The recruitment of Peter Beattie to run for Labor in the crucial marginal seat of Forde was without question yesterday’s play of the day. However, Beattie will be far from the only Labor newcomer should his bid succeed, the weeks before the election announcement having seen an avalanche of preselection action as Labor scrambled to cover an exodus of senior figures in safe seats. In turn:
Kingsford Smith: Peter Garrett will be succeeded as Labor’s candidate by Senator Matt Thistlethwaite, who had a 136-105 victory in a local ballot held last month over Tony Bowen, Randwick mayor and son of Hawke-era deputy prime minister Lionel Bowen. Thistlethwaite first aspired to the seat when previous member Laurie Brereton retired at the 2004 election, at which time he was vice-president of the state branch of the Australian Workers Union. However, he was frozen out by then leader Mark Latham’s insistence that the seat go to Garrett. Thistlethwaite went on to serve as the party’s state secretary and convenor of the Right faction from 2008 until he was eased out of both roles with the promise of a Senate berth in 2010, having ruffled feathers by backing then Premier Nathan Rees in his determination to choose his own cabinet (which Rees used to dump Right potentate Joe Tripodi, together with the now notorious Mineral and Forest Resources Minister Ian Macdonald) and throwing his support behind Environment Minister Frank Sartor to replace Rees as Premier rather than Kristina Keneally. His Senate seat was secured in relatively bloodless fashion when incumbent Michael Forshaw chose not to contest the 2010 election, although this resulted in Graeme Wedderburn, who has been Bob Carr’s chief-of-staff both as Premier and Foreign Minister, being denied the seat promised him when he was lured from the private sector to serve as chief-of-staff to Rees.
New South Wales Senate: Matt Thistlethwaite’s Senate vacancy will now go to his successor as state secretary, Sam Dastyari, who today hands over the reins in that position to the erstwhile assistant state secretary, Jamie Clements.
Charlton: Greg Combet’s successor in the Hunter region seat is his deputy chief of staff, former Australian Metal Workers Union official Pat Conroy, who easily won a local preselection ballot with 57 out of 90 votes. Conroy’s path was smoothed by the late withdrawal of Daniel Wallace, a Lake Macquarie councillor and Australian Manufacturing Workers Union organiser said to have had strong support locally. Wallace reportedly faced pressure from factional leaders concerned about his two convictions for assault. An earlier withdrawal had been Sonia Hornery, member for the corresponding state seat of Wallsend. The three unsuccessful candidates who saw out the process were Joshua Brown, a Muswellbrook Council policy officer and former staffer to Combet’s predecessor Kelly Hoare; Marcus Mariani, assistant director at the Department of Defence; and Chris Osborne, a local party activities. Mark Coultan of The Australian reported rumours that “key factional players• wanted the local preselection process to be overridden to impose the party’s assistant national secretary, Nick Martin, a Left faction member who unsuccessfully sought preselection for the ACT seat of Fraser before the 2010 election.
Rankin: In a rebuff to Kevin Rudd, the preselection to replace Craig Emerson was won by Jim Chalmers, former chief-of-staff to Wayne Swan, ahead of his favoured candidate Brett Raguse, who held Forde for Labor from 2007 to 2010. A ballot of local branch members reportedly ended in a 74-74 tie, which rendered decisive a 36-14 majority for Chalmers among the electoral college of union delegates which determined 50% of the final result. The preselection caused a split between the two main right unions, the Australian Workers Union having supported Chalmers and the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association backing Raguse, and also within the Left, with the Electrical Trades Union backing Raguse but the rest supporting Chalmers.
Hotham: Simon Crean will be succeeded as Labor candidate in Hotham by Geoff Lake, a Minter Ellison lawyer and former Municipal Association of Victoria president who shares Crean’s association with the National Union Workers. Lake won the preselection ahead of Rosemary Barker, a disability worker with the Office of the Public Advocate, winning firstly the local party ballot 252-117 and then the public office selection committee vote 41-22 (with each accounting for 50% of the final total). Lake’s win was partly down to a split between Right potentates Bill Shorten and Stephen Conroy, who had long been the pillars of a “stability pact” with the Socialist Left from which the NUW had been frozen out. Tensions between Shorten and Conroy emerged during the preselection to replace Nicola Roxon in Gellibrand, in which Conroy failed to support the Shorten-backed Kimberley Kitching, and inflamed considerably when Shorten decisively defected to the Kevin Rudd camp. The Left pleaded that the split made adherence to the stability pact a practical impossibility and abstained from the vote. John Ferguson of The Australian reports that a further layer of complexity was added by the fact that Lake and Barker had respectively had success in courting support from the local Cambodian and Vietnamese communities, in the former case with help from state Clayton MP Hong Lim.
