General News
19 February, 2025
LNP candidate is ready to take on Bob Katter in Kennedy
Innisfail resident Annette Swaine was named as the LNP's candidate for Kennedy.
The woman tasked with unseating Bob Katter from his throne is well aware of the challenge she is facing, but says it was time for voters in her electorate to be represented by a major party.
Former police officer Annette Swaine was last week named as the LNP candidate for Kennedy for what will be her second crack at an election in the space of half a year.
Ms Swaine ran against Katter’s Australian Party MP Nick Dametto in the state election in October.
“I’ve resided in the Kennedy electorate for just over two decades and I’ve been all over,” the Innisfail resident said.
“I’m an ex-police officer and I actually spent five-and-a-half years in Mount Isa as an officer.
“I’ve also run a small tourism business, so as you can imagine, I’m pretty passionate about this area and where it’s heading.
“I want to turn it around.
“I’m tenacious, I don’t give up and that’s why I put my hand up for the Kennedy election.”
Ms Swaine said it was time for the people of Kennedy to have a seat at the table.
“If the people of Kennedy are happy with where we are at the moment – I mean, we suffer the high cost of living, our farmers are suffering – then they should keep voting the same way,” she said.
“The elephant in the room at the moment is the state of the Bruce Highway after this weather event.
“I’ve been speaking about the Bruce Highway, not just in the state election but within community groups I’m in, for years.
“We’ve been promised that it would be repaired and upgraded and we’ve had nothing.
“Every wet season, Ingham is cut off. It doesn’t have to be a major weather event.”
Ms Swaine said reducing the cost of living, especially electricity prices, was a priority for her and a Peter Dutton-led Coalition government.
“I don’t want to see another three years of an Albanese-Greens government,” she said.
“People need to know if they vote for a minority candidate, you run the risk of having a Labor government back in the seat.
“I don’t think (North Queensland) is being taken seriously in Canberra and I hope to bring that to the table.
“I’ll be part of a major party and will have the ability to speak on behalf of the Kennedy voters.”
The LNP candidate said she was starting to plan her campaign schedule and vowed to spend time in the North West speaking to local voters ahead of the election, which must be held on or before May 17 this year.
“I’m used to travelling around, particularly from policing. You’re basically driving eight hours a day when you’re a police officer,” Ms Swaine said.
“I’ve got a big area to cover, so I’ll have to plan it very well.
“All I’ve really got to do is just get my word out there to the voters and hopefully time has told the tale that we do need to change.”
Ms Swaine did not back away from Peter Dutton’s nuclear power policy when asked about her views on the subject.
“We need a healthy balance,” she said.
“There has to be a power source that will be reliable, particularly in our area, that will have the capacity to meet the demand. All-renewables won’t do that.
“Blind Freddie can see that in our area, we need a reliable power source. Peter Dutton has a balanced plan because there’s no way we could rely totally on renewables.”
Ms Swaine said she was keen to hear from North West residents about their issues so she could help formulate policies heading into the election.
“I’m getting a good reception; it’s early days yet,” she said.
“I’m still the underdog but I’m going to give it a really productive go. I’m going to be everywhere I can in the campaign.
“I just want my voters to think about whether they do want change, because if they do, they need to vote for a major party.”