HE’S been touted as Labor’s next prime minister, but union heavyweight Bill Shorten was still taking in the sights of his new-found electorate last week.
After the withdrawal of long-time MP Bob Sercombe from the Labor Party’s pre-selection battle for the federal seat of Maribyrnong, Mr Shorten is all but assured of taking his place in federal politics.
“I can bring positive ideas and passionate energy and I think that the challenge for federal Labor is to provide hope for Labor supporters and offer a choice for Labor supporters to have some control over their lives,” he said.
Mr Shorten remained the only runner in the pre-selection process for the seat after Mr Sercombe withdrew last Tuesday. He had been hotly tipped to win enough of the 600 member votes required to beat Mr Sercombe when voting wrapped up this week.
Mr Shorten, a solicitor, has lead the Australian Workers’ Union for almost a decade and has been a formidable character in the industrial movement for more than 20 years.
And while he has been a key behind-the-scenes figure in the ALP’s Victorian branch for some time, his move to federal politics has seen some people touting him as a Labor minister, possibly even prime minister.
But in true political style, he was insisting his long-time safe ALP seat of Maribyrnong was no certainty.
“I’d question the use of the word ‘safe’ – that’s one of the things I want to change. I don’t want anyone ever thinking that federal Labor takes their voters for granted,” he said.
And while he admits he has much to learn about the electorate, Mr Shorten insists he already knows a great deal about Maribyrnong and its people.
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“I know what happens. I’ve represented people from City West Water to Huntsman chemicals in West Footscray to the track workers at Moonee Valley,” he told Star last week.
“There’s plenty I can learn from the electorate but I have an idea of how people earn their money and the importance of penalty rates and shift rates and the sacrifices that working parents make for their kids so they can get their opportunities.”
Mr Sercombe, who is believed to be privately seething about the pre-selection battle, was towing the party line last week, throwing his support behind his party of more than 20 years.
“I’ve been a Labor man through and through – and I’ll support the new member and do what is best for the party,” Mr Sercombe said.
“Bob’s still the serving member of parliament so I’m still respectful of that – we’ve traded phone messages but he’s obviously been very busy too,” Mr Shorten said last week.
“He said he’d support the Labor candidate and I’m the Labor candidate – so he was positive and I appreciate that.”
Mr Sercombe will remain the federal member for Maribyrnong until the next election due to take place in late 2007.
