Union boss fires up Labor MPs

LABOR MPs are fuming over United Firefighters Union secretary Peter Marshall’s latest intervention into internal ALP politics that threatens to derail an emerging factional deal over federal and state preselections.

ALP warlords have been locked in conflict for the past three weeks in a bid to come up with a factional deal that removes the need for a hostile takeover of the federal preselection process by the party’s national executive.

But yesterday, the UFU secretary intervened in the dispute in a bid to kill off a plan that would see former emergency services minister Jane Garrett given a seat in state Parliament.

In a letter to all state MPs, Mr Marshall said the deal was “a strategic mistake that is not in the interests of working people and Labor supporters”.

There has been bad blood for years between the UFU boss and Ms Garrett after she refused to sign on to a new CFA EBA and comply with Mr Marshall’s demands.

The intervention has angered Labor MPs who are tired of the UFU boss’s obsession with Ms Garrett.

“He (the Premier) can start by coming out of the shadows and backing one of the most talented women of his caucus,” one MP said. “It’s time the Premier led the way in healing old wounds and not be cowed by this bully who boasts as pulling his strings.”

Mr Marshall also warned that Deputy Premier and current Emergency Services Minister James Merlino would struggle to win re-election without UFU support. beautiful menu with wines from two exceptional wineries,” Ms Kuc said. “We’re similar wineries in that we’re both small batch, family-owned wineries. Both the families are really hands-on with the viticulture and the business side of the winery as well.

“We both have similar maritime climates, so I would say it will probably go down to the wire in terms of which way the public decides to sway.”

She said there was only pride on the line in the “very friendly competition” between BAIE and Ocean Eight, but it was hoped the battle might become an annual affair.

Tickets for the Battle of the Bay are $120 a person and bookings can be made at 360q.com.au