Federal Minister Chris Bowen sparks Labor brawl over Fairfield

Labor face a new election hurdle, with Federal Minister Chris Bowen calling for his preferred candidate to get the nod in a ‘captain’s pick’ at the expense of a highly-regarded community member.

Federal energy Minister Chris Bowen has been accused of wading into the state electorate of Fairfield and pressuring for a ‘captain’s pick’ of his preferred candidate, making it one of a handful of Labor seats not to go to a rank and file vote by members.

Multiple Labor sources have told the Telegraph the Federal MP is pushing for his pick, former Australian Federal Police agent David Saliba, to be selected to run for Fairfield.

Mr Bowen’s involvement has stymied a run by popular local councillor and respected figure in the Assyrian community, Carmen Lazar, who is pushing for a rank and file vote to pick Labor’s candidate.

The Minister’s move has led to a stalemate and triggered an internal war among Labor in Fairfield, with no candidate chosen for the heartland seat just over four weeks out from the election.

Clr Lazar, when contacted by The Daily Telegraph, confirmed she was pushing for the party to hold a rank and file vote among local party members to choose who should run for Labor.

“Australia is a wonderful country, Australia gives us a fair go and a chance to be role models – all I’m saying is let’s practice democracy and let the most suitable member win,” she said.

Chris Bowen has weighed in during the battle for the Fairfield candidate. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

“Whoever the members think is the most suitable, I will go along with.”

She added she “respected Minister Chris Bowen”, saying he had “supported our community for many years”, but added Labor “should be trying to increase the percentage of women” running for parliament.

Multiple sources told The Telegraph Mr Bowen’s involvement had ruffled local feathers among party members, who said Clr Lazar – who was principal of the Assyrian language school at Fairfield for more than two decades – was better known among the community.

“If you were to compare the two, they (the community) probably wouldn’t know who (Mr Saliba) is,” a Labor source told The Telegraph.

Carmen Lazar is eager to lead. Project Sydney 2017

Fellow Fairfield councillor George Barcha was also primed to run, until the party pushed for a woman to be selected – which has since been cast aside due to Mr Bowen’s involvement.

Mr Saliba unsuccessfully challenged retiring Fairfield MP Guy Zangari for the Labor seat at the last election.

Opposition leader Chris Minns on Tuesday moved to assure Fairfield residents the delay in selecting a candidate didn’t mean the electorate was being taken for granted.

“I want to make it really clear to the voters in Fairfield we don’t have any ownership of or custodianship of these seats. They belong to you, the people of Fairfield,” he said.

“It‘ll be a hand to hand combat, even in the … safest seats in the state.”

Mr Bowen and Mr Saliba didn’t respond to requests for comment by deadline.

Originally published as Federal Minister Chris Bowen sparks Labor brawl over Fairfield