Kristina Keneally back in northern beaches just days after election defeat in Fowler
Labor’s Kristina Keneally has been spotted back in an exclusive northern beaches suburb, just days after her embarrassing election defeat.
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Labor’s Kristina Keneally has returned to Sydney’s northern beaches just days after losing the southwestern Sydney seat of Fowler to independent Dai Le.
Ms Keneally was filmed by Nine News back on the affluent Scotland Island on Tuesday, more than an hour’s drive (plus a ferry ride) from Liverpool where she moved during her campaign.
In the footage, she was seen wearing a baseball cap and hoodie as she walked up the Scotland Island jetty with her off-duty police officer son, Daniel Keneally.
Ms Keneally refused to answer questions over whether her return to the northern beaches just days after her loss “proved” she was a parachute candidate for Labor.
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She also refused to answer when asked what was next for her in the wake of the election loss.
The Labor frontbencher’s return back to the northern beaches comes after a humiliating defeat in Fowler, which, until now, has never been held by anyone other than Labor.
In the lead up to the election, Ms Keneally was controversially “parachuted” into what was considered a safe seat.
As a “captains pick” candidate, it was thought Ms Keneally couldn’t lose, with Labor pushing aside a local candidate in the process.
But the gamble blew up in Labor’s face, with the people of Fowler opting for Ms Le on election day.
The seat of Fowler was called on Saturday night, but Ms Keneally waited until Sunday night to formally concede defeat.
“It seems that Labor will not claim in victory in Fowler. I congratulate Dai Le and wish her well,” she said.
“Thank you to the people who voted Labor and the volunteers on our campaign. And congratulations to Albo & Labor – a better future for Australia lies ahead.”
Speaking on Monday, Ms Le claimed many voters were furious at Labor’s decision to overlook a local candidate in favour of Ms Keneally, who has never lived in the electorate before beginning her election campaign.
Thank you @KKeneally for your congratulatory message on @Twitter. Waiting for @AusElectoralCom to complete the process of counting and make the declaration for Fowler. Then I will prepare to take office and begin my work for my community. #DaiLeMP#MakeFowlerIndependenthttps://t.co/aGNySjdjWF
— Dai Le MP Independent Member for Fowler (@dai_le) May 22, 2022
“A lot of voters were so angry with the fact that the Labor Party was arrogant enough to think that they can parachute somebody from the northern beaches to come and represent the southwest, one of the most socially disadvantaged communities, to represent us,” she told ABC.
“She has no roots here. She’s not connected to this area. So how can we trust that she can deliver for us? She’s never lived through the challenges that we have lived through.
“Labor voters especially were very – they thought it was a slap in the face and an insult to them. Those were the comments I received when voters came to vote for me. They have never voted for anybody else other than Labor.”
Meanwhile Tu Le, the local Labor candidate who was shoved aside so Ms Keneally could run, has said she was “shocked” by the result.
“On the ground there was a bit of outrage at about the parachuted candidate, to be frank, but it was considered one of the safest seats in the country, so I didn’t expect the result,” she said.
“This outcome sent a clear message to political parties that you can’t take local communities for granted and ignore community voices.”
‘We got what we deserved’
It seems Ms Le and the people of Fowler weren’t the only ones who thought Ms Keneally’s candidacy was a bad idea, with members of the Labor Party also agreeing it was the wrong move.
“We got what we deserved,” a Labor Party insider told The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Kristina is an excellent parliamentarian and member of the team, but that seat didn’t make sense. The manoeuvre to put her into Fowler was wrong and the people clearly agreed.”
When asked if Labor had learnt their lesson from the embarrassing loss, the MP told the publication: “I bloody hope so.”
On Saturday night, before Fowler had been called, but when it was clear Ms Keneally was in trouble – Sky News host Kieran Gilbert asked what had “gone wrong” in her campaign.
The candidate said her party would “need to have a look at that” in the days ahead, whether they win or lose the seat.
“Because, while I’m the candidate and I do take responsibility, we’re a party, we are a collective, and I have to say I don’t think the party saw this result either,” Ms Keneally said.
“Fowler is not unusual in this election night, Kieran. We’re seeing some pretty unpredictable results right around the country.
“I think what we’re seeing here is a real rise of independents that I think both sides of politics are now having to consider. What we’ve seen in this campaign is people are interested in putting their votes somewhere other than the two major parties.
“I do think this is a question that both major parties are going to have to consider.”
– with Sam Clench
Originally published as Kristina Keneally back in northern beaches just days after election defeat in Fowler
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