Clem Grehan LNP story- Written by Merryn McDonnell (myself)

Fight for South Brisbane Escalates

Liberal National Party (NLP) candidate for South Brisbane, Clem Grehan has labelled the new Labour (ALP) candidate for South Brisbane, Ms Jackie Trad, “a labour party hack.” Mr Grehan says the ALP’s Ms Trad was “part of a dictatorship for two years” regarding the infrequency of the ALP’s overall state meetings. “To me, when you cancel meetings like that you’re a dictator.” Mr Grehan expressed further distain when speaking about Labour’s previous premier, Anna Bligh. “(She’s) a hypocrite” who treated Queenslanders with “contempt, utter contempt.”

Mr Grehan will enter a bi-election for the seat this Saturday (28^th April 2012). Ms Bligh held the South Brisbane seat in the recent state election. However, she resigned the day after the polling.  Mr Grehan says he was “exhausted but not discouraged” when a bi-election was announced on Sunday, 25^th March (2012). “I knew it was going to be close. But we (the LNP) knew we were going to win overall.” ABC news reported that Mr Grehan lost the South Brisbane seat by only 132 votes. “Our guys (the LNP) didn’t think we’d go anywhere near that.”

However recent polls indicate Ms Trad has a 57.9 per cent lead on a two-party preferred basis. Professor Clive Bean from Queensland University of Technology says the polls are not a definitive guide. However, "the swing to the LNP has pretty much gone about as far as it can go, so any movement is likely to be back towards the ALP."

Mr Grehan maintains that he is the best candidate for the job, “I can listen to the people better than they (the ALP) can. I’m listening with both ears. Not a right side LNP brain or a left side ALP brain. I’m listening with both ears.”