Politics
ONE BIG FAMILY: Right puts old spites behind them
Word is that last Friday the leadership of the National Union of Workers and the Shop Assistants Union in Victoria met to discuss strategies within the Right including their approach to next year’s expected round of preselections.
It should be noted those close to the leadership of both unions credibly deny these rumours and question the motives of those making up such unpleasantries.
The two unions haven’t always seen eye to eye, so the meeting is considered a very positive development by factional insiders concerned with ensuring stability within the Labor moderate cause.
Top of the agenda of some in the SDA is said to be the evisceration of the “UCA” group dominated by forces aligned with Dean Mighell, the boss-cocky of the Electrical Trades Union whose hobbies include workplace profanity, blow-drying his hair and bumping internal union rivals into Parliament.
One of them, Shaun Leane was the top of Labor’s ticket in the upper house seat of Eastern Metropolitan. The SDA are believed to be casting a covetous eye over his safe spot and believe it ought be shared around to someone within the majority of the majority faction.
Other moves being considered is how rising star the NUW’s Martin Pakula MLC will be accommodated in the lower house. The SDA’s Lizzie Blandthorn, the Chief of Staff to Sports Minister James Merlino is also keen to stake her claim for a lower house position to continue her climb of the greasy pole. Some hope she’ll be in a position to replace Carlo Carli in Brunswick, should he retire as expected to further develop his career as a “transport scholar”. Others think she’s positioned herself in Pascoe Vale although the local hero incumbent Christine Campbell is unlikely to be under pressure to move any time soon.
As the SDA and NUW are the two biggest unions within the Right, they will be in a strong position to determine whether Shaun will face lean times during the preselection frenzy.
The SDA are very aggrieved about Mighell’s financial support of the failed ultra-left candidate in Kororoit Les Twentyman and believe a “proportional response” would include the UCA losing some of its MP’s.
Word from the ETU is that Mighell “couldn’t give a stuff what happens to Shaun Leane.”
There isn’t much action expected on the federal front in Victorian ALP preselections, with Kelvin Thomson in Wills expected to stay on (and doing well on the Treaties Committee by raising doubts about why we’re selling uranium to an increasingly dangerous and expansionist Russia), Maria Vamvakinou in Calwell demanding three more exciting years and Lord Harold of Jenkins in Scullin enjoying being Speaker so much he’s on the verge of exploding.
Discussion
6 comments for “ONE BIG FAMILY: Right puts old spites behind them”
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Shaun Leane’s loss is a loss for the Eastern suburbs.
Long live the NUW, but please oh please spare us too much Timmmmmy!
Long live the NUW but please oh please spare us too much of Timmmmy!
Shaun Leane was handed the number one spot because of dodgy deals done by big egos in Unity. Local party members were prevented from taking part in a normal preselection process-which he would not have won given he had been a party member for less than 12 months and lived in Narre Warren. I hope this time there will be a democratic and transparent process- only I am not holding my breath. Upper house seats are seen as reward for factional service. Unity does not give a stuff about proper preselection processes or what local party members think. To prove my point look at the lack of talent in the Upper House.
In Leane’s case, the ends may just justify the means.
Lizzie Blandthorn is a delightful breath of fresh air!!!!!!!!!!!!!Unfortunatly i live in gen iris!!!!!!