Eren’s Lara heir apparent
ELLA George, a family violence policy worker and former staffer of Labor MPs John Eren and Richard
Marles, is expected to become the ALP state election candidate for the seat of Lara when its national executive meets on Monday.
The executive is also expected to rubberstamp the 2022 state election candidacies of Police Minister Lisa Neville, in Bellarine, Christine Couzens, in Geelong, and Darren Cheeseman in South Barwon.
Upper house MP and Higher Education Minister Gayle Tierney, first elected in 2006, is also expected to be approved as a 2022 candidate as she seeks a fifth term in parliament.
It is understood Ms George, 33, was the only person to nominate for preselection in Lara after Mr Eren announced he would retire from politics at the 2022 election.
The daughter of a public school teacher, she grew up in Melbourne and studied at Monash University.
She holds masters degrees
in diplomacy, and trade and marketing.
She lives in East Geelong, having moved to the Geelong region 2½ years ago.
Senior Labor figures are said to be impressed by Ms George’s potential, because of her understanding of policy development and significant experience in lobbying.
It is understood she views the economic recovery from Covid and equal access to government services as key focuses in the lead-up to the election.
Sources said Ms George’s candidacy would excite
Labor’s base as it moved to retain Lara, a seat it had held since 2002.
A source said she would be a strong advocate for the people of Lara because she was passionate about equality, and because of her experience as a political staffer.
A senior Labor source expected the transition between Ms George and Mr Eren would be smooth because she worked for him as an adviser in 2017, when he was veterans minister.
“I have every confidence in her ability because she knows and understands the political system,” the source said.
Ms George has also worked in the offices of former senator Stephen Conroy and Mr Marles, the federal deputy Labor leader, in 2010 and 2019.
She currently works at the Magistrates’ Court of Victoria in family violence policy development.
Within the Labor Party, she is well regarded because of her emotional intelligence and political acumen.
Labor sources said Ms George was mooted as a replacement for Mr Eren more than a year ago.
“Ella is very much a friend of Richard Marles and John Eren,” one source said.
A woman has not held the seat of Lara since it was created at the 2002 state election.