Labor’s Josh Willie faces down pokies threats to retain party backing for Elwick election

Josh Willie has been unanimously endorsed as Labor’s Elwick candidate at next year’s election and believes the party’s internal turmoil this year will not dent his chances.

DESPITE threats by pokies opponents to end his political career, Josh Willie has emerged victorious with the Labor Party backing him to recontest his Legislative Council seat of Elwick next year.

Mr Willie was a first-time candidate in 2016 when he caused an upset by defeating sitting independent MLC and former Glenorchy mayor Adrianna Taylor.

He said he was pleased to be unanimously endorsed by the ALP.

“There were threats by one person who held no position in the party and had no authority,” Mr Willie said.

“I continue to enjoy strong party support and it’s been amazing the number of members and people in the community who had reached out and encouraged me to run again and offered to support my campaign.

“I pride myself on helping people in need.

“I’ve spent six years on grassroots politics and working with the community and I’ve got strong connections with the community.”

Labor member for Elwick Josh Willie with his wife Holly Irving and children Alfie, 5, and Ted, 3. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

The 37-year-old is a former grade 5/6 teacher at Glenorchy Primary School and took leave to knock on more than 11,000 doors in the electorate five years ago.

He has two young sons.

“We are a typical family living in the northern suburbs and we share the same aspirations as the rest of the community,” Mr Willie said.

Mr Willie said his achievements included establishing an inquiry into child and family centres when he was first elected.

“Labor wanted to build another six child and family centres and the government wouldn’t commit but they eventually did and we have one at Glenorchy, in the heart of Elwick.”

He is Labor’s education spokesman and when he held the child protection shadow portfolio successfully lobbied to have the age raised for out-of-home care support for young people to the age of 21.

“Education is our greatest challenge as a state but it’s also our greatest opportunity,” Mr Willie said.

“We need to have better access to housing and health services, particularly in mental health.”

Josh Willie with Adventure Patch childcare chief executive Lynne Moran. Picture: Eddie Safarik

Mr Willie believes the internal turmoil Labor has experienced this year will not dent his chances and nor will his vote on the pokies legislation.

“We took a strong position on pokies to the 2018 election and we were not elected. If we had voted against the bill, Federal Hotels’ monopoly would have continued.

“There was posturing by some members but we don’t have the power to change tax rates, only the government can do that.”

Election analyst Dr Kevin Bonham said Elwick was traditionally a Labor stronghold.

“It was an impressive victory last time that I wasn’t expecting because he wasn’t very well known,” he said.

“You’d need to see who else is going to run but I don’t think the pokies will be a killer in itself.”