Labor Palmerston sub branch’s push to dump Ken Vowles

MEMBERS of Labor’s Palmerston sub branch have led a move to expel rabble-rousing MLA Ken Vowles from the party

Ousted Labor member Ken Vowles could really be totally ousted. Picture: Justin Kennedy

MEMBERS of Labor’s Palmerston sub branch have led a move to expel rabble-rousing MLA Ken Vowles from the party.

Mr Vowles was hauled into a meeting with president Erina Early day after the Palmerston branch voted at its meeting on Monday to request an investigation into whether he should be booted.

The NT News understands a letter was to be sent to the party’s executive seeking clarification as to whether Mr Vowles’ comments to media on Monday broke party rules.

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Speaking on the sacking of Chief Minister Michael Gunner’s chief of staff Alf Leonardi, Mr Vowles said: “how many more people does Michael have to sack before he realises he is the problem?”

But Ms Early and party secretary Anthony Brereton both told the NT News they had not yet received a letter from the branch.

With preselection for candidates for the 2020 Territory election nearing, the question of what to do with the vexatious Mr Vowles is weighing increasingly heavily on Labor minds.

While he was sacked from his ministerial positions and booted from the Labor caucus late last year for speaking out against Mr Gunner’s leadership, he remains a party member and is understood to be seeking preselection in his seat of Johnston.

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His fellow casualties of Labor’s December civil war — Jeff Collins and Scott McConnell — have both left the party but Mr Vowles has been careful not to fall foul of party rules and risk expulsion.

For Mr Vowles to win endorsement from outside the caucus would be hugely embarrassing for Mr Gunner and damaging to his authority as leader.

The Chief Minister was seen in Palmerston — where the party is considered to be particularly vulnerable at next year’s election — on Tuesday at a lunch time pow wow with Palmo members Eva Lawler and Tony Sievers.

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Mr Vowles last year accused Mr Leonardi of orchestrating his sacking from cabinet and caucus.

“Michael Gunner doesn’t fart without Alf Leonardi saying so,” he said at the time.

“Make no mistake, the bloke running this place is Alf Leonardi. Alf Leonardi would have told Michael Gunner to sack me and that’s what would have happened.”

Mr Vowles yesterday declined to comment on the Palmerston complaint.