Leadership issue puts Throsby in hot seat

By Alex Arnold
Updated November 5 2012 - 11:26pm, first published November 17 2009 - 10:45am
Jennie George. Picture: GREG TOTMAN
Jennie George. Picture: GREG TOTMAN

Speculation over a possible replacement for Throsby MP Jennie George continues to cause a stir among rank-and-file Labor Party members.On Monday night the Albion Park-Oak Flats branch, one of the electorate's largest, became the latest to demand a pre-selection process amid concerns an ALP factional deal will see Community and Public Sector Union national secretary Stephen Jones installed.Chairman of the Albion Park-Oak Flats branch and former Shellharbour City mayor David Hamilton said the issue had galvanised the membership, even though Ms George was yet to decide her future.

  • Will this man replace Jennie George in Throsby?
  • Bitter debate divides the ALPMr Hamilton said while members were backing Ms George "100 per cent" if she wanted to stay, a resolution was passed that "active members of the branch believe they should be given a right to a say over who should be leading us in the future".Mr Hamilton said the meeting at the Albion Park Bowling Club attracted "a fair turnout for this time of year" with many angered by the comments of the Australian Workers Union Port Kembla branch secretary and Labor Party member Andy Gillespie.Last week Mr Gillespie told the Mercury his factional Right opponents were hypocrites to "whinge" about the installation of Mr Jones in Throsby after backing the "parachuting in of people like Lylea McMahon into Shellharbour" in the past.Mr Hamilton said branch members felt Mr Gillespie was displaying a turnaround of his own."Andy Gillespie was very boisterous against Lylea McMahon getting parachuted in and boisterous against Sharon Bird getting Cunningham when (Greens candidate) Michael Organ got elected," Mr Hamilton said.He said anyone who lived outside the Throsby electorate like Mr Jones would not be excluded in a pre-selection process.With the Gilmore electorate shifting north the Albion Park-Oak Flats ALP branch will have a say in both seats in 2010.Former Labor candidate Neil Reilly has declared his intention to stand against sitting Liberal MP Jo Gash, but Mr Hamilton said members expected a pre-selection process for Gilmore.
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