THE HAG
Labor politics — often characterised by vicious infighting — is again getting very dirty, Hag is told. The latest involves star Bass candidate Catherine Hay, apparently dubbed by the Labor envious as The Princess.
The unkind Labor gossips say Hay was hardly the star that the late Jim Bacon hoped for during her time as a member for Bass so why is she so determined to run again? And perhaps why are some senior figures within the ALP so keen to help her return to the green leather benches? And did she get any promises from the Premier and the ALP before putting her name forward ?
Hag is told that Ms Hay was supported in her previous campaign for Bass in ways that were to say the very least unusual and very personal. Had they been known at the time would have caused a major stoush within the party, said the insider.
My source tells me that Hay’s campaign was largely if not entirely funded from a fund run by Bacon himself and that Bacon went out of his way to be seen to support Hay at every possible opportunity; special photo opportunities were only part of this support in kind.
The Labor envious also say that Hay has already received some very special help; Hag is told Ms Hay announced her candidature knowing full well that she did not meet the necessary criteria to run, ie, that she had not attended two branch meetings, hardly an onerous requirement; this means, theoretically, she is ineligible to be a delegate to State Conference which in turn is a prerequisite for any prospective candidate.
Hag hears she was preselected by the Administrative Committee under a rule that allows for special candidates, one rule for the majority; another for Ms Hay? Nor does she need to worry about the preselection ballot as a female candidate she will be preselected under the affirmative action rules so cannot lose in the preselection ballot; only a male candidate will be knocked of the ballot.
And Hag hears she isn’t the only one being fast-tracked. Brant Webb, who on embracing Labor renounced his opposition to the pulp mill, was also driven quickly around the two-meetings requirement.
Hag wonders whether it is true that neither Hay nor Webb attended the required two branch meetings?
And she also wonders whether the Hay campaign is being run from the Premier’s northern office, with the campaign manager on the government payroll. How much time will he or she be dedicating to her campaign and will all his/her time be paid or will he be working as a volunteer in his/her free time?
A serious campaign in this seat or any seat in the coming election will not come cheaply. I have heard stories of sums up and beyond $100,000 being spent. This may sound impossible but it is widely believed that one Bass Liberal candidate spent $90.000 last time around — and lost.
PS: I also see that Mr Steve Titmus is running for the Libs in Federal Bass. I recall he previously was looking for ALP endorsement for the same seat, how times change and still they stay the same.
