Ex-Rudd adviser Andrew Charlton up for preselection in Parramatta

A former economics adviser to Kevin Rudd — who bought a $16 million home in Bellevue Hill — is being eyed off for Labor preselection in Parramatta.

A former economics adviser to Kevin Rudd who bought a $16 million Bellevue Hill home in 2020 is being eyed for Labor preselection in Parramatta over two women from diverse backgrounds, in a move set to enrage local party members.

Labor sources said leader Anthony Albanese wants to parachute Accenture managing director Andrew Charlton into the Western Sydney electorate after earlier attempts to find a candidate were unsuccessful.

The Daily Telegraph has spoken to Labor operatives from the hard-left, soft-left, and right factions who confirmed the talks. All shared fears that a captain’s pick would create a backlash against the party.

It comes after Mr Albanese imposed Kristina Keneally as Labor’s candidate in Fowler, over Vietnamese-Australian lawyer Tu Le.

Former adviser to Kevin Rudd Andrew Charlton.

Durga Owen is the state Labor candidate for Seven Hills.

Labor holds Parramatta by a margin of just 3.5 per cent. Western Sydney Women co-founder Maria Kovacic is set to run for the Liberals. The Daily Telegraph made multiple attempts to contact Mr Charlton on Monday but he did not respond.

If he is selected, Mr Charlton would be chosen over local solicitor Durga Owen, who is backed by members from the party’s soft-left.

Ms Owen previously ran for Labor in the state seat of Seven Hills.

Another potential candidate who had received early support was union lawyer Abha Devasia, who lives in West Pennant Hills.

One Labor source said that parachuting a candidate in from Bellevue Hill was a “guaranteed way to lose the seat”.

Another questioned whether the wealthy Mr Charlton would understand the needs of people in the area.

“You need to understand people’s struggles,” a Labor source said.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd confers with senior advisor Dr Andrew Charlton (seated) during Question Time in the House of Representatives of federal parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Ray Strange

A move to parachute Mr Charlton into Parramatta would put an end to a stalemate between Labor’s left-wing factions over who should replace outgoing MP Julie Owens.

Ms Owens and her factionally-aligned colleagues wanted branch members to select the party’s candidate, despite a number of branches losing voting rights after a secret Labor report in 2020 found that records in the area had been systematically “falsified” over a “prolonged period”.

A national executive decision to confirm the Parramatta candidate is set to be made within days.

However, state Labor MP Lynda Voltz said there is still time to let local members choose their candidate.

The $16 million property in Bellevue Hill.

The property boasts expansive views of the harbour.

“Obviously in the local community there has been an absolute commitment to having a rank and file preselection in Parramatta, and I’d still urge the party to have a rank and file preselection,” she said.

“A good local candidate is always the best chance at winning the seat,” Ms Voltz said.

Mr Charlton served as an economics Adviser to Mr Rudd during the Global Financial Crisis. He started his own consultancy company AlphaBeta in 2015 which was bought by the Fortune Global 500 company Accenture in 2020.

The economist paid $16.1 million for a six-bedroom, four-bathroom trophy home in Bellevue Hill in November 2020.

Inside the luxury Bellevue Hill property.

The luxury property on Victoria Road.

Despite fears of a backlash, Mr Charlton has received the backing from some in the party who believe he would be a talented MP.

“He’s been talked about as a talent and he’s got a connection to the area so it’s a good fit,” one Labor MP involved in the talks said.

Mr Charlton is believed to have grown up in Dundas, within the Parramatta electorate.

A spokesman for Mr Albanese declined to comment.

Originally published as Ex-Rudd adviser Andrew Charlton up for preselection in Parramatta