Broad scathing as he announces tilt at top Labor job
Rank and file Labor members will have their say on the future of the party with David O’Byrne and Shane Broad set to face off in a leadership ballot.
Tasmania
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LABOR’S David O’Byrne and Shane Broad will fight it out for the leadership of the opposition in the party’s first contest for the top job in a generation.
Dr Broad confirmed his candidacy just ahead of the first Labor caucus meeting after its May 1 election defeat.
Mr O’Byrne and Dr Broad will now face off in a ballot of members — the rules and the timeline of which are yet to be decided.
Anita Dow was elected deputy leader and will serve as the party’s acting leader after former leader Rebecca White stepped down.
Dr Broad started the day decrying the takeover of the party by “hard left factional powerbrokers” and ended it saying he was looking forward to a “clean and fair fight”.
“I’m looking forward to a robust but fair discussion about the future of the Tasmanian Labor Party,” he said after the meeting.
“I think that the Labor Party from now on should be talking about those bread and butter issues to win votes from the Liberal Party — to get those people who used to vote Labor but are now voting Liberal.
“We need to be talking about Tasmania being open for business, that we will look after your jobs but everyone will get a fair go and that way you’ll get the services that you deserve.”
Party rules require that the ballot be conducted of parliamentary members and rank and file members.
The rules for the ballot will be determined by the party’s administrative committee over the coming days.
Mr O’Byrne, who appears to have the support of the majority of MPs, welcomed the contest.
“Clearly there’s going to be a ballot and I think that’s a fantastic thing for the rank and file members of the Labor Party,” he said.
“They’ve got two candidates who are keen to lead and keen to make a difference and hold the government to account,” he said.
“The thing is about the Labor Party, we actually quite like each other.
“Occasionally we have differences of opinion about our way forward. And I think what we’re seeing here is a good robust exchange of ideas for the future of the party.”
Newly elected MP Dean Winter said the vote was a reflection of a healthy democracy in the party.
“I think there is a big caucus in there that will be much better than any of the Liberals,” he said.
“And I think that what we’ve got here for the rank and file members is a great choice between two people that have got some runs on the board when it comes to their contribution to the Tasmanian Labor Party.
“Whatever decision the rank and file members make, I’ll be getting right behind because what we need to do is form a Labor government because that’s the only way we can change ... for the better.”
Fellow MP Jen Butler said whoever was elected would be the right person to lead the party forward.
“It was wonderful today to be able to have a proper discussion around our PLP table and thrash out and debate who would be our best leadership team,” she said.
“The Labor Party is a broad church, and it’s really important that all rank and file members of the party get to have their say in the future direction of our party.”
Labor’s leadership showdown kicks off in Parliament
Flanked by fellow MPs Dean Winter and Jen Butler, Shane Broad spoke to the media outside Parliament House shortly before today’s meeting.
“I think today is a day where the Labor Party could turn the corner,” he said.
“And what we’re looking for is some evidence that the Labor Party is willing to change.
“I think a ballot would be a cleansing process and I’m looking forward to a robust debate within the parliamentary Labor Party.
He said he had decided to run because he believed the party could not win power if it continued to be dominated by the left faction.
Labor’s election campaign was hampered by early infighting which delayed the preselection of Mr Winter, a longtime party member who was the mayor of Kingborough.
“I’ve been a ma
“I took the chance of becoming a politician back four years ago and one of the reasons why I did that, and I gave up a five-year contract at university, was because I believed in Rebecca White.
“She’s stood down and I think that the moderate voices in the Labor Party need to be heard for us to win government.
“We need to win votes off the Liberal Party to win government and the only way we’ll do that is with when moderates have a voice. That’s all I’m asking for.”
David O’Byrne has already indicated his intention to stand. If both men put themselves forward, the outcome will be decided by a vote of parliamentary members and Labor Party state conference delegates — a process that could take weeks to reach a conclusion.
Broad blasts ‘hard left’ while launching tilt for top Labor job
It is now two horse race for Tasmania’s Labor leadership with Braddon member Dr Shane Broad announcing his intentions to run for the top spot.
It comes less than a day after David O’Byrne officially threw his hat into the ring to replace Rebecca White as Labor leader.
Dr Broad told ABC radio this morning “growing frustration among the moderate voices” within the Labor Party prompted his run at the top job.
He believes the only way Labor can win the next election is to win votes off the Liberals through targeting moderate voters.
According to Dr Broad, his aims are to “stop the hard left factional powerbrokers” who have “taken over the Labor Party”.
“There are a group of people now voting Liberal who used to vote Labor,” he said.
Dr Broad would not be drawn on who would be his preferred deputy.
“There are options but I think it’s probably better that I bare this cross on my own,” he said.
With Dr Broad and Mr O’Byrne both now vying for the leadership, paid up Tasmanian Labor branch members and parliamentarians will now undertake a balloting process to determine who is given the top job.
However it is understood Mr O’Bryne has already secured clear support among sitting members.
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