Kate Hulett: Independent candidate refuses to rule out backing Dutton in hung Parliament

Labor has warned Fremantle voters “buyer beware”, after the Climate 200-backed independent candidate refused to rule out backing Peter Dutton to be prime minister in a hung Parliament.

On Thursday, Kate Hulett vowed to use the balance of power to “negotiate” - whoever wins - after repeatedly insisting she would reflect the wishes of the community if she is successful in ousting Labor MP and assistant minister for climate change Josh Wilson.

In an April 16 episode of the Serious Danger podcast, Ms Hulett said she thought she was never going to have to make a decision about backing the Coalition or Labor.

“Thank goodness that I think the Australian people are going to make that decision for us because the polls are showing, what, it’s a 2 per cent chance of Dutton getting in,” she said.

The polls have tightened in the two weeks since then, but most commentators are still predicting a hung parliament.

In a fiery exchange at a politics in the pub event on Tuesday, Ms Hulett was asked for a “yes or no” answer on ruling out backing Mr Dutton. Ms Hulett again said she would consult the community.

“I’d say the first rule of negotiations…” she started before being shouted down by audience members demanding a clear answer.

“Well you’re not going to get one from me,” she responded.

“My position is to represent the community and that’s what I do.”

Another person called out to say the community had been “Labor for 94 years”, to which Ms Hulett responded, “Exactly”.

That prompted notorious activist Gerard Mazza, who has joined Ms Hulett’s campaign team, to tell the hecklers to, “Use you f…ing brain”.

The exchange was labelled “incredible” by Cook Government Minister Simone McGurk, in State Parliament on Thursday, as other Labor MP’s yelled out “shame”.

“The same independent lists government transparency as one of her key priorities, yet here she consistently refuses to rule out supporting a Dutton minority government,” Ms McGurk said.

“I urge the voters of Fremantle ‘buyer beware’ when it comes to Ms Hulett.”

Asked for clarification on Thursday, Ms Hulett stood by her answers so far.

“My intent is to negotiate significant concessions from the government if I am elected with the balance of power,” she said.

“I cannot do that if I have already given the game away and stated my final position before I even start negotiating.

“Anyone who suggests otherwise is either practising bad faith or bad politics.”

Ms McGurk said “there are lessons to be learned” after Ms Hulett came within 500 votes of ousting her from the seat of Fremantle in the recent State election.

Ms Hulett’s pivot to a Federal campaign has forced Labor to divert resources to Fremantle, away from other key seats.

The Prime Minister even spent precious campaign time in the port city, pulling beers for supporters at Gage Road Brewery last week.

But Ms McGurk has backed Labor MP Josh Wilson to prevail on Saturday.