Northern exposure is Smith’s Senate ace
A TOWNSVILLE- BASED union secretary has officially announced her Labor senate preselection bid, promising to be a voice for North Queensland.
Community and Public Sector Union ( CPSU) assistant Queensland secretary Amy Smith announced her hopes to replace Senator Claire Moore, who is due to retire, in a video posted to Facebook yesterday afternoon.
“I’m really excited to let you know that I’ve put my hand up to run for preselection in the Queensland Senate,” Ms Smith said in the video.
“I’m really excited about this contest and especially about having the discussion about what it means for regional Queensland to have local representation.”
Her announcement comes as the Bulletin revealed North Queensland Labor members were “furious” at attempts by Brisbane party powerbrokers to back a southeast- based candidate in favour of a local such as Ms Smith.
It is understood former staffer to Senator Murray Watt, Nita Green, is the candidate favoured by the influential Brisbane group.
When Senator Moore officially retired on Tuesday it was reported party officials in Brisbane had agreed her replacement must be based in the North. Ms Green has not officially announced her intention to run for the position.
But a senior Labor source said at the time of Senator Moore’s retirement if the “answer” to the preselection race was in southeast Queensland then the party was asking the wrong question.
On Ms Smith’s social media page she said Labor needed an “effective Senator on the ground” in the North.
“North Queensland is a great place to live, but our community faces youth unemployment, rampant labour hire, penalty rate cuts and limited access to essential public services,” she said. “The location of our Senator matters.”
Ms Smith said North Queensland federal seats would be “crucial” for Labor to win government at the next election.
“The LNP haven’t preselected a candidate based in North Queensland,” she said.
“This gives us a chance to have a clear point of difference on an issue that matters to North Queenslanders.”
Ms Smith is not the only Left factional candidate officially vying for Ms Moore’s place on the Senate ticket. Former Brisbane candidate Pat O’Neill has embarked on a statewide tour promoting his own Senate bid.
Mr O’Neill will be holding a “listening post” event at The Brewery in Townsville on August 8.