Ripper out, McGowan in

It is being universally reported that Eric Ripper will officially stand aside as leader of WA’s Labor opposition today, with Rockingham MP Mark McGowan to fill the vacancy unopposed. Ripper had survived as Opposition Leader for three years and three months since assuming the position in the aftermath of the 2008 election – not bad going by modern standards. However, polling throughout the term has consistently indicated that Labor has failed to seriously trouble the government, and a post-CHOGM blowout in the Liberal lead to 59-41 in the Newspoll published on January 6 may have been the last straw.

The decisive moment came on Friday when Ripper was told he had lost the support of the seven-member “Missos” Left, including the party’s lower house deputy Roger Cook and upper house leader Sue Ellery (not to mention United Voice a.k.a. LHMWU state secretary Dave Kelly). This development activated the latent opposition to Ripper among the eight-member element of the Right which had supported Ben Wyatt’s abortive challenge last year, which included both the mooted contenders – McGowan and Peter Tinley. While some who didn’t like the idea of the former evidently gave encouragement to the latter, Tinley simplified matters by declaring himself too inexperienced. There were also at least three members of the “Metallies” Left (Mick Murray, Fran Logan and David Templeman) who saw things the same way as the Missos, together with factional independents Tom Stephens (a long-standing Ripper foe) and Tony Buti.

This collectively made for at least 19 members willing to back McGowan over Ripper out of a caucus of 37. The tipping point having been reached, by yesterday any holdouts among the Metallies faction had come round to Ripper. Ripper’s only remaining loyalists were the “New Right” faction, which is an alliance built around Michelle Roberts and the “Shoppies” Right, together with Ripper himself and his partner Ljiljanna Ravlich (once colleagues in the now barely existent Centre faction). The West Australian today reports that Ripper retained 12 supporters in total, so I presume by process of elimination this must have included one out of Adele Farina (who has a background in the Centre) and Linda Savage (an independent).

Part of the steady drip of bad news for Ripper was Monday’s announcement by Bassendean MP Martin Whitely that he would not seek another term, which came with a suggestion that Ripper should follow his example. Whitely further complained of “factional bullies who have tried to end my career on two previous occasions”. One of those he may well have been referring to, the aforementioned Dave Kelly of the Missos, was tipped by Gary Adshead of The West Australian yesterday as a possible successor to his seat. Adshead also identifies the proposal which has been floated for Nollamara MP Janine Freeman (whose seat has been renamed Mirrabooka in the redistribution) to recover Morley from the Liberals as being motivated by a desire to gain a further seat for the Missos, and further reports the faction has designs on Ripper’s own seat of Belmont. It had earlier been reported the seat might be of interest to state secretary Simon Mead, who is also associated with the faction.

Author: William Bowe

William Bowe is a Perth-based election analyst and occasional teacher of political science. His blog, The Poll Bludger, has existed in one form or another since 2004, and is one of the most heavily trafficked websites on Australian politics.

100 comments on “Ripper out, McGowan in”

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  2. Chris Ilsley – 6PR Midnight to Dawn Annoouncer wrote the following on my Facebook Wall when I posted the link to this post

    Cghris’s political views are Conservative – as per most Talkback presenters 🙂

    [I hoped Ben Wyatt would be the next leader. I think he has the goods.]

  3. What a joke, the guy is on holidays, but the faceless men pull the plus while he is away. Its the same in every ALP branch in every state and nationally.

    Democratic Communist process…..

  5. Suzanne which “faceless men” would these be? The men and women William names who help run the Party? I think they all actually have faces. How do you think things work in other political parties? Interesting that you mention “communist”.

    The notion of “faceless men” was an invention of the conservatives during the Menzies era to try and pretend that the Labor party was actually run by KGB spies in trench coats who had secret meetings in dark allies – and nobody really knew who they were – hence “faceless”.

    Should we still be looking for reds under our beds?

    You may not like the way the Labor party chooses its representatives (not a whole lot different from any other party) but lets not embarrass ourselves with cliches.

  6. @ Gweneth

    Your kidding, the Faceless men axed Rudd, Rees, Ieema. Those last two even went on TV and confirm it years later.

    This people behind the scenes pull the strings.

  14. [9

    William Bowe

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 12:11 pm | Permalink

    Funny how indignant all these leaders suddenly get about faceless men who pull the strings after they lose the leadership.
    ]

    Yet thety quite happily use them to get the leadership.

    BTW Ripper in his presser defended the Unions and their faction leaders.

  16. [Toorak Toff

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 2:38 pm | Permalink

    Was Ripper’s crime that he was a non-factional centre leftie?

