THE contest for the Federal electorate of Cowper is heating up on social media, with sitting Member Pat Conaghan taking exception to a Facebook post shared by Independent candidate Carolyn Heise’s official campaign page on Sunday, which was seen to be critical of Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the Coalition Government.

The social media stoush between the two candidates began in late March, when Ms Heise expressed her disappointment about a post from a Facebook Page called ‘Coffs Harbour Nationals’, which she believed painted her as a puppet of the ‘Evil Far Left’.

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At the time, Mr Conaghan said the offending Facebook post was not shared by an authorised National Party page.

On Sunday, the Caz 4 Cowper Facebook page shared a post with the title ‘Poem of the day!’ with an image of a poem that read, “I loathe a Scott burned country, a land devoid of brains. Of lying rorting bastards ignoring drought and flooding rains”.

Mr Conaghan has branded the post “hypocritical”.

“For a political campaign that leads with the words ‘Fairness, Honesty and Respect’, I find these tactics both disappointing and extremely hypocritical,” he said.

Ms Heise said the post had been shared to her Facebook page from an external source by a team member who thought it was funny.

She said she ordered the post to be taken down as soon as she saw it.

“I sincerely apologise to anyone who was upset by the post,” Ms Heise said.

“It was not directed at supporters of the Nationals but I do accept that the line ‘Of lying rorting bastards ignoring drought and flooding rains’ may have been triggering for those members of Parliament who have repeatedly denied the science and refused to take real action on climate change.

“It was not a post made by my team and it is not in my voice.

“I would never use those words.

“That many people gave it a tick of approval reflects what I’m hearing across Cowper – that people are frustrated at why this government won’t take real action on climate.

“I sincerely apologise to anyone who was upset by the post,” Ms Heise said.

The candidates have also clashed this week over the Coffs Harbour Bypass, with Ms Heise raising concerns that the start of work on the bypass could be pushed back due to the lack of any specific mention of the bypass project in the recent Federal Budget.

Ms Heise said, “It’s a question I’m being asked a lot – why wasn’t any more funding released for the Coffs Harbour bypass in last month’s budget?

“We’ve all been told repeatedly that work on the last piece on the Pacific Motorway upgrade would begin as soon as the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade was completed.

“That has now been open for more than sixteen months, so why hasn’t work started on a project that will have significant impacts on the people of Coffs Harbour and highway travellers?”

In a statement released to media outlets, Ms Heise also made reference to rumours she had heard that Nationals leader ‘Barnaby Joyce had hidden the bypass funding in the Coalition Government’s top secret multi-billion dollar infrastructure fund’.

“I wouldn’t put it past Mr Joyce to try to pork barrel political mileage out of making a funding announcement if and when he visits Coffs Harbour,” she said.

“Work on the bypass should have started months ago and it’s too important a project to have been held up for party political gain.

“We all deserve to know what’s holding it up.”

Mr Conaghan was quick to hit back, saying claims about the bypass and Mr Joyce’s ‘secret fund’ were unfounded.

“On Easter Sunday, the Caz 4 Cowper campaign team submitted a media release to all local media discussing ‘rumours’ pertaining to Barnaby Joyce’s ‘secret fund’ and the Coffs Harbour Bypass, with no validation of any kind,” he said.

Mr Conaghan believes Ms Heise’s campaign has been disrespectful to Liberal/National Party members and their supporters.

“To then be notified that a release was submitted containing unverified ‘rumours’ was a tipping point for me.

“It’s become apparent that ‘Fairness, Honesty and Respect’ are not to be shown to myself or the population of Cowper who voted for me to represent them.

“Ms Heise uses the word ‘Conservative’ as though it’s an insult.

“As though those who identify as conservative are idiots who deserve to be mocked and patronised.”

Mr Conaghan said he would be releasing details of major projects that impact Cowper over the coming weeks.

“From the Coffs Bypass to the Port Macquarie Tidal Pool, from record investment in clean technology to environmental policies both new and existing.

“From meaningful ways to assist with the Cost of Living to our record supports for families and business.

“I do not intend on spreading rumour, innuendo and artificially stoking anxiety within the community,” Mr Conaghan said.

By Andrew VIVIAN