Re your comment; "I wouldn't be worried about our marginal seats ... "
Everyone should be concerned about what's happening in Indi; even September 7th will not mark the end of what has erupted here.
Indi has been one of the safest Coalition seats in Australia. That changed at the 2010 Election when a first up independent, Alan Lappin, out-performed Sophie Mirabella on the hustings; on a shoestring budget.
He took 6% of the primary vote from her and thereby inspired other better funded candidates to have a go this time.
Since 2010 the people of Indi have watched in horror as the personal life of our MP has been thrust in our faces. We've watched Mirabella miss crucial votes in Parliament and get herself repeatedly ejected from Parliament. We've watched as she claimed credit for major local projects in which she played no part.
The latest media revelations about the Wangaratta Council and changes to planning regulations have left us bewildered. The people of Wangaratta are now without a senior management team and have inherited a bill that may run to $millions as a consequence.
These matters are far from done and dusted!
National Party stalwarts including Ken Jasper and Tim Fisher have thrown their weight behind the Independent candidate; Cathy McGowan. Campaign donations have poured in to support her and indications are that she will finish ahead of the ALP's candidate and attract the great majority of preferences.
Despite all of that Tony Abbott intends to have Sophie Mirabella on his frontbench.
