ELECTION: Ian Crossland on (gay) blokes and (Liberal) chicks ...

According to The Age on October 25, National Party candidate for Leichhardt Ian Crossland is determined to "kick arse" in Parliament, even if it means crossing the floor in the interests of his constituents. Too bad his kicking won't be on behalf of some of his less heterosexual constituents ...

Mr Crossland, 57, who is battling to replace gay rights champion and retiring Liberal MP Warren Entsch in the northern Queensland seat of Leichhardt, does not see removing discrimination against same-sex couples as a priority.

He said yesterday that he was firmly against gay marriages.
Asked whether — like Mr Entsch — he supported removing laws that discriminated against same-sex couples on issues such as superannuation, Mr Crossland said: "I think there's more money to be given to the pensioners and aged care and stuff like that, without worrying about that side of grants or whatever."

Crossland used to sell used cars in Cairns. He revels in political incorrectness. Nothing wrong with that. But plenty wrong with some of his attitudes toward less ... er ... masculine Australians. Including his Liberal Party opponent Charlie McKillop.

And it seems Crossland isn't alone. The Courier Mail reports on October 18 ...

Crossland's error was to speak what many Nationals have been whispering in far north Queensland. Two senior party figures have confided to this column they didn't think voters on the Cape would take to a woman.

Mark Vaile wasn't too thrilled. Mal Brough didn't seem to mind, reminding listeners on ABC radio:

She used to actually work on a prawn trawler. She'd take most blokes and sit them on their backsides. I'd be a bit wary if I was the Nationals candidate.

She sounds like she could easily kick Ian Crossland's arse anyday.