RANK and file Labor Party members are challenging the party’s factional lords to hold a public meeting to test potential preselection candidates for the federal seat of Gellibrand.
Former attorney-general Nicola Roxon will retire from politics at the September 14 federal election, with the decision about her replacement dominated by leaders of the Labor Unity right faction or ShortCons: Workplace Relations Minister and Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten and Williamstown resident and Newport-based new Senate leader Stephen Conroy. The position is tipped to go to someone from outside the electorate. Williamstown ALP branch president Godfrey Moase said the vacancy provided an “opportunity for true exercise in branch democracy”.
“The reason we have no quality candidates coming forward is that democratic debate in this country has been shut down,” he said.
Mr Moase challenged the party to open the preselection process up to the public. “I think we should have an open-to-the-public town hall-style meeting where all of the preselection candidates come forward and show their wares, talk about their story and display their value to the public, and I think that will give Labor Party members a better opportunity to make an informed vote in Gellibrand about who the candidates should be.
“I’m happy if it’s an outsider but I think that the Labor Party members of Gellibrand need to have a vote and a say about who that person is and they have to prove themselves to the people of Gellibrand.”
Williamstown resident and former Victorian premier Steve Bracks has confirmed he did not intend to contest the seat. Sources agree the seat is more likely to go to a woman due to the ALP’s affirmative action policy. —Goya Dmytryshchak
