Zali Steggall, the independent candidate who ended Tony Abbott’s career in his Sydney seat of Warringah, has declared she will support the Morrison government and “there is clearly a mandate” for its re-election.
But Ms Steggall signalled yesterday she would remain a staunch critic on climate change and singled out Mr Abbott for being “very negative” on the issue.
The Sydney barrister and former Olympian gained 59 per cent of the vote in Warringah, held by Mr Abbott for 25 years, after the count of preferences.
Ms Steggall was helped by local anti-Abbott groups and was aided, directly or indirectly, by activist group GetUp, which poured enormous resources into defeating Mr Abbott.
Ms Steggall said she thought voters had rejected Labor’s economic policy and indicated she would stick with her “preference” to back the Coalition. While offering a conciliatory note to the Prime Minister, Ms Steggall said she was still committed to a climate change target more ambitious than the Coalition.
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/na...n/news-story/3b6464c69e90c7848daa8c20b233996e