Lalor: The candidate Julia Gillard backed to succeed her in her western Melbourne electorate, Moonee Ponds Primary School principal Joanne Ryan, emerged an easy winner after her stronger opponents fell by the wayside prior to the vote. The Australian reported that factional and gender balance considerations meant the seat was always likely to go to a woman from the Right, early contenders in that mould including Kimberley Kitching and Lisa Clutterham, who respectively had the support of erstwhile allies Bill Shorten and Stephen Conroy. Clutterham withdrew after a disastrous radio interview with the ABC’s Jon Faine, in which she appeared stumped as to how to finesse her obvious lack of connection to the electorate, while Kitching pulled out and threw her support behind Ryan. Kitching had reportedly won support to seek the number three position on the Senate ticket instead, but here too she ended up falling short (more on which below). Yet another withdrawal was Sandra Willis, the daughter of Keating government Treasurer Ralph Willis. Facing only low-key opposition from two local party members, Andrew Crook of Crikey reported that Ryan ended up securing 74 votes out of 88 in the local party ballot and all but one of the 100 votes from the public office seleection committee.
Victorian Senate: The number three candidate on Labor’s Victorian Senate ticket will be Mehmet Tillem, Turkish-born electorate officer to Senator Stephen Conroy, who won 37 votes from the public office selection committee to 25 for the aforementioned Kimberley Kitching, a former Melbourne City councillor, current Health Services Union No. 1 branch acting general manager, and the wife of controversial former VexNews blogger Andrew Landeryou. The result was another rebuff for Kitching and her backer Bill Shorten following unsuccessful tilts at the Gellibrand and Lalor preselections. As had been the case in Hotham, the Socialist Left abstained from the vote on the grounds that the Shorten-Conroy split meant the Right had failed to fill its end of the “stability pact” bargain. Tillem will at the very least serve out the remainder of Feeney’s Senate term, which expires in the middle of next year, although his prospects for extending his tenure beyond that by winning a third Senate seat for Labor at the election appear slim (hence Feeney’s determination to abandon the spot for a move to the lower house).
Does anyone know how much Peter Brent stands to make if his prediction of a Labor victory comes to fruition? I miss his (pre-Australian) gambling journals.
Nice chap on the Drum saying Rudd will wipe the floor with Abbott this Sunday.
lizzie:
The photo just reinforces Abbott’s inability to relate to women like a normal adult.
[“”If the Libs think having JWH visible is a bonus they are now in panic mode.””]
Labor role out Bob Hawk, Paul Keating, draft a former NSW Labor Premier, rope in a former QLD Labor Premier to run and you think the Libs are in panic mode with
JWH on the TV…..
Anyone who runs a business and does not charge at least enough GST to pay for their GST obligations is crazy.
I bet the farmers market stall holder’s books include GST on sales.
Daniel B@701
I was pretty surprised when Centre said the other night that he is in for K2k and may go in for another K5k depending how the ball bounces.
Each to their own.
hope that gets tweeted to the guardian or Fairfax
one kiss to many I think
but keep it up tony
Those Letters about Sophie are very good. I like this one
[Dear editor of the Myrtleford Times,
It is blatantly untrue that Mrs Sophie “Magic” Mirabella, our local MP, is unfamiliar with the electorate. I have it on good authority that she has flown over Indi on no fewer than 230 occasions on her way from Tullamarine to Canberra, providing her with a unique bird’s-eye perspective on this electorate and the issues that matter to voters. Please retract your vicious slur on this good woman.
Your acrimoniously,
Not-At-All-Invested-In-The-Campaign Indi Voter.]
rummie
Hawke and Keating have a role. Howard is a rolled out to show people why the Libs have not won an election for almost a decade federally.
sorry to repeat my self but that is revolting
CTar1
It could be the one thing that in the history of “western” democracy history will say “Praise be to Dave”.
