Perth Voice Interactive

WIKILEAKS candidate Tibor Meszaros says he has no ethical qualms about adverts promoting his Senate campaign on West TV, where he works as a director and station manager.

Mr Meszaros says the WikiLeaks Party is paying four-figure sums for the campaign ads— spruiking him and fellow candidate Lucy Nicol—on the community TV channel.

The ads are fronted by former WikiLeaks senate candidate Gerry Georgatos, who abruptly quit last month.

Mr Meszaros says no other political party has advertised on West TV for today’s April 5 Senate re-election, despite being approached.

The Greens, Liberal and Labor parties had ads on the station during the state election build-up last year.

“I don’t see any ethical problem with me working at the same station I advertise on: all the ads have been paid for by the WikiLeaks Party,” Mr Meszaros says.

“It would be different if I was getting free advertising.

“What’s galling is the biased coverage shown towards the Liberal and Labor candidates in WA newspapers: they get huge photos and spreads while other candidates like Scott Ludlam get a photo the size of a postage stamp.”

The WikiLeaks Party, which has secured the valuable number one position on the massive senate ballet—giving it the opportunity to benefit from donkey-voters—has pledged its preferences to the Greens, boosting Senator Ludlam’s chances of retaining his seat.

Last year Mr Georgatos controversially preferenced the Nationals ahead of the Greens, which he used to belong to but fell out with following preselection controversies.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK