FIGHT FOR NEW ENGLAND HEATS UP

The fight for the seat of New England is heating up, with incumbent MP Tony Windsor and his main challenger Barnaby Joyce trading blows.

Mr Windsor today took aim at his Liberal rival, telling parliament there are rumours Mr Joyce is about to get a $700,000 donation from mining magnate Gina Rinehart.

“She will give money, I’m told, to the associated entities of the liberal party, Barnaby Joyce is a member of the liberal party, that money has been ear tagged, and it’s liberals telling me this.”

But Mr Joyce says he has no knowledge of any money being donated.

“That is just complete a besmirching that Mr Windsor carried under the protection of parliamentary privilege, Mr Windsor is a multi-millionaire, by reason of the sale of his property to a coal mine, can’t you see there’s something totally and utterly hypocritical here.”