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 has refused to rule out backing Peter Dutton to be prime minister in a hung Parliament.

Kate Hulett has repeatedly said 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.

Ms Hulett went on say she would “reflect back on what our community wants”.

“We’ve been a Labor seat for 94 years so I don’t know how much of the Fremantle electorate is going to encourage me to form a coalition of sorts with Mr Dutton,” she said.

Ms Hulett faced more questions at a politics in the pub event in Fremantle on Tuesday.

In a fiery exchange after she 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 Labor MP Simone McGurk, in State Parliament on Thursday.

“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,” she said.

“I urge the voters of Fremantle buyer beware when it comes to Ms H

Video of the exchange has been posted on social media.

Ms Hulett has pivoted her campaign from nearly unseating State minister Simone McGurk in March to talk a tilt at Federal politics.