Ben McGregor ‘ordered to quit’ Clark seat over text sent to colleague six years ago
Labor party leader Bec White has defended her decision to punt a candidate over a text message he sent to a female colleague. She said it “doesn’t matter when it happened” and was standing up for women everywhere. LATEST >>
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7:
Labor leader Rebecca White has denied claims her decision to ask Clark candidate Ben McGregor to step down was politically motivated, saying she took the “action that was only reasonable in this incidence”.
The Labor candidate for the state seat of Clark quit earlier today over complaints about a text message he sent to a female colleague six years ago.
“It had been brought to my attention that an allegation had been made by a person about the behaviour of a candidate that I couldn’t ignore,” Ms White said, speaking in Tasmania’s north today.
“I sat in the living room of a person who shared with me the allegation about the conduct that they had been a recipient of, I couldn’t ignore that and I had to take action.
“For me and I think for many other women it doesn’t matter when it happened. Too many women have been told they need to take a joke, the fact of the matter is the allegation that was raised with me was clearly inappropriate and I took action immediately.”
When questioned if Mr McGregor should stay on as the Labor president, Ms White said the decision rested with the rank and file party members but said “I don’t think he was a fit person to stand for a candidate for election for the Tasmanian parliament and that tells you everything you need to know”.
Ms White said she became aware of the allegation against Mr McGregor on Monday.
“Mr McGregor hasn’t denied that these messages were sent, as far as I’m concerned the allegation that was raised was incredibly serious,” she said.
“The person who raised the complaint did so because they thought it was a concern that this person might be seeking election.
“As far I am concerned the matter has now been dealt with appropriately, which is the candidate has withdrawn his candidacy.”
EARLIER:
Labor candidate for the state seat of Clark Ben McGregor has quit after complaints about a text message he sent to a colleague six years ago.
A tearful Mr McGregor announced he would be quitting his campaign in an emotional press conference in Hobart this morning.
He said he had been ordered to quit the campaign by Labor’s parliamentary leader Rebecca White after comments resurfaced in a complaint.
“Over the past couple of days, reactionary elements within the Tasmanian branch of the ALP have launched extraordinary attacks against progressive people in the party in an attempt to further their personal political agendas and undermine the Labor Party during this crucial election, a complaint has been made to the Labor Party by a person in relation to text messages I sent seven years ago,” Mr McGregor said.
“Though it does not allege sexual misconduct or sexual harassment, its purpose is appallingly clear. The complaint seeks to pervert and weaponise the current justified public outrage at the treatment of women in this country for selfish, tawdry, political purposes.”
Mr McGregor explained the “incident” surrounded two text messages sent more than six years ago he says were part of a broader text conversation between a group of then friends that “included banter to and from the person involved”.
“The whole conversation was full of dark humour … at the time the person noted to myself during the conversation that she felt uncomfortable with the word I used.
“At that time I apologised via text, and I said that I would not use that word again. I then subsequently apologised in person, the next chance I got, and then again at a later time. This person has not complained about the text message in the six years following.”
Mr McGregor said after the complaint surfaced in recent days, he had not been credited natural justice by Ms White.
“Rebecca has failed in providing leadership here, she has seen an opportunity to rid herself of factional challenge,” he said.
“She has been more focused on ensuring a current mayor gets preselected than worrying about his party or its members, more supportive of the vocal minority at the cost of the majority who have remained consciously silent.
“She has adopted a course which will reward those who engage in dishonourable and grubby politics, rather than upholding the values and fairness at the core of the ALP. And I say this as the president of the Tasmanian branch of the party.”
Earlier, Mr McGregor said he had “never denied” what had happened “nor that it was inappropriate”.
“In the context of Grace Tame and Brittany Higgins I understand the impact of words and of actions. I want to acknowledge that men need to do better,” he said.
“We need to understand and be supportive of women subject to inappropriate, sexist and discriminatory behaviour. Ensure their complaints are heard and investigated.”
“What we must avoid is the weaponisation of the public outrage at how we have failed women; to allow people to pervert this proper indignation for selfish ends. This will only undermine the current opportunity to bring lasting change,” Mr McGregor said.
“I ask how many of you have sent a text message you might’ve regretted say 6-7 years ago? We all make mistakes, we are human. What is important is what we do to make things right.
“I have never denied what happened nor that it was not inappropriate. I apologised at the time and again twice after this. The apology was accepted.
“I am disappointed that this incident has been leaked to the media. I am disappointed that I have not been afforded the basic right of having this allegation investigated and having the opportunity to defend myself.”
Keay puts up hand
9AM:
Former Federal member for Braddon Justine Keay has put up her hand to stand for Labor in the 2021 Tasmanian Election.
