National
The Harkins bid …
WILL HODGMAN Leader of the State Opposition Wednesday 3 June, 2009 … and what the State ALP says …
Bartlett must rule out State bid by Kevin Harkins
· Kevin Rudd has said he doesn’t want Kevin Harkins in Canberra
· David Bartlett is known to have supported the Senate bid
· Kevin Harkins may now look to the State Parliament
Premier David Bartlett must rule out Kevin Harkins seeking Labor preselection for the State Parliament.
The ALP has now opened its State preselection process.
David Bartlett is known to have supported Mr Harkins’ bid for a spot on Labor’s Senate ticket.
Given the significant power base Kevin Harkins has as Vice-President of the State ALP, it is likely we will next see him applying for State preselection.
The State ALP Secretary John Dowling has said that Kevin Harkins had “earned the right” to run as a Labor candidate.
There continues to be significant support for Mr Harkins in the rank and file ALP, including from Franklin candidate David O’Byrne.
This is a deal being stitched up by Labor’s faceless union power-brokers who give the Premier his riding instructions.
David Bartlett must do the right thing for Tasmania and show some leadership, not bow to the demands of ALP faction leaders.
The ALP should have got the message with the humiliating withdrawal of Kevin Harkins as Labor’s federal Franklin candidate in 2007, but instead the State party is hell-bent on breathing life back into his hapless political career, such as it is.
What the state ALP says:
ALP MEDIA RELEASE
The state secretary of the Labor Party in Tasmania says unionist Kevin Harkins would have the party’s support if he puts his hand up as a Senate candidate.
It is understood Mr Harkins has secured the endorsement of Labor’s left faction and will nominate for a Senate seat
The move could see Senator Kerry O’Brien dumped.
In 2007, Mr Harkins withdrew from the race for the federal seat of Franklin to allow Julie Collins to contest the seat.
State secretary John Dowling says that move earned him plenty of support.
“I think it’s fair to say that Kevin has a large degree of support within the party,” he said.
“He made a very courageous decision at the last federal election and stood down from Franklin to the betterment of the party and to give the Rudd Government the best possible chance to be elected.
“So it’s fair to say that Kevin does have support within the party.”
What Kevin says: