people and find it sad that people prefer to hate, rather than love one another.” Hayward said.
Labor had a surprise win when they picked up the seat at the 2021 election, following boundary realignments they notionally hold it with a margin of 2.8%
It’s a seat the Liberal party desperately needs to return to government on May 3rd, so it’s a key battle ground of the election.
The seat had been in Liberal hands since 1984 with Peter Shack, Daryl Williams, Dennis Jensen, and then Ben Morton serving as members.
The affluent electorate covers the southern shores of the Swan and Canning Rivers and takes in suburbs including Bicton, Ferndale, Murdoch, Canning Vale, Riverton, Rossmoyne, Applecross, Leeming Winthrop, and Kardinya. Approximately one in ten voters in the seat have Chinese ancestry.
Initially the Liberals selected reality TV star Mark Wales as their candidate, and he pitched that head into parliament to stand up for J.K Rowling. He dropped out and was replaced by Ong who has a long association with the Australian Christian Lobby.
Both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Liberal leader Peter Dutton and former Prime Minister John Howard have visited the electorate while on the campaign trail.
OUTinPerth approached Labor Sam Lim, Liberal candidate Howard Ong and The Australian Christian Lobby for comment.
