Labor branch members to quit over Annastacia Palaszczuk’s picks

A Labor branch in one of Queensland’s most marginal seats is facing mass resignations.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Brisbane. Picture: Tertius Pickard

A Labor branch in one of Queensland’s most marginal seats is facing mass resignations after the dumping of preselected contender Tracey Cameron to open up the position for Annastacia Palaszczuk’s hand-picked candidate.

The Queensland Premier was defiant on Wednesday about the dumping of endorsed or member-favoured candidates and conceded more may follow in the lead-up to the October 31 election.

Labor insiders said two candidates in targeted LNP-held seats — a frontrunner for preselection in Burleigh and Ms Cameron in Whitsunday — were axed in the past week to make way for high-profile replacements.

Ms Palaszczuk personally ­announced surfing legend Wayne “Rabbit” Bartholomew as the Burleigh candidate at a press conference on Sunday. Ms Cameron’s replacement in the north Queensland seat was announced on Tuesday as local principal Angie Kelly — the sister of Right faction MP Joe Kelly.

Both aspirants only joined the party within a week of being publicly announced as candidates.

The Premier was unapologetic on Wednesday after The Australian revealed the factional infighting that had contributed to the dumpings.

“I make no apologies for seeking out strong candidates in seats like we have with Wayne ‘Rabbit’ Bartholomew in Burleigh and Angie Kelly in Whitsunday,” she said. “I’m very proud that they’re on my team.”

The party’s three main factions — the Right, the Old Guard and the dominant Left — are jostling to shore up their numbers for a future caucus.

Ms Cameron’s axing has outraged branch members in the region, who are preparing to resign en masse, Labor sources said.

A branch member told The Australian the “factional bullshit” had been brewing for months and Ms Cameron faced months of pressure to resign ­before she relented last week, citing a family illness.

A source said the party was nervous about her and other branch members speaking out against the Premier and party, and feared it could lead to the collapse of local branches.

“To give away a seat with a 0.7 per cent margin because of factional power is just insane,” a party member said.

The Australian understands Ms Cameron was scathing in a letter she sent to Labor headquarters following her forced resignation. Ms Cameron, a Proserpine business owner and former branch president, was announced as the candidate in ­November and has been campaigning ever since.

She would not comment when contacted by The Australian this week.

The Australian understands the factions are jostling over the seats of Mirani, Everton Park and Hervey Bay, where Labor’s frontrunner for preselection, Adrian Tantari, is facing pressure from senior Labor figures who want to select Jason Scanes.