ALP pick of Israel critic stirs backlash

The man set to be parachuted into Victoria’s upper house led a motion as a councillor to condemn “Israel’s massacre in Gaza”.

Enver Erdogan’s likely candidacy has sparked concern among ALP members. Picture: Supplied

The Labor member set to be parachuted into Victoria’s upper house this week led a motion as a councillor to condemn “Israel’s massacre in Gaza” and served on a council that allowed radical ­Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir to host an anti-Israel conference in its town hall.

Workplace injury lawyer Enver Erdogan’s likely candidacy has sparked concern among ALP members in the southern metropolitan seat recently ­vacated by Greek-Jewish MP Philip Dalidakis, who quit to take up a senior position with Australia Post.

The area is home to a large Jewish community.

Philip Dalidakis Picture: Mike Dugdale

Opponents have highlighted Mr Erdogan’s time on the inner-northern Melbourne Moreland City Council, which saw him move a successful motion during the 2008-09 conflict between Israel and Hamas condemning the ­“Israeli massacre in Gaza”.

The council allowed Hizb ut-Tahrir to host a conference in Brunswick Town Hall in August 2010.

Mr Erdogan today distanced himself from the council’s decision on Hizb ut-Tahrir, saying he opposed “extremism and fundamentalism in all forms” and had “no involvement” in booking of council facilities.

Asked about his motion on Gaza, he said: “Of course I fully support Israel’s right to exist as an independent state and I support a two-state solution.”

Mr Erdogan’s likely appointment fulfils a deal that guaranteed his faction, the socially conservative Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, the next upper house seat.

Labor’s national executive is ­expected to appoint Mr Erdogan on Friday, endorsing a recommendation made by the Victorian ALP’s ­administrative committee to bypass normal rules that would have given local members full voting rights.

The Maurice Blackburn lawyer said he would move to the southern metropolitan area “promptly” if elected, amid criticism of his lack of connection to the bayside and inner-eastern suburban seat.

“There is deep local disquiet over the parachuting in of Mr ­Erdogan, a controversial figure with no connection to the southern metropolitan region,” said one local ALP member, citing Mr ­Erdogan’s motion on Israel as being of particular concern.

“If Mr Erdogan spent valuable council time and resources on a conflict unrelated to council matters, what might he get up to in the Victorian upper house? Local members are also asking for further details of his ­involvement with the anti-Semitic Hizb ut-Tahrir anti-Israel conference.”

A Turkish-speaking member of the Kurdish community, Mr ­Erdogan was a member of Labor’s Socialist Left faction during his time at Moreland Council. He subsequently became close to former member for Batman David Feeney and moved to the SDA.

Former candidate for the state seat of Prahran Neil Pharaoh and Glen Eira councillor Mary Delahunty had expressed interest in the upper house vacancy.