ACTU secretary Sally McManus says seats of Boothby and Sturt to be key federal election targets

The might of the union movement is totally focused on defeating Boothby MP Nicolle Flint at the federal election, Australia’s top unionist says — but the seat of Sturt vacated by retiring minister Christopher Pyne could also be targeted.

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The might of the union movement is totally focused on defeating Boothby MP Nicolle Flint at the federal election, Australia’s top unionist says — but the seat of Sturt vacated by retiring minister Christopher Pyne could also be targeted.

Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus told The Advertiser that Boothby was on its top 10 national priority list and central to the trade unions’ Federal Election strategy.

Hundreds of unionists will attend a rally in Marion on Thursday night launching their campaign to ensure Liberal MP Ms Flint does not secure a second term.

Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sally McManus.

Ms McManus said “100 per cent” of the peak body’s SA resources would be devoted to Boothby and ensuring Nadia Clancy was elected, but she also was considering launching a campaign in Sturt. The Liberal Party is yet to decide on its candidate to replace Mr Pyne, who will retire at the election.

“We’re looking very closely at our internal polling in the electorate of Sturt,” she said.

“We don’t want to make any commitments at the moment. We’re considering campaigning there but at the moment 100 per cent of our attention is concentrated on Boothby.”

Ms McManus said her focus on unseating Ms Flint was motivated by the seat being the state’s most marginal and the MP voting “eight times to cut penalty rates”.

Left-wing activist group GetUp! is also targeting Boothby, hiring a paid campaign organiser and a media contact to unseat Ms Flint.

Member for Boothby Nicole Flint flanked by Premier Steven Marshall and Prime Minster Scott Morrison.

Ms Flint said she stood on her ”strong record of delivery” for her community.

“While Labor and their union and GetUp! bullies are focused on personal attacks on MPs like me, I’m getting on with delivering more for my community,” Ms Flint said.

Ms McManus said a change of federal government was needed for the union to achieve the ACTU’s aims, including securing a minimum “living wage”, stopping “sham contracting”, the casualisation of the workforce and the “abuse” of temporary work visas.

Flat wages growth was felt particularly in SA, because of its high rate of small businesses, she said.

Ms McManus said she was “optimistic” Labor Leader Bill Shorten would promise to increase the minimum wage before the election, but vowed to “keep fighting” if not delivered.

Small businesses have expressed concerns about any changes to the minimum wage that do not include significant efficiency trade-offs.