Former unionist Linda White odds-on to replace Labor’s outgoing Kim Carr

Linda White is odds-on to be plucked from retirement to replace Socialist Left kingmaker Kim Carr, who announced his retirement on Sunday.

Linda White is odds-on to replace Kim Carr.

Labor’s factions are seeking to ­select a retired former union official to replace veteran senator Kim Carr, sparking internal accu­sations the party has pursued payback over long-term renewal.

Senator Carr announced on Sunday he would quit politics, concerned about his health but in the knowledge that several deals being finalised at the weekend would precipitate the end of his career.

Multiple Labor sources said retired former Australian Services Union assistant national secretary Linda White, 62, was odds-on to replace Senator Carr in the Senate after a significant factional realignment sparked by the ­demise of former Victorian power­broker Adem Somyurek.

The decision to back Ms White has sparked anger among those party members sympathetic to Senator Carr, who at 66 was a giant of the Socialist Left faction and had planned to continue in parliament.

A long-term frontbencher, Senator Carr wielded enormous influence within the ALP nationally and has been central to Labor politics from the Hawke and Cain-Kirner years through to 2022.

Senator Carr entered the Senate in 1993 after the retirement of John Button.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese and Senator Carr were bitter opponents but Mr Albanese buried the hatchet publicly and described him as one of the great modern contributors to politics.

“Kim Carr has been a tireless advocate for the cause of Labor during his three decades of service in our nation’s parliament,” the Opposition Leader said.

Labor Senator Kim Carr has been a giant of the Socialist Left faction.

“In particular, the parliament has had no stronger supporter of Australian manufacturing and science than Kim Carr.

“He was determined to advocate for the interests of manufacturing workers, as well as bringing his background in teaching to pursue greater support for science and education.”

Multiple sources said the ALP national executive would ratify this week Ms White’s candidacy and that right-wing senior Victorian bureaucrat Jana Stewart would likely be endorsed for the vacancy caused by the death of Kimberley Kitching.

The Victorian branch of the ALP has been under the control of the national executive since a 2020 branch-stacking scandal was revealed.

Shop assistants’ union organiser Cassandra Fernando is ­expected to replace Anthony Byrne in the Victorian lower house seat of Holt, which has been scandalised by factional ­activity.

Senator Carr said his health had been a key reason for his decision to quit just short of 30 years in the upper house.

“The Labor Party’s mission to create a fairer Australia never ends, and while I would have liked to have continued to pursue it in the parliament, issues with my health have made that inadvisable,” he said.

“In light of recent tragic developments, and following determined urgings from my children, I concluded that it was time for me to reassess my priorities.”

Mr Albanese’s statement was greeted with bemusement by friends of Senator Carr, who blame him for his demise.

In line with the complexities of Victorian factional politics, Senator Carr nearly a decade ago backed Bill Shorten for the federal leadership.

Senator Carr regularly helped orchestrate deals between the right and left factions that en­abled his grouping to either be in numerical authority or to stitch up deals that enabled significant influence over the party.

Senator Penny Wong, who has been under siege over her alleged treatment of Senator Kitching, said: “In Senator Carr, the higher education, science, research and manufacturing communities could not have had a more passionate champion and advocate around the cabinet table.

“In more recent years, Senator Carr has been an invaluable contributor to the Labor opposition under Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese.”

The anticipated endorsement of Ms White will come at the ­expense of former Labor adviser Ryan Batchelor, a young party member who has been described by some as a ­potential future cabinet minister.