The May 2021 preselection battle for Hawke raged – at stake a lifetime Federal Parliament seat with implications for both federal ALP leadership and Victorian factional power. Hawke is a newly created seat covering Sunbury, Melton, Bacchus Marsh and Ballan, with a safe projected ALP margin of about 10%.
We have pieced together here a few articles on the Hawke preselection, but since Open Labor is not part of these actions, we cannot guarantee any of these stories – it’s just a summary of what the papers seem to say.
Whilst it was always likely the Hawke preselected candidate would be a right faction prize, just which part of the right was not clear. With the June 2020 fall of Somyurek, the resulting Federal Executive Victorian branch intervention and the recommendations of Administrators Macklin and Bracks, the calls from members for democracy, integrity & transparency, and demands by Daniel Andrews for order in the house, the pressure was been on for the factions to reestablish some process to ensure stability and trust.
The resulting “stability deal”, discussed at a meeting of faction chiefs on 19 March, finally signed on 3 May 2021, is said to divide the spoils between the factions for up to ten years. It includes the Socialist Left and three parts of the Labor Right faction, allegedly representing 70% of the party. Under the plan, Hawke should go to the Transport Workers Union Group (TWU) ie a group associated with former Senator Stephen Conroy and Deputy Leader Richard Marles. Left out of the deal is Shorten’s group – the AHW, Plumbers Union, HSU and politicians associated with the former National Union of Workers (NUW).
With Bill Shorten and Richard Marles both front runners in the Victorian Right, they both want their candidates in the seat in the event Albanese fail to secure the upcoming federal election.
Under the terms of the Federal Intervention into the Victorian branch, arising from the Somyurek branch-stacking scandal Labor members do not have voting rights until 2023. As a result, all Victorian preselections are to be decided by the national executive, which is made up of officials from around the country.
Nominations for candidate preselection in 21 safe federal seats in Victoria and the one new seat of Hawke opened on Tuesday 4 May and were due to close on Friday 7 May morning, in what some party members claim is a rushed process without precedent.
In May, 12 unions launched legal action, including the AWU, CFMEU, HSU, Fire Fighters Union, sought an injunction on preselections, arguing against “preselection stacking”. On 6 May a temporary injunction was placed on any finalisation of the process dashing plans for the national executive to have confirmed candidates in safe seats. John Setka attacked Albanese in the process
The court injunction was overturned 8 June and the National Executive preferred candidate Sam Rae, a Richard Marles supporter, won the preselection 14 June 2021.
Some of those aligned with Shorten (Victorian MP Natalie Hutchins, and Health Workers Union head Diana Asmar) said it should have been a woman to keep up with the 45% winnable seats affirmative action rules. Emily’s List activists agreed, noting the Right was ‘recalcitrant’ in promoting women,
How this preselection battle for Hawke fits in with a stable new stability pact is very unclear and what does it all have to do with reform? Labor better find some better ways…
Whilst members see the need for peace and stability to organise long term and successful campaigning, many members, as well as others, are furious they are being by passed.
In July 2021 Open Labor and Independents ran our own discussion on Stop The Shadowy Preselections, which got a lot of ordinary Labor member’s support. Read a report on the meeting arising between Open Labor and National Executive members.
Related readings
Macklin-Bracks: preselection reform discussion – the Victorian intervention is not over – James Button, Open Labor, 26 July 2021
Stop the shadowy preselections: 150 people call for change – James Button, Open Labor, 21 Aug 2021
Former party boss wins Labor preselection for new seat of Hawke – by Sumeyya Ilanbey, The Age, 15 June, 2021
Labor preselections can proceed after judge lifts injunction – by Simone Fox Koob & Adam Cooper, The Age, 9 June 2021
Game of Drones: Labor’s factional saga marches on and on. Let’s count the ways – by Guy Rundle, Crikey, 7 May 2021
Albanese rebuffed: Supreme Court judge blocks Labor preselections amid infighting – by Michael Fowler and Paul Sakkal, The Age, 7 May 2021
Stability Pact talks threaten to erupt between Victorian Labor – by Rob Harris, The Age, 21 May 2021
Fight for prized new Labor seat as factions eye peace deal – by Paul Sakkala, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 Mar 2021
Andrews could be dealt a fatal blow by ‘coalition of the discontented’ – by Noel Towell, The Age, 28 Sept 2021
ALP power vacuum – can the Labor Party really clean up its factional mess? – by Sumeyya Ilanbey, The Age, 19 June 2020
What are Labors factions & who’s in the Left and the Right – by James Massola, SMH, 14 Feb 2021
The ALP left props up the right – by Harry Stratton, Jacobin, 4 Apr 2021
Organised factions must be outlawed – by Dennis Glover, Oct 2020
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