Kristina Keneally still ‘making up her mind’ about Senate bid

Unions mobilise against Kristina Keneally who is still “making up her mind’’ whether to bid for Sam Dastyari’s Senate spot.

NSW Health Ser­vices Union secretary Gerard Hayes has called on the party to preselect someone other than Ms ­Keneally and opt for fresh blood.

Failed Bennelong candidate and former NSW premier Kristina Keneally is said to be still “making up her mind” whether to make a bid for Sam Dastyari’s Senate spot, with party and union officials expected to decide on a ­replacement later this month.

Yesterday, NSW Health Ser­vices Union secretary Gerard Hayes called on the party to preselect someone other than Ms ­Keneally and opt for fresh blood.

“We have got a real interest in workers’ representation going forward and we need to be thinking broadly into the future as ­opposed to thinking about what we can do that’s easy. Let’s make a difference,” he said.

A stumbling block for Ms ­Keneally is opposition from some unions angered by her demand for the resignation of former union boss Bernie Riordan as Labor Party president during the 2011 state election campaign. The demand came after a union publication suggested voters could vote for parties other than Labor.

Kristina Keneally.

The Senate preselection will take place through the Labor Party’s NSW Administrative Committee, made up of union ­officials and Labor head office nominees.

Ms Keneally, who is said to be weighing up her options and is ­expected to inform Labor head ­office of her intentions next week, did not respond to messages ­yesterday.

Ms Keneally won a 4.84 per cent swing against Liberal John Alexander in the December by-election in Bennelong caused by the dual citizenship imbroglio, resulting in the former premier finishing with 45.12 per cent of the vote on a two-party-preferred basis.

Transport Workers Union boss Tony Sheldon has been urged by some unionists to throw his hat in the ring.

Tara Moriarty, secretary of hospitality union United Voice, has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.

Mr Dastyari, who quit following reports he had warned Chinese billionaire Huang Xiangmo that his phone might be tapped by security agencies, said yesterday he was “taking a break”.

But there is speculation he could take charge of Labor think tank the McKell Institute.

His close friend Sam Crosby currently runs the institute, but there is speculation Mr Crosby might run for the marginal seat of Reid against federal minister Craig Laundy at the next election.

Mr Dastyari technically ­remains in the Senate until he formally resigns and is still collecting a senator’s full salary.

The Senate position can be filled only through a joint sitting of the NSW parliament, which is not sitting until early next month.

Sky News chief executive ­Angelos Frangopoulos said he was set to meet Ms Keneally in a fortnight to discuss her resuming work with the network as a political commentator.

She was presenting for Sky until she announced in November that Bill Shorten had convinced her to run for Bennelong.

Mr Frangopoulos said he and Mr Dastyari had no communication whatsoever about a possible media career, despite speculation Mr Dastyari was keen on such a move.