Ken Vowles bows out of politics, renews calls for his party to dump Chief Minister Michael Gunner

AS he prepares to bow out of politics for good, excommunicated Labor Member for Johnston Ken Vowles has renewed his calls for his party to dump Chief Minister Michael Gunner or face electoral annihilation

Labor Member for Johnston Ken Vowles is expected to hand his resignation to Speaker Kezia Purick on Friday afternoon. Picture: Keri Megelus

AS he prepares to bow out of politics for good, excommunicated Labor Member for Johnston Ken Vowles has renewed his calls for his party to dump Chief Minister Michael Gunner or face electoral annihilation.

Mr Vowles is expected to hand his resignation to Speaker Kezia Purick or her staff Friday afternoon, ending a seven-year political career. 

Previously the primary industry and Aboriginal affairs minister, Mr Vowles was booted from the Labor caucus in late 2018 for refusing to publicly back the Chief Minister’s leadership.

With an election seven months away, Mr Vowles predicted Labor would win only between six and eight seats if Mr Gunner remained leader.

He nominated Aboriginal Affairs Minister Selena Uibo and Health Minister Natasha Fyles as potential successors to Mr Gunner.

“Everyone mentions Eva (Lawler) but Eva needs to concentrate on keeping her own seat. She will really struggle to be re-elected,” he said.

“Selena is the obvious choice after Natasha. (Natasha) gets it, she is popular and when shit hits the fan, they send Tash in to clean it up.”

Although he remains a rank and file member of Labor, Mr Vowles declined to endorse the party’s candidate in the Johnston by-election, footy star and union boss Joel Bowden. 

“The people of Johnston don’t get it wrong. Whether that’s Joel Bowden or (Territory Alliance’s) Steve Klose or the CLP, they’ll decide who will represent them the best,” he said. 

Despite advocating for a change in leadership, Mr Vowles said he wished Mr Gunner well. The Chief Minister is on leave after suffering a heart attack earlier this month.

His wife Kristy O’Brien is pregnant with the couple’s first child.

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Mr Vowles, who also suffered an illness in office, said Mr Gunner should prioritise his recovery.

“Now might be the time for him to step back and look after his health and his new baby,” he said.

Mr Vowles intends to engage in consultancy work post-politics.