Gareth Evans runs in Wills

By Jeremy Smith
and Vanessa Hearman

MELBOURNE -- Foreign minister Gareth Evans on the Wills campaign trail for Labor in Coburg on April 4, was forced to flee by East Timorese activists angered by the government's support for the Indonesian occupation of their homeland.

The Timorese were campaigning in the electorate for progressive candidates Bob Lewis (Democratic Socialist), David MacKay (Democrats) and Phil Cleary (independent) and against Labor and Liberals for their stand on East Timor.

When Evans appeared, the East Timorese chased him along the street with cries of “Hands off Timor's oil” and “What about the 200,000 who died in East Timor?”. Obviously taken by surprise, Evans ran into a cafe, only managing to escape by the back door. When one protester shouted to Evans that he had blood on his hands, people on the street agreed.

In another sign that the ALP is feeling the heat, the party has altered its how-to-vote card. Originally, the card gave Phil Cleary second preference. The new card places him 14th, well behind the Liberal candidate.

It appears that the ALP has taken a dim view of Cleary's left campaign and his critical media comments. The irony, as the Labor camp admits, is that the new preference distribution will aid the Liberals' chances of winning.

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