    Or that he lacked leadership skills and was making no impression?
    ]

    The latter, plus the fact the media here prayed at the alter of Barnett, and attcked the govt with the ferocity of a limp lettuce leaf.

  17. A pity that Alannah McTiernan didn’t get the leadership earlier and now seems unlikely to come back into state politics. She’d have wiped the floor with Barnett and made a great Premier. Her own views on that are clear in this interview before she became the very popular Mayor of Vincent.

    http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/tilt-at-top-job-tempts-alannah-mactiernan/story-e6frg14c-1226104940034

    Maybe not faceless, but certainly men had a lot to do with her departure from state parliament.

  18. [Maybe not faceless, but certainly men had a lot to do with her departure from state parliament.]

    You mean the same men she was quite happily use to get pre-selection and be aligned to when appointed as Miniater.

    These people knew the rules when they joined the ALP – if they didn’t want to play by them, then perhaps they wouldve done bettert as independents ?

    *Crickets*

  19. Agree with you Patricia and essentially the same idiot men who with Carpenter gave away govt, have now dumped ripper and as far as I can tell are going to remain in charge I preselection again based on selfinterest and patronage while deliberately ignoring both ability and local issues.

    Still they’d make a better govt than Barnett but stumbling over that pathetically low and incompetent bar is of no account if like last time the people of WA rate Barnett and his cabinet of fools in front of the patrons candidates

  20. [WeWantPaul

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 5:53 pm | Permalink

    Agree with you Patricia and essentially the same idiot men who with Carpenter gave away govt, have now dumped ripper and as far as I can tell are going to remain in charge I preselection again based on selfinterest and patronage while deliberately ignoring both ability and local issues.

    Still they’d make a better govt than Barnett but stumbling over that pathetically low and incompetent bar is of no account if like last time the people of WA rate Barnett and his cabinet of fools in front of the patrons candidates
    ]

    Factions BOOOO

    Alannah was quite happy to play the Faction Game to gain pre-selection for both Armasdakle and Canning, and the same goes for Martin Whitely.

  21. No not factions boo – if you have an Abbott type mind and can’t parse beyond 4 words (and only then so long as it is a single idea without nuance) then Frank I’d put it this way for you – losing boo

    Hey look only two words is that simple enough for you?

  22. [WeWantPaul

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 6:10 pm | Permalink

    No not factions boo – if you have an Abbott type mind and can’t parse beyond 4 words (and only then so long as it is a single idea without nuance) then Frank I’d put it this way for you – losing boo

    Hey look only two words is that simple enough for you?
    ]

    Wrong you are attacking the Factional system where your supporters were quite happy to use to get where tyhey were.

    Ken Travers wasn’t appointed shadow Trasport spokesman co he was a smart thinker.

  24. Clearly frank you are just making up absolute rubbish as what I’m attacking is the way the factional system is working (it isn’t) and the results the morons are getting (they aren’t) these stupid strawman you make up are silly and boring and quite frankly irrelevant to any sensible conversation.

  25. There should be a lot of resignations from the State Labour party Logan of threesome fame,Phillips and a lot of other time servers,why Bullock Kelly and co run things I dont know I hope Kelly stands along with the other union man and they both get booted,maybe that lot will take the hint.
    I hear the media dragging up Burke again if Burke wins his appeals he should sue the arse of 7 9 10 and that joke called The West plus the low life scum on 6PR

  26. [25

    John Ryan

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 6:24 pm | Permalink

    There should be a lot of resignations from the State Labour party Logan of threesome fame,Phillips and a lot of other time servers,why Bullock Kelly and co run things I dont know I hope Kelly stands along with the other union man and they both get booted,maybe that lot will take the hint.
    I hear the media dragging up Burke again if Burke wins his appeals he should sue the arse of 7 9 10 and that joke called The West plus the low life scum on 6PR
    ]

    More Unions BNOOO bullshit and you beliecve the crap from 6PR.

    Boy are you guillible.

  27. [WeWantPaul

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 6:24 pm | Permalink

    Clearly frank you are just making up absolute rubbish as what I’m attacking is the way the factional system is working (it isn’t) and the results the morons are getting (they aren’t) these stupid strawman you make up are silly and boring and quite frankly irrelevant to any sensible conversation.
    ]

    I wasn’t born yesterday.

    You are attacking the very system your heros used to get elected.

    If theyn think they can run pfor parliament without the Unions then I challenge them to stand as an Independent.

    They knew the rules and were qquite ghappy for them to use them to get where they are.

    The double standards they employ sickens me.

  28. And for those so-called ALP Supporters – a little History lesson.
    The ALP was created as thed political arm of the UNION MOVEMENT.