[That… and]
So you admit you’re a pathetic, sexist little worm. Good to know.
[ruawake
Posted Friday, August 9, 2013 at 6:33 pm | PERMALINK
rummie
Hawke and Keating have a role. Howard is a rolled out to show people why the Libs have not won an election for almost a decade federally.]
You mean rolled out to show the people what a real PM looks like, as Labor has had two failures warming the seat for almost a decade!
confessions
To me, Abbott’s social awkwardness is very similar to Howard’s, but without Hyacinth’s cover-ups!
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/aug/09/economic-truth-not-out-there
The government says it will improve our cost of living with spending – things such as the schoolkids bonus and the new money for before and after care. It’ll all be OK because it has a something-point-plan to improve productivity.
The Coalition says it can improve our cost of living by abolishing taxes, in particular the carbon tax. It’ll all be OK because when the taxes come off economic growth will improve.
In fact, as Richardson points out, as the boom years fade away, no party can guarantee the kind of increasing living standards we’ve had. And improving productivity means taking really hard decisions, which in the past have always been made politically possible with lots of make-it-all-good spending, which now can’t happen either.
Don’t hold your breath for a political leader who’ll admit to that.
————-
Indeed.
rummie
Bennelong – the defence rests. 😛
Psephos @6:01 PM –
How’s this for a first try? Can I get a job on the Daily Telegraph?
Good one. Maybe Sean would like a laminated copy for his pool room.
I don’t give a shit if Howard’s out on the campaign trail or not. Both parties tend to trot out their former PMs at elections.
[Labor role out Bob Hawk, Paul Keating, draft a former NSW Labor Premier, rope in a former QLD Labor Premier to run and you think the Libs are in panic mode with
JWH on the TV…..]
LOL!! Plus Rudd was wanting to roll out Gillard.
GILLARD! LOLZ
$4.50 on Centrebet for Labor, not looking good folks… quick, bring out a desperate GST Scare I’m sure the punters will be as dumb as us and buy it!
poroti – ‘Dave’ is a confusing character.
That he’s advancing in the polls on Milliband is something.
Given the current turmoil in his company, Murdoch may come to regret his media attacks on Clive Palmer. Palmer is out to get as much publicity as possible in the election campaign and could do this by mounting his own public attack on Murdoch.
This morning Red Symons on 774 was asking for nominations for “pollies you like” as if they were a football team.
Nominations were not supposed to include sensible reasons.
Therefore:
Clive on the bench in case they ran out of money.
and Andrew Bolt as the streaker who disrupted the match. 🙂
@Sean/719
The same person who white-anted Turnbull is still sitting there.
[The Coalition are going to be getting about 86 seats so they should be going for Labor safe seats.]
Sure, waste your money there, Baghdad Sean.
[Both parties tend to trot out their former PMs at elections.]
Or in the case of the Greens other parties former PMs.
[Palmer is out to get as much publicity as possible in the election campaign]
Failing big time so far .. so is Katter for that matter.
[Or in the case of the Greens other parties former PMs.]
Haha. True.
rummel – They should put JWH out every day.
He’s no Bob Hawke.
[LOL!! Plus Rudd was wanting to roll out Gillard.]
Did Gillard agree to Rudds catch 22 proposal?
[CTar1
Posted Friday, August 9, 2013 at 6:44 pm | PERMALINK
rummel – They should put JWH out every day.
He’s no Bob Hawke.]
Agree. PM’s who get knifed by there party are aways more popular with the punters, just ask Gillard.
@BBS/726
On that matter Katter kicked his off today:
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/katter-kicks-off-election-campaign-with-jab-at-major-parties-for-selling-nation-off-to-china/story-fnihsrf2-1226691470124
The mood here in Brisbane today is that Krudd and Batty are about as popular as two meningitic maggots.
The day of the ballot box is coming…
[Both parties tend to trot out their former PMs at elections.]
Seeing Malcolm has gone over to the Greens, the Libs only have JWH to roll out – for any more they would either have to have a political seance or scour China to find the 105 year old Harold Holt.
