Anthony Albanese jumps the gun on candidate revelation

Anthony Albanese has sparked some unrest within the Tasmanian ALP by letting slip a secret: an economist hated by some left-wing unions is to be a Senate candidate.

Richard Dowling, economist and soon-to-be-revealed Labor Senate candidate. Picture: LinkedIn

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Anthony Albanese has “blindsided” the Tasmanian ALP by publicly anointing a right-faction economist as a Senate candidate before most in the party even knew of his potential candidacy.

Party sources told The Australian that on his visit to Hobart last week, the Prime Minister greeted Richard Dowling, an adviser to state Labor leader Dean Winter, as “our new senator”, or words to that effect.

The choice of Mr Dowling to replace Catryna Bilyk on Labor’s Tasmanian Senate ticket was news to most of the party, including some state shadow cabinet members present at the time.

Mr Albanese was well briefed, with Mr Dowling – until June the director of public policy with social media giant Meta – assured the position as the choice of the right faction’s Australian Workers Union but this was not widely known within the party at the time, and pre-empted a call for nominations, a preselection process – or even confirmation from Senator Bilyk that she intended to retire.

“I haven’t said I’m going yet,” Senator Bilyk said. “I’ll make an announcement about whether I am or not when I’m ready.”

Sources said most people in both left and right factions were “blindsided” by the PM’s revelation on Mr Dowling, not knowing he was even a potential candidate.

Several party figures, including state frontbencher Shane Broad and former forestry boss Bob Gordon, had been touted as likely candidates for the position and many thought Dr Broad would be chosen.

Mr Dowling is seen by his supporters as a highly experienced, intelligent, capable candidate with strong federal ministerial potential but sections of the party’s left, particularly unions, are outraged at his likely preselection.

They blame him for significant cuts to the public service made by former premier Lara Giddings, for whom he acted as senior economic adviser from 2011 to 2014.

There is also concern about his background as past chief economist with the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and about the fact that he had only recently returned to the state.

As well as this hostility within the left, there is concern more broadly that Mr Dowling’s preselection will trigger a fresh round of internal warfare, just as state Labor appeared to be competitive again after ending years of infighting.

Mr Winter has managed to keep a lid on opposition internal brawls from left faction critics since taking the leadership in April, while the state Liberal minority government has lurched from crisis to crisis.

Some within the party may be hoping to nobble Mr Dowling’s preselection before it is officially confirmed. Others are confident of keeping a lid on any dissent, given the party’s national executive continues to have significant oversight of the state branch.

Some feel Mr Dowling is a “captain’s pick”, as a long-time close friend of Mr Winter, a key figure in the right and an AWU member. Others argue that Mr Winter was not party to the AWU’s decision to back him.

There was no comment from Mr Albanese, Mr Dowling, Mr Winter, Dr Broad or Labor national secretary Paul Erickson.

Mr Dowling does have backing, however. “(He) is someone who has been an adviser to a Labor premier, long-time Labor member, successful in the private sector – and he is a proud product of the Tasmanian public education system,” one member said.

“Lots of members are excited about having new talent on the Labor Senate ticket.”