Kate Hoang: NSW Labor hopeful for Cabramatta calls for ‘democratic’ preselection
As the rumour mill for a southwest Sydney seat shuffle in NSW Labor picks up pace, a local party member and hopeful candidate is calling for it not to make the same parachute mistakes twice.
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A Vietnamese lawyer and hopeful NSW MP with deep ties to the Cabramatta community has called on the Labor Party to hold a democratic preselection process, warning them not to parachute another candidate in.
Kate Hoang is the vice-president of the Vietnamese Community of Australia’s NSW chapter, and was the first female national president of the parent organisation, before being voted out by state chapters, ostensibly for her advocacy of Kristina Keneally in the federal election.
Now, Ms Hoang - a Labor Party member hoping to run for the seat - said she does not have confidence the preselection process for Cabramatta will be democratic, noting in the past it has been dictated from top down.
Rumours are abound that with the seat of Lakemba being removed, Jihad Dib will move to Bankstown — which will incorporate most of his former seat — with Tania Mihailuk going to Fairfield, and Guy Zangari shifting to Cabramatta, where Nick Lalich is expected to retire.
“It shows they don’t care for the people or constituents, but the best deal for the existing MP,” Ms Hoang said. “We live in Australia, we uphold democracy. The preselection process should be carried out in that fashion.”
A spokesman for Mr Dib’s office said they could not confirm the seat shuffle, and that the preselection for Bankstown would go through its normal process, once started.
A spokesman in Chris Minns’ office said: “The preselections are a matter for NSW Labor and we expect that all preselections will be finalised over the coming months.”
When asked if she believed locals would treat Guy Zangari moving from Fairfield to Cabramatta the same way as Kristina Keneally moving in from the northern beaches of Sydney, to Fowler, Ms Hoang said they would.
“They need a local to represent them. If the Labor Party decides to put Guy Zangari in Cabramatta, it shows that they don’t care about their people.” Ms Hoang said.
“They are willing to take out the opportunity from another member. That is not democratic.”
After being asked about Guy Zangari’s experience as an MP in the area, Ms Hoang admitted he is knowledgeable and experienced in Fairfield, but contends it is different to Cabramatta.
“If he would like to contribute or represent the community he knows well, I think it’s best for him to represent Fairfield, not give his constituents to his best friend and try to compete in another area.”
One southwest Sydney Labor member — who would only speak anonymously — has cast doubt on the claims Mr Zangari would shift seats.
“I don’t think Guy will be moving to Cabramatta,” the Labor member said. “I believe someone else in Bankstown has flagged that story.”
They said they doubted Ms Hoang would have the numbers to win a preselection if held today.
Ms Hoang believes her standing as vice-president of the NSW branch of the Vietnamese Community of Australia body would be an asset for the party, and that she doesn’t see herself as a politician, but a person motivated to improve Cabramatta.
“I have to represent the community as a whole, not just the Vietnamese, but Assyrian, Chinese, Khmer and different ethnicities as well,” she said.
“I don’t want my kids future to be determined by their postcode, and as a migrant, I understand the problems the people of western Sydney face.”
Ms Hoang has already put up placards in Cabramatta, but says many of them are promoting her business, not her as a political candidate, and said while she has called local members, it was not to promote her own candidacy.
“It is not about trying to get attention,” she said. “I was asking for a fair and transparent process, where everyone can get an equal opportunity to put up their hand, and then they are selected by the members on a fair transparent process, not a head down dictatorship.
“Local residents don’t want another person to be parachuted in.”
The Fairfield Advance reached out to Guy Zangari’s office, and the NSW Labor headquarters, but did not hear back prior to publishing.
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