[People who intend to lodge a postal vote in the federal election have been urged by the Australian Electoral Commission to take extra care when filling in forms as voting material sent to the household might not be what it seems, and instead be a vehicle for political parties to collate the most personal details of the voting public.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, Liberal up-and-comer Josh Frydenberg, shadow minister Bob Baldwin and backbencher Teresa Gambaro all currently employ the strategy, although it could be more widespread.
Here is how it works:
An official-looking envelope arrives in the mail, containing an application form for a postal vote, a reply-paid envelope and maybe a political flyer from your local candidate.
The householder fills in the required details and posts the form in its handy envelope to a rather official looking address.
Far from having just mailed one’s name, date of birth, mobile phone number, home number, email address, enrolled address, postal address, place of birth, employer details and signature to the Australian Electoral Commission, you have just provided either the Liberal Party or the ALP with all of the above, post-paid.
This is data gathering on an extraordinary scale – and it is perfectly legal, legislated by the Commonwealth of Australia.]
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/the-lowtech-way-major-parties-trick-voters-into-giving-away-personal-information-20130809-2rn7g.html#ixzz2bSZg2Ic0
[Sure, waste your money there, Baghdad Sean.]
So ignorant of reality… the Coalition are going to be getting 86 seats give or take a couple.
Nobody is going to put up with Rudd’s shit for another 3 years
another good day on the slow march to australian freedom prosperity and spiritual enlighenment released from the shackles of colonial media oppression, corporate conspiracy and blind egomaniacal shambolic leadership. onwards brothers and sisters
Zoidlord @731
Just the headline alone suggests that Katter will piss off a lot voters in Bennelong and Chisholm.
Diog @ 680 re sociopatholgy: My own neurosurgeon had the bedside manner of a lampost, but I appreciated his manner – I wanted someone who was going to operate on my brain and knew what he was doing. I didn’t care a jot for his ‘friendliness’. My brother, OTOH, who saw him for an unrelated matter could not stand him.
I work with a number of pilots. They have in common with surgeons (at least, MY surgeon) a way of dealing with the facts, and emotions are rarely engaged. I don’t want a ‘touchy-feely’ type piloting my Airbus or working on my head.
CTar1
There was an opinion I saw several weeks ago in some pomgolian paper that Theresa May going all Pauline Hanson would turn in to a vote bonanza by stripping votes from UKIP. Guess they were right. Check out the vans they rolled out.
See Rummel has reverted back again, how surprising and this is the guy who claimed he handed out how to vote cards for ALP in 2007?
Is this really “the phoney election” phase of the campaign?
Neither party seems to have the money to run a 5 week campaign so they have shadow boxed for a week to keep the sheeple of the press entertained?
For what it’s worth, I cannot understand why many of you respond to Sean. He’s surely taking the piss.
[Lady Miranda Ann Caulfeild Ackermann-Boltt]
Posting name as silly as the comment that goes with it.
may the trust and faith that saw us through the years of waiting for leadership now guide across the waters of political turbulence to promise land
ps i will personally strike the match to the invisible gases that protrude from many on the ‘other’ side including overweight squatters here – the explosion will be big and fun
When I had acute appendicitis my surgeon was a model of courtesy and solicitude. And in a public hospital, too.
poroti – The ‘vans’.
One on Aldersgate St a couple of mornings age.
I would have thought it would be better placed in Islington.
[So ignorant of reality…]
The only one ignorant of reality is you. Sure, the Coalition are leading in a majority of seats at the moment but like the brainless waste-of-oxygen you are, you automatically equate that with them all being safe as houses. Completely bloody delusional but expected of a dull party hack like yourself.
mari@740
He belled the cat with this one Mari –
[ rummel
Posted Monday, May 6, 2013 at 9:57 pm | PERMALINK
Im burdened with my stupidity for life, but i try and share a little bit every day. ]
Otherwise he is like a weathervane in a gale.
[Neither party seems to have the money to run a 5 week campaign so they have shadow boxed for a week to keep the sheeple of the press entertained?]
Based on her Melbourne radio performance this morning and if Penny Wong is any guide – as official election spokesperson – the ALP have nothing to say. Not one word about what they would do. She barely got the words Kevin Rudd out more than twice.
[When I had acute appendicitis my surgeon was a model of courtesy and solicitude]
Also having had appendicitis there is a certain time when they need to be!