ALP failure ‘ex-Liberal’

Andrew Mathieson
A DISGRACED Labor candidate was a former Geelong Young Liberal, according to party members.
Adrian Schonfelder campaigned for Labor in the lead-up to the election until he accused opposition leader Tony Abbott of “influencing people to take their own lives” with his opinions on sex and abortion.
Mr Schonfelder defected from a Geelong Liberal branch in 2002 to join Labor. The party preselected him for Flinders, on the Mornington Peninsula, until his embarrassing gaffe forced the party into damage control.
Mr Schonfelder issued a retraction but resigned days later after a car accident left him incapacitated.
Mr Schonfelder initially quit the Liberals over the party’s failure to commit to ending logging in the Otways’ native forests.
He later accused the Coalition of taking safe seats like Corangamite for granted.
Mr Schonfelder was a councillor for Anglesea on the former Shire of Barrabool.
Another former Geelong Young Liberal confirmed Mr Schonfelder had been a member.
The Independent was unable to contact Mr Schonfelder for comment.