OVENS Valley candidate Julian Fidge is accusing his Nationals rival, Murray Valley MP Tim McCurdy, of misleading voters with the distribution of a campaign pamphlet he says claims responsibility for achievements in the Benalla electorate.
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Dr Fidge, who is standing for the Australian Country Alliance, said Mr McCurdy should withdraw from the campaign for citing changes made in Benalla, which will soon become part of the Ovens Valley electorate.
The pamphlet says Mr McCurdy is the member for Murray Valley and a map of the new Ovens Valley electorate is included.
It also cites the government’s achievements in the Alpine region.
“It’s misleading because it looks as though he’s taking personal responsibility for the new Ovens Valley electorate, even though the Alpine part has been looked after by Bill Sykes,” Dr Fidge said.
“I don’t see any other option — I think Tim McCurdy has to withdraw as an Ovens Valley candidate for the election because many people will vote for him now thinking he was the member for the Alpine part and did all those things.”
Dr Fidge said if Mr McCurdy refused to withdraw, he would take the issue to the Court of Disputed Returns.
He has also made a complaint to the Victorian Electoral Commission, which could not confirm to The Border Mail whether it had received the complaint or if it would begin an investigation.
Mr McCurdy disputed Dr Fidge’s claims and said his assertions were incorrect and his threat to take civil action was “the same old behaviour”.
“What I am doing is communicating with my constituents of the Ovens Valley and would encourage him to do the same,” Mr McCurdy said.
“I think people will see what the Nationals have been able to achieve in regional Victoria and certainly the North East.
“I think he (Dr Fidge) needs to stop issuing threats and get out and talk to people and understand the issues because the most important thing is the people, not the candidate.”
Mr McCurdy said he was given permission in writing that he could communicate with the new electorate leading up to the election.