Perth by-election: Labor shoo-in Patrick Gorman full of praise for ‘great leader’

The Labor candidate expected to be elected at next month’s Perth by-election has backed Bill Shorten.

Labor candidate for Perth Patrick Gorman. Picture: Colin Murty

The Labor candidate virtually ­assured of being elected to parliament at next month’s Perth by-election has strongly backed Bill Shorten to remain as leader, praising his ability to unite and reinvigorate the party after the defeat of the Rudd-Gillard government.

Patrick Gorman, a former close adviser to Kevin Rudd when he was prime minister and foreign minister, said Mr Shorten — who supported his preselection for Perth — was the best person to lead Labor to the next election.

Mr Gorman, who is from the left, shares a factional alliance with Labor frontbencher Anthony ­Albanese, Mr Shorten’s long-time leadership rival. Mr Albanese was also Mr Rudd’s biggest supporter in parliament.

“Bill took over the leadership at the end of a very challenging government, and he’s done a fantastic job in uniting us and reinvigorating the party,” Mr Gorman told The Australian.

“I think Bill has been a great leader but I think he will be an even better prime minister.”

Mr Gorman declined to comment on Mr Shorten’s tax policies, which have caused ructions within the Labor Party in recent days.

The 33-year-old, who was among the few to survive the constant churn of staff under Mr Rudd, praised his old boss.

“I got along very well with Kevin and I still consider him a friend,” Mr Gorman said.

“I think he achieved some great things as prime minister — the apology, getting Australia through the global financial crisis. And as foreign minister I think he did a fantastic job in growing and defending Australia’s aid program.”

Asked about Mr Rudd’s failures as PM, Mr Gorman says he should have done more to close the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians after the historic apology to the Stolen Generations in 2008.

Mr Gorman, who grew up in Fremantle as the son of two Labor-supporting teachers, landed in the PM’s office as a 25-year-old digital communications adviser in early 2010. His first two jobs after graduating from university in 2007 were in the offices of state Labor MP Ken Travers and federal MP Melissa Parke.

Mr Gorman later went to work for the United Voice union before being named ALP state secretary in Western Australia in 2015, steering the campaign that led to the election of the McGowan government last year.

He was handed a dream run into federal parliament last month after Tim Hammond’s resignation due to family pressures, with the Liberal Party deciding not to contest the marginal seat.

Labor’s only genuine opponent is the Greens’ candidate, climate change policy expert Caroline Perks.