THE federal election campaign may not have officially begun yet but the local battle lines have already been drawn.
The four declared candidates for the seat of Bowman this week started trying to win the hearts and minds of voters by outlining their vision for the Redlands at an election debate staged by the Redlands Chamber of Commerce.
Wednesday night’s forum at the Redlands Sporting Club at Wellington Point saw sitting Liberal Member for Bowman Andrew Laming clash with Labor candidate Jason Young over the type of leadership the country needed for the future.
Greens contender Brad Scott and Family First candidate Alan Lucas, meanwhile, put forward their own arguments for electing a representative from a minor party to focus on key local issues.
Mr Laming, who holds the seat of Bowman with a 9 per cent margin over Labor, said he did not believe there were clear boundaries between state and federal issues and he would keep fighting for locals on a wide range of important topics.
The former eye doctor said voters should consider the poor performance of the State Labor Government and “imagine the blank stare you will get from Kevin Rudd” under a federal Labor government.
But Mr Young said Labor was determined to end the blame game between state and federal governments and was focused on the future, not the past.
Mr Young, a former Electrical Trades Union organiser, said the Howard Government had “run out of ideas” after 11 years in power and Labor would take a fresh approach to deal with the nation’s problems.
Mr Lucas said the Family First Party was a “positive alternative to the major parties” and would look after families and small businesses.
The local real estate agent said he would bring a high work ethic, drive, determination, integrity, honesty and Christian values to the parliamentary role.
Mr Scott, meanwhile, said the Greens had the “best policies to take this country forward” and deal with global warming and a range of other issues.
A former captain in the Australian Army, Mr Scott said the development of renewable energy should be “massively accelerated in this country”.
Other candidates for the seat of Bowman may come forward when the election campaign officially begins.