Geoff Lee: Parachuting Andrew Charlton into Parramatta a ‘slap in the face’
It’s arrogant to think parachuting in millionaire Andrew Charlton as Labor’s federal candidate for Parramatta is the right choice for locals, state Liberal MP for Parramatta Geoff Lee writes.
Opinion
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Anthony Albanese has slapped Parramatta in the face as he parachutes in Bellevue Hill millionaire Andrew Charlton as Labor’s federal candidate.
Albanese wants to impose this bloke into Parramatta just like he has done with Kristina Keneally into Fowler, giving them an easy ride into Canberra.
It’s arrogant to think that someone living far away in an eastern suburbs mansion understands Parramatta better than a local person.
Labor appears to be pushing the line that he has a “connection” to the area to justify why they are shafting local candidates. I’d like to hear Charlton explain exactly what that connection is.
I’ve represented Parramatta for the past 11 years and attend lots of community events.
I’ve never seen him. Not at Parramatta’s Australia Day celebrations, nor volunteering at Parramatta Mission or in Harris Park celebrating Diwali.
But I have seen local Labor people like Durga Owen, a woman with Tamil heritage who has been pushed aside to hand this bloke a safe seat.
He’s indicated his “willingness” to move to Parramatta if he wins, which says to me that he doesn’t want to live here unless there’s something in it for him.
He would have chosen to live here if he was truly passionate about Parramatta.
By all accounts, he’s a smart and successful corporate high-flyer but the question remains: Why does he need to be parachuted into Parramatta at the expense of local candidates, hard working women and men from migrant backgrounds?
Why doesn’t he run in the eastern suburbs seat of Wentworth, where he lives in a $16 million mansion with harbour views?
Maybe he isn’t prepared to do the months of door knocking, the early mornings handing leaflets out in the rain or blistering sun at train stations and the nights and weekends attending community functions needed to legitimately win the respect of the people?
Some suggest the Labor Party owes Charlton for his service to Kevin Rudd but why should
the people of Parramatta pay the price?
I suspect he’s just using Parramatta as a safe stepping stone into Albanese’s Cabinet to advance his own career.
My suspicions appeared to be confirmed when the outgoing MP Julie Owens told the media that having a person in the ministry would “potentially be extraordinary for Parramatta”.
It may be great for his CV but how does Parramatta benefit from having a representative who doesn’t even live in our area, let alone actively contribute to our community?
Charlton’s business advertised itself as “a new breed of consultant” but I think it’s about time Labor finds a new breed of candidate, one who lives in the community and is an active participant in it.
I’ll leave the final word to Ms Owens herself who said when announcing her retirement: “No one is better equipped to solve the problems that we face and build a better future for Parramatta than its community.”
Dr Geoff Lee is state Liberal MP for Parramatta
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