Sathius005
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-0...batman/4727906
Do you support pre selecting a female candidate for the seat of Batman?
BATMAN PRESELECTION: MACKLIN, WONG URGE LABOR TO PRESELECT FEMALE CANDIDATE.
Two of Labor's senior female Cabinet members have urged the party to preselect a woman for the federal seat of Batman.
Batman, Labor's safest seat with a margin of 24.8 per cent, will be vacated by former frontbencher Martin Ferguson at the coming election.
Labor Senator and powerbroker David Feeney has announced he will seek preselection to replace Mr Ferguson, who announced his retirement from federal politics last week.
Today, two female candidates have put up their hands to challenge Senator Feeney for the Melbourne seat.
Local branch member Mary-Anne Thomas and former Emily's List national co-convenor Hutch Hussein have announced their intention to seek preselection.
Emily's List is an organisation that supports women candidates to be elected to political office.
Finance Minister Penny Wong has urged members to support a female candidate, tweeting that "strong women are key to the modern Labor Party".
Strong women are key to the modern Labor Party. I urge local ALP members to consider supporting a woman for the seat of Batman.
â Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong)Â
Furthermore, Ms Thomas has been endorsed by Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin.
Ms Macklin said in a statement she was concerned about the number of female candidates in Victorian seats held by Labor.
"If a woman is not preselected for Batman, the ALP in Victoria will have only 27 per cent of candidates in held seats who are women," her statement said.
"This is well short of the 40 per cent required by the National Rules."
Ms Thomas says she hopes to be successful because she is a local.
"My strength is I'm from this community, I've lived here for 15 years, I've brought up my family here, I've got great local support," she said.
"I know the people of Batman. I'm new, I'm energised and I'm ready to take this forward."
Left figures within the party had been pressuring ACTU president Ged Kearney to run for Batman, but .
Senator Feeney is one of the so-called "faceless men" who helped deliver Prime Minister Julia Gillard the numbers to replace Kevin Rudd in June 2010.
It is understood Ms Gillard will support her factional backer, as will Victorian Right ministers Bill Shorten and Stephen Conroy.
Senator Feeney is currently third on Labor's Senate ticket in Victoria, but if current polling is replicated on September 14 he would lose his seat.
If he is successful in the preselection race, he will resign his Senate position on August 21, creating an eight-month vacancy the Victorian Labor Party would have to fill.
He does not live in the seat of Batman but has told the ABC he will move to the area if he is successful.
Senator Feeney is understood to have significant support, but he says it will be up to local party members to decide who is successful.
He also says the party has a "fine record" of endorsing women candidates.
"I think the Labor Party can point to a very fine record of having strong and capable women in Parliament, and not the least of them is the Prime Minister Julia Gillard herself," he said.
Do you support pre selecting a female candidate for the seat of Batman?
BATMAN PRESELECTION: MACKLIN, WONG URGE LABOR TO PRESELECT FEMALE CANDIDATE.
Two of Labor's senior female Cabinet members have urged the party to preselect a woman for the federal seat of Batman.
Batman, Labor's safest seat with a margin of 24.8 per cent, will be vacated by former frontbencher Martin Ferguson at the coming election.
Labor Senator and powerbroker David Feeney has announced he will seek preselection to replace Mr Ferguson, who announced his retirement from federal politics last week.
Today, two female candidates have put up their hands to challenge Senator Feeney for the Melbourne seat.
Local branch member Mary-Anne Thomas and former Emily's List national co-convenor Hutch Hussein have announced their intention to seek preselection.
Emily's List is an organisation that supports women candidates to be elected to political office.
Finance Minister Penny Wong has urged members to support a female candidate, tweeting that "strong women are key to the modern Labor Party".
Strong women are key to the modern Labor Party. I urge local ALP members to consider supporting a woman for the seat of Batman.
â Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong)Â
Furthermore, Ms Thomas has been endorsed by Disability Reform Minister Jenny Macklin.
Ms Macklin said in a statement she was concerned about the number of female candidates in Victorian seats held by Labor.
"If a woman is not preselected for Batman, the ALP in Victoria will have only 27 per cent of candidates in held seats who are women," her statement said.
"This is well short of the 40 per cent required by the National Rules."
Ms Thomas says she hopes to be successful because she is a local.
"My strength is I'm from this community, I've lived here for 15 years, I've brought up my family here, I've got great local support," she said.
"I know the people of Batman. I'm new, I'm energised and I'm ready to take this forward."
Left figures within the party had been pressuring ACTU president Ged Kearney to run for Batman, but .
Senator Feeney is one of the so-called "faceless men" who helped deliver Prime Minister Julia Gillard the numbers to replace Kevin Rudd in June 2010.
It is understood Ms Gillard will support her factional backer, as will Victorian Right ministers Bill Shorten and Stephen Conroy.
Senator Feeney is currently third on Labor's Senate ticket in Victoria, but if current polling is replicated on September 14 he would lose his seat.
If he is successful in the preselection race, he will resign his Senate position on August 21, creating an eight-month vacancy the Victorian Labor Party would have to fill.
He does not live in the seat of Batman but has told the ABC he will move to the area if he is successful.
Senator Feeney is understood to have significant support, but he says it will be up to local party members to decide who is successful.
He also says the party has a "fine record" of endorsing women candidates.
"I think the Labor Party can point to a very fine record of having strong and capable women in Parliament, and not the least of them is the Prime Minister Julia Gillard herself," he said.
