Labor fight as minister slams colleague for abandoning marginal seat

A SENIOR Labor minister has slammed her former cabinet colleague Jane Garrett for parachuting out of a marginal seat to a safe one.

Former Victorian Emergency Services Minister Jane Garrett. Picture: David Caird

A SENIOR Labor minister has slammed her former cabinet colleague for parachuting out of a marginal seat to a safe one.

At a press conference police minister Lisa Neville said she was not a “big fan” of MPs leaving marginal seats.

Ms Neville’s comments were a swipe at former emergency services minister Jane Garrett who announced last week she would not recontest the marginal seat of Brunswick but instead seek preselection for a safe upper house spot.

Australian Council of Trade Unions president Ged Kearney with Brunswick Labor MP Jane Garrett. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Ms Neville said she had withstood “intensive campaigns” in her marginal seat of Bellarine, which she has held since 2002.

“I am a very strong believer that you have an obligation to your community, to the seat and to the party,” she said.

“I’m not a big fan of people deciding to move to safer seats.”

Ms Neville told reporters at a press conference she had not spoken to Ms Garrett since her announcement last week that she would not run in Brunswick but instead seek preselection to a safe upper house spot.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions president Ged Kearney will run for Brunswick, which is under siege from the Greens.

Ms Garrett is seeking the move after Khalil Eideh announced he wouldn’t recontest his Western Metropolitan Region upper house seat.

She has the backing of senior figures in the Industrial Socialist Left of the party to switch.

One of the factors that have influenced Ms Garrett’s decision is her battle with breast cancer, which has taken a private toll and led to her family urging her to make a shift.

It is also believed concerns within the party about a campaign from the United Firefighters Union — some of whose senior members are close to the Greens — could derail her bid to remain in Brunswick. But others in the party are displeased Ms Garrett, a high-profile MP, has left the marginal contest.

Ms Garrett and the UFU clashed heatedly during the height of the CFA crisis, which was triggered after the Labor minister refused to sign off on a controversial EBA.

“Many colleagues across the labour movement and members of the community have approached me and suggested I stand for this seat,” she said last week.

“It is well known I have faced some significant challenges in recent times, including health issues.