Camac is 'caring, concerned'

Bethany Camac.

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CHRISTIAN Democrat candidate, Bethany Camac, claims she was misrepresented in a Daily Examiner article about the closure of the South Grafton abattoir.

Ms Camac said yesterday she had explained to reporter Terry Deefholts she was not in a position to make comment on behalf of her employer but claimed to have been quoted inaccurately.

In his story on Monday, Mr Deefholts quoted Ms Camac as saying if displaced abattoir workers did not want a job in Casino and preferred to "sit around and whinge" they could do that.

"If they want to get off their bums and get a new job they can do that," she was quoted as saying.

Ms Camac said that as the abattoir's human resources manager she had been caring for employees for the past two years.

"I continue to be concerned for their employment and their future opportunities for continued employment," she said yesterday.

"But even more importantly, as a Christian candidate, care for people and their families is absolutely central to my whole way of life.

"As a Christian I stand to defend the rights of the underprivileged and those who have been treated unfairly as evidenced clearly by my volunteer work in India and other places.

"I now find myself at the centre of public accusations of un-Christian behaviour by Grant Courtney, the leader of the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union, based on an entirely false report by Mr Deefholts, accusing me of doing this as a 'cheap political stunt'. This has got to stop.

"I have not used my role in the closing of the abattoir in any way to further my political campaign and will not.

"And I say clearly to Mr Courtney that social justice, support for the community and regional employment are very much part of my policy priorities right up there with loyalty, honesty and professionalism."

Mr Deefholts yesterday stood by his original report.

He said that, realising her comments were potentially inflammatory, he had repeated her comments back to her and asked if they were accurate.

"I was surprised she said it, which is why I read it back to her," he said.