Reform coalition stands by Higgs

By Shaun Inguanzo
THE Knox Reform Coalition (KRC) is standing by its council candidate, despite him being investigated by the Liberal Party over cash raised at a fundraising event.
Andrew Higgs, 23, is the KRC’s endorsed Dobson Ward candidate and is also a member of the Young Liberal movement.
The Liberal Party secretariat is investigating a fundraiser held last month to celebrate Liberalism in local government.
The investigation aims to determine whether the function was a formal Liberal Party event, or an independent fundraiser.
The funds raised currently sit in the personal account of a campaign team member, but if the investigation deems the fundraiser was a formal Liberal Party event, Mr Higgs could face consequences from the party.
The money raised was to go towards his council campaign, Mr Higgs said.
Mr Higgs, who labelled the investigation a political ‘witchhunt’, said his Liberal Party involvement was irrelevant to his council campaign.
“My concern is zilch as far as any activities with the party go, because my commitment is to Dobson Ward and the people of the ward, and I will represent them in an independent capacity,” he said.
Mr Higgs denied the event was a formal Liberal Party function, saying he had made it “very, very clear the function was attended by local people and not political supporters”, and therefore not requiring funds to be deposited to a Liberal Party account.
KRC chairman Richard Thomas said he believed Mr Higgs was not guilty and that the investigation seemed trivial.
Mr Thomas said the KRC would continue to endorse Mr Higgs, who is expected to know the outcome of the investigation on Thursday.
Dobson Ward councillor Karin Orpen, who last week alleged Knox Reform Coalition leaders were masking a Liberal Party agenda in the lead up to November’s election, said the investigation proved she had done her research.
“I stand by what I said because everything I said was a fact, and that article clearly supports the information I had been given,” she said.