Is the party that introduced
push polling to Australia trying it on again with similar tactics? The
Country Liberal Party seems to have found a new mud puddle to wallow in
as a Territory election looms closer. Former NT Labor senator Bob
Collins faces sensitive charges that are the subject of suppression
orders in the Top End – but the CLP and its friends are doing plenty of
nudge, nudge, wink, wink work, linking the Labor government with the
nameless “prominent Territorian”.

The issue has appeared in the Sunday Territorian
newspaper, and CLP Leader Denis Burke has taken up the theme in
Question Time – despite warnings from the speaker, Lorraine Braham.
Now, Territorians are receiving telephone calls canvassing their views
on Denis Burke, Clare Martin and Collins – a man who retired from
office in 1998 but seems to have become a key election issue for the
CLP.

CLP MHR Dave Tollner has got on to the game, too. His website
carries a poll “Do you think that Bob Collins, the man widely credited
with getting Clare over the line last time, should again be asked by
Labor to play a prominent role in the coming NT election?”

Should make for another entertaining campaign in the north.