From Di Thorley, Independent Candidate for Toowoomba South
Voters in the Queensland State Electorate of Toowoomba South again head to the polls this Saturday 16 July 2016, to cast their votes. This by-election was forced upon constituents of Toowoomba South as a result of LNP sitting member, John McVeigh, resigning in order to pursue a career in Federal politics.
In the lead-up to this by-election there has been quite a deal of negative publicity and scaremongering through advertising, flyers and letters to voters directed towards Di Thorley. Unfortunately this is also influencing people’s perceptions of Toowoomba.
It has been brought to my attention by residents in Toowoomba South that there are dishonest leaflets being delivered and phone calls being made to voters. The phone calls are push polling – with the intent to influence people under the guise of an opinion poll. Push polling is banned by the Australian Market Research Society, because it is not polling.
What is being said about me is not what I am worried about, locals will see through it and know it is untrue. The issue is the character of the people who are doing this. This is exactly why people distrust politicians – the best and only way to send a message that it is not good enough is to vote for Di – make Di your message to the Parliament.
Voters must not reward this bullying behaviour. Unless the party responsible stop their bullying and repudiate the muck-raking then it
says they have not listened to the electorate. I challenge whoever is doing this to show they are fit for Government by stopping what
they are doing and apologising to the community.
I urge every voter who gets a call claiming to be an opinion poll to hang up – it is a disguised smear.
Regards,
Di Thorley
Independent Candidate for Toowoomba South
