By Ann Marie Angebrandt
WYNDHAM may soon have an influential front-bench cabinet minister as its local representative.
After easily defeating his five opponents for the seat of Tarneit, former Bracks chief-of-staff Tim Pallas is widely expected to be given a plum portfolio after the Labor caucus meets next week.
The 46-year-old Williamstown resident would not confirm the speculation at his victory party at the Werribee RSL Bowls Club last Saturday night, preferring instead to mourn the loss of at least five Labor seats.
“Tonight, there are candidates fighting for their political lives and that’s very sad for all of us,” he said.
“But if caucus sees fit, I’m happy to serve in whatever capacity they want,” he said.
Mr Pallas said he looked forward to trading in his former job as a behind-the-scenes adviser with the Premier for the past seven years to that of a public decision-maker.
“It’s a great honour and responsibility to be able to work for the area and I’ll be using my expertise in bringing stakeholders together to achieve outcomes everyone is happy with.”
Mr Pallas won 53.6 per cent of the primary vote, and 62.4 per cent of the two-candidate preferred vote, a “very good, very solid result”, he said.
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“Given that we were running against a very strong local candidate who was running on local issues, and given that I’m a newcomer to all this, I’m very pleased,” he said.
“What has happened tonight is an amazing demonstration of a class act of a party, not the consequence of an individual.”
The father-of-two said he would keep open his Station Place campaign headquarters until his new permanent office a few doors down Ä that of predecessor Mary Gillett Ä was ready.
“I want the electorate to have a place to come to tell me their issues starting now,” he said.
Labor party faithful who gathered to celebrate the win included Graham Richardson, a former Labor politician known as a highly effective behind-the-scenes “king maker.”
He stayed with the Pallas party for a short time before being chauffeured away to the next victory celebration.
Former MP Mary Gillett, who held the seat for a decade, also attended.
She said she was relieved to retire and would be taking her first three-month-long-service leave after 30 years of working life.