Ms Keay, a former Devonport City Councillor, won the Federal seat in 2016 but needed to resign in 2018 when she became one of the first to fall in Federal Parliament’s dual citizenship saga.
Ms Keay won the seat back in the subsequent by-election but lost her seat to the Liberal’s Gavin Pearce at the 2019 Federal Election.
Ms Keay will join fellow Labor Braddon candidates Anita Dow and Shane Broad who are incumbent MHAs, Devonport teacher Michelle Rippon and Central Coast Councillor Amanda Diprose.
6.45PM Tuesday, April 6:
KINGBOROUGH Mayor Dean Winter will stand as Labor’s sixth candidate in the seat of Franklin after party leader Rebecca White successfully appealed to the party’s national executive over his exclusion.
Ms White’s defiance of the state party’s Left-faction-dominated administrative committee secured Mr Winter’s spot less than 24 hours before the final deadline for nominations with the Tasmanian Electoral Commission.
After party chiefs backed her appeal late on Tuesday, Ms White said she was thrilled to have Mr Winter aboard — and said Labor was firmly aiming to win three seats in Franklin.
“Dean will be an outstanding candidate for the Labor team and will play a huge role as we work over the next few weeks toward achieving majority Labor government,” she said.
Ms White said she wrote to the Labor federal executive to put to rest ongoing controversy over Mr Winter’s exclusion.
“There was no doubt that this matter needed to be taken control of after it had continued to be debated through the media,” she said.
“Today is a resolution that is in the best interests of the party and the community and will give Labor the best chance to win majority government.”
For his part, Mr Winter said he was proud to be running for Labor and he was determined to make a contribution, despite the late call-up.
“I’d given up this time around and thought that I just focused on being mayor,” he said.
“It was a bit of a surprise but a really pleasant one.
“It’s been a strange week, I can confirm, it’s been a really unusual week for me personally, but I’ve also been really flattered by a lot of nice messages and a lot of people that have been really supportive of me.”
The dominance of the Labor’s left faction — and Mr Winter’s exclusion — during the preselection process has caused a bitter split within Labor ranks.
Ms White’s intervention to resolve the dispute drew praise from former Labor premier David Bartlett.
“No can ever doubt the courage and backbone of Bec White,” he wrote on Twitter
“She stared down the bullies and got Dean Winter as her candidate for Franklin.
“She has shown very clearly she won’t be controlled by the back room hacks — the sort of leader we need.”
No can ever doubt the courage and backbone of @bec_white - she stared down the bullies and got @DeanWinter4 as her candidate for Franklin. She has shown very clearly she won’t be controlled by the back room hacks - the sort of leader we need. #ToughAs#politas
— David Bartlett (@Bartlett_DJ) April 6, 2021
Ms White called for her party to now unite behind its candidates.
“My call to action right across the party, and the community, is to get behind the Labor campaign,” she said.
Mr Winter joins sitting members David O’Byrne and Allison Standen, as well as lawyer Fabiano Cangelosi, former chef Amy Brumby and environmental campaigner Toby Thorpe.
Liberal campaign spokesman Michael Ferguson said Mr Winter was obviously a strong candidate for Labor who should originally have been preselected “in a heartbeat”.
UPDATE, 12.30PM TUESDAY:
Kingborough mayor Dean Winter is set to stand as a sixth Labor candidate in the seat of Franklin after an appeal from party leader Rebecca White to the ALP national executive.
During a campaign stop in Hobart today Ms White said a meeting this afternoon would decide the preselection issue which has dogged Labor through its campaign.
Mr Winter’s bid to join the Labor ticket in Franklin was derailed by the party’s powerful left faction.
“I can confirm this morning that I wrote to the national executive of the Australian Labor Party, asking them to endorse Dean Winter as the sixth candidate in Franklin,” Ms White said.
“This matter does need to be resolved and obviously it’s become quite important now that this is resolved before tomorrow’s close of nominations.
“I think that Dean would be an excellent candidate for the Labor Party, he’s a very popular local mayor in the south of the state. He’s worked incredibly hard during his term as mayor but he’s also been a member of the Labor Party for 15 years and he brings with him a number of qualities that would be of great benefit not just for my Labor ticket, and of my party but for the community of Tasmania.”
UPDATE, 2PM MONDAY:
Labor leader Rebecca White has responded to the Australian Workers’ Union appeal to revoke all preselection decisions and allow Dean Winter to stand as a candidate in Franklin.
“This has been something that’s unfortunately dragged on for too long, it does have to stop and as I’ve said I will make be having further conversations throughout the course of today and I’ll be making a statement later this afternoon,” Ms White said.
“My focus is making sure that we take forward our positive plan for Tasmania, to make sure people can have a secure job, they’ve got a roof over their head that they’ve got access to the health care that they need. That’s always been my focus, and that will continue to be my priority throughout this campaign.
