Barton candidate Shaoquett Moselmane resigns from Federal Electorate Council after rival nominated for key Labor seat

A former MP has called Labor a ‘party for the overlords’ after losing the nomination for the prize seat of Barton to a rival candidate following reports of factional fights and preselection meddling.

A former Labor MP whose home was raided in an ASIO foreign interference investigation has lashed out at the party after his rival was preselected for the key seat of Barton.

Shaoquett Moselmane announced the preselection defeat in a statement released on Monday afternoon, in which he also announced his resignation as President of the Federal Electorate Council of Barton, “effective from today”.

It comes after the frontrunner candidate, Georges River Councillor Ashvini Ambihaipahar, was preselected through a contentious intervention by Anthony Albanese in what has been labelled a “captain’s pick” by Labor insiders.

Ms Moselmane has been vocal about his desire to succeed the outgoing Member for Barton, former Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney, and did not shy away from lambasting party leadership for the snub on his way out.

“I am disappointed, in fact saddened that Barton’s rank and file were denied the right to preselect their own to represent them in parliament,” Ms Moselmane said.

Shaoquett Moselmane announced the loss and resignation on Monday. Picture: NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“I am certainly disappointed that I was not given the opportunity to run for Barton. It’s the price of standing up for what I believed in, the principles and matters of justice.

“The reality is, the party is no longer the party of its members. It’s the party for the overlords.”

Mr Moselmane said he remained “grateful to the many decent people in Labor and the many friends I made over the four decades” in signing off as president.

Mr Moselmane released the statement on Facebook and was flooded with comments of support.

The former MP said the loss was the “price of standing up” for the “principles and matters of justice”.

Left faction candidate Ashvini Ambihaipahar was preselected. Picture: Supplied

However, early reports indicate Mr Moselmane may not bow out of the race just yet.

Rumours are already beginning to circulate about Mr Moselmane potentially contesting Barton as an independent candidate, capitalising on a large Muslim vote at play in the seat, which is held by Labor on a 15.5 margin.

The former MP, who quit NSW parliament after getting dumped from the upper house ticket before the 2023 election, has been calling for Labor to recognise Palestine since the Hamas-Israel war began and was the first Muslim PM elected to state parliament.

His outspokenness and past controversies, including the ASIO saga, led one source to claim Labor brass would “not touch him with a ten-foot-pole” for the Barton preselection.

It comes after Mr Moselmane’s home was raided in 2020 as part of an ASIO investigation into concerns the Chinese government was working to influence the office of a sitting MP.

At the time Mr Moselmane said he was not a suspect and no charges were ever laid.

More to come.