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Barnett reprimands wine-giving candidate

WA Premier Colin Barnett has again been forced to reprimand a Liberal candidate whose election campaign conduct proved embarrassing.

WA Premier Colin Barnett has been forced to defend a Liberal candidate for a second day in a row amid more embarrassing election campaign revelations.

Liberal candidate and City of Perth councillor Lily Chen was criticised when it emerged she had been handing out bottles of wine to people while doorknocking during the WA election.

On Monday, Liberal Party South West region candidate Wade De Campo apologised after he was caught out pretending to be a talkback caller while criticising Opposition Leader Mark McGowan over Labor's financial and renewable energy policies.

The bottles handed out by Mirrabooka candidate Lily Chen were labelled with her name and details, and the words "The Change Mirrabooka Needs. Happy 2017!"

Ms Chen said the gift giving was for a short period of time in recognition of Chinese New Year.

Mr Barnett said Ms Chen, a lawyer and Russian language and history expert, had been heavily involved in Chinese New Year celebrations but should not have given voters wine.

"It's unusual," he laughed during a press conference on Tuesday.

"Everyone campaigns in a different way. But handing out wine bottles, no, that's not the way to go, Lily."

Mr Barnett said Ms Chen would be the first Chinese person elected to the WA parliament if she won Mirrabooka, which is Labor-held with a 4.6 per cent margin.

The Liberal Party also released a statement saying "Lily now realises this was not appropriate and apologises for her error of judgment."

"She apologises unreservedly for any offence that has been caused.

Mr De Campo was initially defensive about his actions, rejecting Mr McGowan's comments that he had been dishonest and untruthful, but later acknowledged "a serious error of judgment".

"I apologise for any embarrassment and offence that was caused."

The premier said Mr De Campo's actions were regrettable and silly, but "we all make mistakes," and "sometimes silly things happen in campaigns."

Labor treasury spokesman Ben Wyatt said the continuing mistakes showed a government in disarray.

"The electoral commission would not be impressed by it and most West Australians would not be enamoured by the idea of handing out bottles of wine during the caretaker period of an election campaign," he said.


3 min read

Published

Source: AAP



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