“There’s obviously a lot of speculation about what did and what didn’t happen at the end of the day, all of this needs to stop. We need to be able to resolve this matter.
“My priority is campaigning for majority Labor government, focusing on the issues that I know Tasmanians care about, which are having a secure job having economic security, having access to the health care they need, and having a roof over their head.”
9AM MONDAY:
ONE of Australia’s most powerful unions has intervened in Tasmania Labor’s election campaign, calling on the head of the Australian Labor Party to revoke all preselection decisions and allow a popular mayor to stand.
The call comes as anger simmers within the party and with voters about the rejection of Kingborough Mayor Dean Winter as a candidate in Franklin.
The nomination for the election of candidates for the Franklin Division close with the TEC on Wednesday at midday.
The Australian Workers’ Union has filed a Notice of Appeal saying the ALP Tasmanian Branch had breached its own preselection rules.
The union called the process implemented “panicked, confusing and procedurally unfair”.
Labor Leader Rebecca White will hold a press conference in Huonville at 11am.
In a letter sent to National Secretary of the Australian Labor Party Paul Erickson, the union says the breaches show most of the Tasmanian Administrative Committee believed the rules could be constantly changed and adapted to ensure certain candidates are selected or not selected.
“The decision not to pre-elect a very popular local mayor and AWU member, Mr Dean Winter, has caused public controversy and disaffection with the ALP in Tasmania,” the letter says.
“This has coincided with an outpouring of public support for Mr Winter including from three former Labor Premiers, Giddings, Lennon and Bartlett.”
The union says the party needs to revoke the preselection decision for all House of Assembly already made and preselect Mr Winter for the division of Franklin.
“Mr Winter is the only other nomination received for the division and was materially and unfairly disadvantaged by the preselection process adopted by the Administrative Committee,” the letter said.
The union called the committee dysfunctional and said most of its members had shown a flagrant disregard for the preselection process.
“Prior to the election being called, the majority of the committee acted in breach of the preselection process by purporting to pre-elect incumbent members of the House of Assembly,” the union said.
“This abuse of power makes a mockery of the important roles assigned to local ALP members and the State Conference in preselection processes and of the requirement to use the Hare Clark system of voting for all elections involving multiple positions.
“By actively seeking to block Mr Winter from standing as a candidate Labor it is wilfully harming its own electoral prospects at a critical election.”
The Tasmanian Liberals have jumped on the internal infighting in the Labor camp.
“The fact that Labor’s National Executive has been asked to intervene in Labor’s Franklin preselection shambles shows what happens when you have indecisive leadership,” Liberal campaign spokesman Michael Ferguson said.
“Labor, Ms White and the unions have no one other than themselves to blame for this mess.
If you can’t run your own party, how can you possibly run the Government?”
Liberals reveal plans to slash waiting lists
THE Liberals would inject an additional $154m into tackling the state’s out-of-control elective surgery waiting list, Premier Peter Gutwein has pledged.
The increased spending over four years would deliver an additional 22,300 elective surgeries and endoscopies.
The money would fund a record number of elective surgery procedures in a single year in Tasmania, Mr Gutwein said.
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“We will prioritise 2021-22, providing an extra 8300 surgeries statewide, bringing our total volume for that year to more than 22,800 surgeries in one year – almost twice the size of the waiting list, and the largest year of surgery ever in Tasmania,” Mr Gutwein said.
“More than 180 staff statewide are expected to support this increase in volume, including more than 112 nurses, 10 doctors, 16 allied health staff as well as more than 40 hospital support staff.
“During COVID-19, the national Cabinet, in agreement with all states, acted on Public Health advice to suspend all non-urgent elective surgery, to avoid bringing COVID into our hospitals. “This has led to increases in waiting lists across Australia.”
There were 8500 people on the public health waiting list when the Liberals came to power in 2014. That figure now stands at 12,086, despite repeated funding injections, and 51,000 people — 10 per cent of the population — are on the waiting list for an outpatient appointment.
Patients needing knee replacements wait an average of 462 days, while procedures to fix varicose veins has a 761-day waiting list.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said the investment is estimated to deliver nearly 20,000 more elective surgeries and over 2300 extra endoscopies over four years.
“This will include a wide range of surgeries and procedures, including hip and knee replacements, women’s health procedures, cataract removals, hernia repair surgeries and tonsillectomies, as well as diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopies,” Ms Courtney said.
“From 2022-23 onward, this is estimated to provide more than 3700 additional surgeries each year.
“This new investment will help target the backlog from the pandemic, and over three years, will see significantly reduced waiting lists and waiting times for Tasmanians, as surgeries are delivered sooner.”
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