This was published 4 years ago
'Something special': Andrews joins push for First Nations Labor MP
By Noel Towell and Michael Fowler
Premier Daniel Andrews has publicly intervened in the contest to fill the seat in State Parliament left vacant by the resignation last week of Health Minister Jenny Mikakos.
Mr Andrews risked a backlash from his already restless Socialist Left powerbase by publicly calling on them to choose the first Indigenous Labor state MP when the faction gathers on Sunday to select their nominee to replace Ms Mikakos.
Prue Stewart with Kutcha Edwards in March after the government announced a redress scheme for Victoria's stolen generations.Credit: Simon Schluter
With internal party democracy still suspended in the wake of the Adem Somyurek branch-stacking scandal, the new MP will be chosen through a recommendation from the Premier to Labor's national executive, with the faction expecting Mr Andrews to respect the result of Sunday's ballot.
The Premier’s gambit has raised the stakes in what was already a heated preselection contest as Socialist Left powerbrokers battled on behalf of their favoured candidates for the prize of Ms Mikakos' safe Northern Metropolitan upper house seat.
Maurice Blackburn lawyer and former MP Jennifer Kanis, former Hume mayor Casey Nunn and long-time political staffer Matt Hilakari are competing for the seat, with Ms Nunn and Mr Hilakari considered the early favourites.
The party's Victorian president Susie Byers, who had also been expected to enter the contest, ruled out her candidacy on Thursday and urged her colleagues to support a First Nations woman for the vacancy.
Two Indigenous women, Sheena Watt and Prue Stewart, are also in the running with Mr Andrews' allies canvassing support in the faction over the past several days for Ms Stewart, who works in the office of Indigenous Affairs Minister Gabrielle Williams.
But Mr Andrews brought his backing of Ms Stewart into the open on Friday, telling his daily COVID-19 media briefing that his "sadness" over the resignation of Ms Mikakos came with an opportunity for Victorian Labor to make history.
"With that great sadness comes an historic opportunity, for us to not just as a Labor government commit to justice for Aboriginal people, and a true partnership with First Nations peoples, but it presents an opportunity for the Labor Party to do the same thing," the Premier said.
"I hope, and I'm confident that we are equal to this moment," he said.
"There is an opportunity for us to do something very very special, not just business as usual.
"We need to do something special."
But within minutes of the Premier's press conference, figures from the Socialist Left, including long time backers of Mr Andrews, were expressing fury at what they saw as an inappropriate use of the office of the Premier to intervene in an internal faction matter.