Labor deputy Michael Daley expected to win leadership in wake of Foley resignation
LABOR will elect a new leader today as Luke Foley’s deputy Michael Daley pitches himself as a man of the people in trying to salvage the party.
NSW
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LABOR will elect a new leader today as Luke Foley’s deputy Michael Daley pitches himself as a man of the people in trying to salvage the party.
With NSW Labor in disarray, a raft of high-profile ALP figures — led by Mr Daley — yesterday declared they believed journalist Ashleigh Raper, who has accused disgraced Mr Foley of putting his hand inside her underpants at a 2016 Christmas party.
Mr Foley strenuously denies the claims.
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And the party is in crisis talks over how to move on from the scandal just five months out from the state election.
Labor fears it is now at serious risk of losing Mr Foley’s seat of Auburn, even after the embattled MP late last night said he would not stand next year.
His move was a bid to save face, with the party almost certain to disendorse him if he didn’t exit under his own steam.
Mr Foley went to ground yesterday after 24 hours earlier pledging he would launch defamation proceedings in the Federal Court and declaring the sleazy allegations were false.
Mr Daley, a member of the NSW parliament since 2005, will face off against Opposition water spokesman Chris Minns in a showdown for the leadership at 2pm today.
Last night, key figures from the dominant right faction — and a good portion of Labor’s left faction — were locked in behind Mr Daley, a strong favourite to win the ballot. However, Mr Minns’ supporters continued to work the phones.
Penny Sharpe is expected to be the sole candidate for deputy leader.
Mr Daley, in an interview with The Saturday Telegraph, said he believed he would be a new type of Labor leader “of and from the families in the suburbs”.
“I’m not a career politician — I joined the party at the age of 27 and became a politician after having had 20 years of working life,” he said.
The former corporate lawyer said his first job had been as a paperboy in the housing estates of south Maroubra and he understood working people.
“That’s my greatest strength. I know them, I understand them, I’m one of them,” he said.
Mr Daley said he saw no need to distance himself from Mr Foley’s policies and added that the rest of the team were working well.
He declined to speak about possible shadow cabinet reshuffles, but there is some speculation he will promote Mr Minns to a more senior role in a show of unity and move John Graham, an upper house MP, into the shadow cabinet.
Mr Daley said the events surrounding Mr Foley have contributed to a “deep cynicism” about all politicians.
“We need to rise above this, on both sides of parliament, reset and show stability,” Mr Daley said.
“We need to clean up. There is no place for muck in the parliament.”
Mr Minns made his pitch for the leadership on a bold policy reset, including the abolition of the lockout laws — a clear departure from ALP policy.
His backers see him as a fresh start for the party and a rising star, but he admitted he did not have the support of Labor Sussex St boss Kaila Murnain.
“Whoever is elected Labor Party leader faces a near insurmountable task.
“They need to unite the party,” Mr Minns said.
On another day of drama for Labor, senior Labor female figures made a strong pitch to distance themselves from Mr Foley yesterday.
Prue Car and Jodi McKay were both private supporters of Mr Foley in the wake of the allegations being raised in parliament, with Ms Car even trying to dismiss it as merely a “smear” in recent public comments. But yesterday they had a dramatic about-face, supporting Ms Raper.
Ms McKay, who will lose her spot as the most senior Labor woman to Ms Sharpe today, had entirely dropped her support for Mr Foley yesterday and she said he was wrong to threaten legal action.
She said she knew there had been “talk around parliament” of the alleged harassment but did not investigate the allegations against her boss, claiming she wanted to respect Ms Raper’s decision not to make a complaint.
A senior Liberal source said the implosion of Mr Foley’s political career had put his seat of Auburn firmly on their radar.
The source said some Liberals wanted to use the upcoming fortnight of parliament to quiz Labor MPs about what they knew of the allegation, and when.
‘DIRTY’ RUMOURS TROUBLING ELECTORATE
THE Labor stronghold of Auburn could come unstuck, with some lifelong ALP supporters saying they could abandon the party in the wake of the allegations levelled at Luke Foley.