    Remember thatg when you mnext enjoy that pay rise and imnprovement in Work conditions your union fought hard for.

  30. [29

    William Bowe

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:08 pm | Permalink

    An end please to the uninteresting exchange between Frank and WWP.
    ]

    May I suggest you look in your own backyartd before you declare this exchange being uninteresting 🙂

  32. [William Bowe

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:19 pm | Permalink

    Just looked in my backyard, Frank. It was definitely more interesting than this exchange.

    1980 and the State seat of Albany 🙂

    That is all.

  33. I’m kind of confused now, if McGowan is going to become the new leader of opposition, does that mean Rockingham/ Safety Bay will have get a new MP soon?

  34. [33

    Apple Blossom

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 7:56 pm | Permalink

    I’m kind of confused now, if McGowan is going to become the new leader of opposition, does that mean Rockingham/ Safety Bay will have get a new MP soon?
    ]

    No,

    He is still your local MP Being Leader is in addition of being the local member – it’s just that he will be a lot more busy nthan usual and may not be asaccessible to locals.

  36. Suzanne my point is that there are no faceless men in any of these leadership changes. Factions members and power brokers are all known and can be named and challenged.

    What exactly is your definition of a “faceless man”?

  37. [WeWantPaul

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 8:27 pm | Permalink

    Btw there was a whole report on how we went last time, ask someone to explain it to you and how well it went
    ]

    Perhaps a grown up can explain howw Brendan Grylls capitulated to the National Rank and File and a few MP’s by going with Barnett 🙂

  38. [Gweneth

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 8:27 pm | Permalink

    Suzanne my point is that there are no faceless men in any of these leadership changes. Factions members and power brokers are all known and can be named and challenged.

    What exactly is your definition of a “faceless man”?
    ]

    Ahem Noel Chricton – Browne 🙂

    And ask Dennis Jensen how he manged to get pre-selected in Tagney all the time despite having several challengers ?

  41. [John Ryan

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 9:02 pm | Permalink

    Considering I called 6PR scum how and why would I bother listening Frank?
    ]

    They may be scum but you have no problems falling for their bootstraps.

  45. The ‘faceless’ man stupidity is in exactly the same league as ‘factions boo’ it is at best a distraction from what is really happening to stop it being analysed and at worst it is people just not having a clue what is going on and using silly words to try and pretend they do

  46. [WeWantPaul

    Posted Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 11:12 pm | Permalink

    The ‘faceless’ man stupidity is in exactly the same league as ‘factions boo’ it is at best a distraction from what is really happening to stop it being analysed and at worst it is people just not having a clue what is going on and using silly words to try and pretend they do
    ]
    Yet you are happy to perpetuate the myth to suit your idealogcal shortcomings.

  48. Could be a good sign .Large pictures and full front page in the West for McGowan and the OO halso has most of the front page and large pictures of McGowan. Don’t seem to recall recent leadership changes at state level getting that sort of cover. Even the headline in the OO was not too bad “Ripper Time For a Bloodless Labor Coup” . Not a “factional warlord” “facelss men” “knifing” in sight. 🙂

  49. Unfortunately Poroti, I seem to remember the PM getting the same sort of treatment at the outset.

    Part of the Oz complex to “set-em-up-to-cut-em-down”.

    I liken it to a kid (media) having a new toy to play with. When they get sick of it they throw it on the floor, or worse, try to destroy it.

    However, as it is a bright and likely to be hot morning in Perth – let’s look on the bright side.

    I think, at least M will take the fight up to B. He, B, leads one of the weakest set of ministries in the country and as many have pointed out here, he is not all that secure with about 4 seats in it.

    Feel sorry for ER as he is a good bloke. However, he already had my vote. It is the the Labor vote residing with B that has to be got back.

    The cost of living thing is a potent weapon but whether it is enough is another matter.

  50. Tricot

    [Part of the Oz complex to “set-em-up-to-cut-em-down”. ]
    Yes, I wondered about that possibility BUT the important thing is it is positive. The headlines and images are very good. Whether they continue in such a manner is another matter but better this start than one of being portrayed as the “blood on the hands” “faceless men” guy. Large print headlines of “A Fresh Start” and the Oz paper copy article starting with “A Bloodless rejuvenation of West Australian Labor will see…” and later in article “”-a disappointed but relieved Eric Ripper refused to be bitter about losing support..” read nothing like the normal slant they put on reporting such events. It may be temporary but I’ll take it !
    And yes to
    [Feel sorry for ER as he is a good bloke]
    BK is currently discovering as we speak about why this point you made is a good one 🙂
    [The cost of living thing is a potent weapon but whether it is enough is another matter.]

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