Sharma hoses down criticism over directing preferences to UAP in Wentworth

MP slammed over Coalition climate policies and UAP airing of neo-Nazi views; Sharma told candidates debate ‘preferencing someone does not amount to an endorsement’

Wentworth MP Dave Sharma has vowed to push the next government to formally write to the ABC and SBS asking them to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, at a community forum where he also defended directing preferences to the United Australia Party despite the party giving a platform to neo-Nazis, reports The Jewish Independent.

Sharma made the comments at a candidates debate jointly hosted by the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, and the Australasian Union of Jewish Students at Moriah College on Sunday night, which also featured his independent challenger in Wentworth, Allegra Spender, and the Labor MP for Kingsford-Smith, Matt Thistlethwaite.     

Sharma, responding to a question about what he would do to encourage the university sector and other parts of Australian society to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism, said the definition should be used to provide a “benchmark and some guidance to institutions to make sure they police the conduct of their staff better”.

Sharma was also asked why he had directed voters to preference the United Australia Party candidate second, noting that the party had given aired neo-Nazi views. “Preferencing someone does not amount to an endorsement of their policies. It’s just something you need to put on the ballot paper,” he said.

“I would say to each of you who are Wentworth residents, number the boxes however you’d like.”

Spender used her opening speech to address media reports that her campaign had been associated with an activist who had made anti-Israel comments.

She said she did not know the activist’s views on Israel before media reports surfaced, said that as a policy she was “strongly against” the BDS movement, and insisted she had been a “strong friend” of Israel.

“That is why I strongly believe in the existence of a strong Israel which has the right to self defense, while it pursues its two-state solution,” she said, referencing the recent terrorist attack in Elad.

Sharma suggested that Australian government support for Israel would be weaker under a Labor minority government that had to rely on the Greens to pass legislation in the lower house. Sharma also said he was in favour of government funding for the Community Security Group

Sharma warns of teal threat to Liberals (AAP/Canberra Times)
Liberal MP Dave Sharma has told voters they risk losing a moderate voice inside the party if he is ousted from the Sydney seat of Wentworth, one of several electorates targeted by prominent independents.

Mr Sharma is facing a sizeable threat from Allegra Spender, who used the same debate to promise action on climate change, a federal anti-corruption commission and a reshaping of the economy.

"If Wentworth is not Liberal, you'll almost certainly get a Labor-Greens government, supported by the independents," Mr Sharma told a community forum on Sunday night.

Asked by the audience about his preference card listing the United Australia Party at number two, Mr Sharma said he'd have preferred his how-to-vote cards didn't list preferences.

"Number the boxes however you like," Mr Sharma said.

Ms Spender said she was willing to work with both sides of politics as long as she could maintain her independence.

Liberal MP Dave Sharma criticised by challenger Allegra Spender for preferencing Clive Palmer party candidate (SBS)
Just over two weeks out from the election, a number of Liberal candidates are preferencing Clive Palmer's United Australia Party (UAP) on their how-to-vote cards, despite Prime Minister Scott Morrison's insistence that no deals with the party have been done.

In the keenly contested Sydney seat of Wentworth, independent candidate Allegra Spender criticised incumbent Liberal MP Dave Sharma for preferencing UAP candidate Natalie Dumer at number two in his how-to-vote cards.

"Dave Sharma preferencing Clive Palmer raises serious questions," Ms Spender told SBS News.

"When our community wants strong climate action, why is Dave Sharma supporting Clive Palmer, who wants to build Australia's largest coal mine at a time when we absolutely must phase down coal?"

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Photo: Candidates at the community forum at Moriah College on Sunday night (AAP)