The Saturday Telegraph spoke to voters in the working-class seat, held by the ALP on a margin of 5.9 per cent, with some saying they could not support Mr Foley.
The former Labor chief, who strongly denies the harassment allegations, yesterday said he would not contest the next election — welcome news for ALP supporters in the area.
Former Young Labor member Sal Abeer, 24, joined Mr Foley at a rally as recently as last month and supported him on the campaign trail during the 2016 federal election.
“The whole thing just feels a bit dirty,” Mr Abeer said.
“It’s quite concerning here as well because there’s a lot of religions and I’m sure none of them approve of sexual (harassment) against women. For him to represent an area like this, it doesn’t make much sense to me.”
Islam is the biggest religion in Auburn, accounting for 27 per cent of the population, according to Census data.
And founder of the Islamic Friendship Association Keysar Trad said the allegations would be deeply troubling to Muslims. “It’s very likely it will be extremely damaging to the standing of the party,” he said.
While Auburn has always been in Labor hands, it’s believed Liberals will now start circling as they taste blood in the water.
Auburn supermarket manager Faiz Kandy, 37, has been a staunch Labor supporter but said he would not vote for Mr Foley if he was expelled from the party and tried to run again for the seat at a later date.
“If he is kicked out from the party, of course he should leave from this place also,” Mr Kandy said.
ELLIOTT SAYS HE NEVER MEANT TO CAUSE DISTRESS
CORRECTIONS Minister David Elliott yesterday defended his role in airing harassment allegations against former Labor leader Luke Foley, saying it was “never my intent to cause distress for the journalist”.
Mr Elliott drew criticism after ABC journalist Ashleigh Raper said his raising the incident in parliament pushed the issue into the public domain, sparking intense media attention.
“This occurred without my involvement or consent,” she said.
In response, Mr Elliott said yesterday: “This has clearly been a difficult time for the journalist. I have long held concerns over the character of the alternate premier.
“To that end, it was never my intent to cause distress for the journalist.”
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she had not endorsed her minister’s use of parliamentary privilege to attack Mr Foley last month. However, she said his actions “were not premeditated”.
Ms Berejiklian said she felt “incredibly disappointed” Ms Raper had “control of the issue, in the way she wanted, taken away from her”.
“Look, I’ve expressed my disappointment and I made that very clear (to Mr Elliott). I’ve expressed that and I’ll continue to on a whole range of levels,” Ms Berejiklian said.
She described the TV journalist, who previously worked at state parliament, as someone of “enormous intelligence, integrity and professionalism”.
“And that was only enhanced yesterday by her eloquent and brave statement,” Ms Berejiklian said.
“We need to respect what she said.”
PARTY PREPARES FOR LIFE AT SHARPE END
PENNY Sharpe will become the most powerful woman in the NSW Labor Party when she is today elevated to the deputy leadership position.
There is wide support for Ms Sharpe — an experienced upper house MP — to take on the role previously held by Michael Daley, who today is expected to become the new leader of the party.
Ms Sharpe is a progressive politician who sits on the left of Labor and entered politics on the same day as Mr Daley in 2005. “As soon as it was proposed we all went: ‘Yes, Penny’ — she’s well liked, she’s smart and she’s sensible,” party heavyweight Walt Secord said.
Ms Sharpe is currently Opposition spokeswoman for the environment and was the architect of high-profile law changes this year that brought in safe access zones around abortions clinics.
“With Penny we will be able to appeal to progressive urban electorate and Daley will appeal to traditional Labor voters and suburban, country and regional NSW,” a senior Labor source.
FOLEY’S MUM GIVES BACKING
LUKE Foley’s mother has hit out at claims that he put his hand inside an ABC reporter’s underpants at a Christmas party.
“He’s fine, we’re fine, it will blow over, he’s done nothing wrong,” Helen Foley told The Saturday Telegraph yesterday from her home at St Ives.
Mrs Foley said she had spoken to her son over the alleged incident and he told her not to worry.
“He’s said it will all be fine,” she said.
Mr Foley on Thursday stepped down as NSW Labor leader amid the allegations.
He has strenuously denied the claims, vowing to fight the “false” accusations and saying he is going to begin defamation proceedings.
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