Claims female MP deterred from frontbench
TWO male Labor politicians have been accused of trying to pressure Labor’s new frontbencher Madeleine King not to stand for the prominent role in Bill Shorten’s team.
NSW
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TWO male Labor politicians have been accused of trying to pressure Labor’s new frontbencher Madeleine King not to stand for the prominent role in Bill Shorten’s team.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Labor Senator Glenn Sterle and Labor MP Matt Keogh, both from the Western Australia Right faction, spoke to Ms King to encourage her not to stand for the rare frontbench opening created after the resignation of Western Australia MP Tim Hammond.
Mr Keogh, Senator Sterle and Ms King did not respond to questions last night, but a Labor source said the scenario of “two blokes walking into a woman’s office, putting pressure on her not to run” was unacceptable.
Reports that former NSW Premier Kristina Keneally was overlooked for the frontbench position are incorrect. She was never able to nominate for the position because the NSW Right has already filled its quota of six frontbench spots.
It was only the smaller states of WA, Tasmania and South Australia that were under their quota and were able to nominate a candidate for the vacant position.
Their first choice of Nick Champion was rejected on the basis of the need for a woman to meet the Labor Party’s affirmative action requirements.
Ms King was subsequently nominated by the smaller states for the position. In the vote, 42 politicians supported this nomination while just two — Jacina Collins and Deborah O’Neill — voted against it.
Ms Collins argued vehemently that the role should not have been given to the smaller states.
Senator Sterle is understood to have held the position that the vacancy should go to a Senator.