After a nasty encounter with PM Scott Morrison, Milton local Grant Schultz liberated himself from the Liberal Party and announced he would run as an Independent for the federal seat of Gilmore on Tuesday.
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Mr Schulz’s resignation prompted an exodus from local Liberal Party members – nine people walked away immediately, and an extra two have pledged to tender their resignation after the state election.
On Thursday Mr Schultz declared a truce with the PM, who took a verbal swipe at him in a press conference in Nowra, and added that he would consider preferencing Warren Mundine on his how to vote card, depending on what Mr Mundine has to offer the region.
He also said he would consider making preference deals with the Nationals, when they announce a candidate, and the Christian Democrats.
“My decision won’t be on the basis of advancing my political chances, I want the best outcome for Gilmore,” Mr Schultz said.
“I can state out of hand I will not be preferencing Labor.
“I might preference the Liberal Party, it depends on what Warren Mundine has to offer Gilmore.”
Mr Schultz said the majority of self-funded retirees are living on less than $50,000 per year, and all of them would be worse-off under Labor.
“It’s almost a given Labor will get in, and that’s scary for pensioners,” he said.
“Their franking tax reforms will slug 35,000 self-funded retirees in Gilmore, people who have worked hard to pay for their retirement. It will hurt ambos, nurses, farmers, police, firies and shopkeepers. This is not the North Shore, it’s a working-class, farming community.”
The former Australian Federal Police officer disclosed he has access to a Commonwealth pension and some money tied up in investments, and so the matter does not have a major impact on him personally.