Fairfield MP Guy Zangari endorsed as Labor candidate for election
FAIRFIELD state Labor MP Guy Zangari has been endorsed as Labor’s candidate for the 2019 election, just weeks after he faced an internal tribunal over allegations of misconduct.
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FAIRFIELD state MP Guy Zangari has been endorsed as Labor’s candidate for the 2019 State Election after he was cleared of allegations of serious misconduct just weeks ago.
A NSW Labor spokesman confirmed Mr Zangari’s endorsement despite a preselection challenge by former police officer and political staffer David Saliba.
Mr Zangari faced an Internal Appeals Tribunal last month after he was sensationally accused of branch stacking by Labor members.
The tribunal has cleared Mr Zangari of any wrongdoing but refused to comment on how the party came to that conclusion.
Mr Zangari said he was delighted to be endorsed as the Labor candidate.
“I’ll be working very hard as an MP and in the shadow cabinet to bring about a Labor government in 2019,” Mr Zangari said.
“Regarding the tribunal, the matter was dismissed and I am looking forward to working harder than ever.”
Mr Zangari said the past weeks had been extremely challenging.
“It’s a difficult process to go through personally and for my family,” Mr Zangari said.
“Sometimes these preselections bring out unfavourable tactics but we have to move forward — there’s a big job to do with my colleagues and I welcome today’s endorsement.”
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The tribunal occurred after a local male Labor member signed a statutory declaration claiming Mr Zangari asked him to sign a book saying he had attended a December 2015 branch meeting — at which point the man was not even a party member.
The man then alleged Mr Zangari told him the amended record would permit him to vote for the MP in the preselection for the 2019 election.
Mr Zangari denied the allegations.
State corrections minister David Elliott slammed Labor’s endorsement of Mr Zangari.
“This was another sorry and sore episode of internal Labor Party shenanigans,” Mr Elliott said.
“The public are no further enlightened in regards to the allegations — this is a response that leaves more questions than answers.”
Mr Elliott vowed to pursue the matter in State Parliament when it sits next week.