TASMANIAN SEATS OF INTEREST AT THE FEDERAL ELECTION
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BRADDON
It is tipped to be a toss-of-the-coin between Labor incumbent Justine Keay and Liberal first-timer and beef farmer Gavin Pearce. In a sign of the northwestern seat's importance, both Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten have spent significant time on the ground over the campaign. Keay, who won a July by-election after being embroiled in the dual-citizenship saga, holds Braddon by just 1.7 per cent making it the most marginal in Tasmania. Keay will have to buck a recent trend, with the seat going Labor-Liberal-Labor over the past three federal polls.
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BASS
Another volatile electorate in the Apple Isle's north, Bass is held by Labor's Ross Hart with a 5.4 per cent margin. His Liberal challenger Bridget Archer is the George Town mayor and has a strong local footprint. The electorate, which includes Launceston, has been traditionally difficult to defend and has changed hands four times in the last six elections. Labor are favoured to win.
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LYONS
Liberal candidate Jessica Whelan was forced to resign from the party after anti-Muslim social media comments made in her name surfaced during the campaign. She admitted to writing some of the posts but has referred "fake" ones to police. Whelan, now running as an independent, may have been a chance of giving Labor incumbent Brian Mitchell a shake. She has remained outwardly confident in interviews but all signs point to a convincing Labor victory.
