Tas: Howard to visit coveted marginal seat

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2006
Tas: Howard to visit coveted marginal seat

HOBART, Aug 15 AAP - In a sign the next federal election is looming, Prime Minister
John Howard will visit two seats Labor has identified as critical to the outcome of the
poll.

Mr Howard will spend two days in Tasmania later this month visiting Hobart and the
seat of Braddon, in the state's north-west.

Earlier this month, opposition leader Kim Beazley named Braddon and the adjacent marginal
seat of Bass as two of Labor's "must win" seats to claim the election.

Labor lost both seats at the 2004 election, largely in response to its forestry policy.

Indeed, Mr Beazley said, Labor must "reclaim the Tasmanian grand slam" of all five
seats in the state if it is to win the election, due next year.

Mr Howard visited Bass last month, the third time he has toured the electorate since
the last election. His visit to Braddon, where he will attend a lunch and an afternoon
tea, will be his second since 2004.

Mr Beazley's five visits to Tasmania since returning to the Labor leadership in January
last year include one to Braddon and none to Bass.

Bass MP Michael Ferguson and Braddon MP Mark Baker hold their seats by tiny margins,
the latter by just 1.1 per cent.

A spokesman for Mr Beazley said today the Labor leader would make "multiple visits"

to Bass and Braddon in the leadup to the election.

The electorates were "crucial to Labor's fortunes" at the next election, the spokesman said.

Mr Howard will spend most of the day in Braddon on August 25, attending an invitation-only
business luncheon in Devonport and a community afternoon tea in Ulverstone.

Then he'll fly to Hobart, where the next day he will address the Tasmanian Liberal
Party state council.

The Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Kevin Andrews, also will speak
at a luncheon in Hobart on August 26.

AAP rgr/pe/sd

KEYWORD: HOWARD TAS

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