As Albo’s ‘captain’s pick’ irks Labor insiders, preselection politics override what’s best for voters
Preselection remains a largely mysterious ritual in political parties; few Australians truly understand it, and even fewer are privy to the granular details. However, most voters know that certain preselections can generate much heat and anger that may spill into the public arena. The issue has certainly tipped over into the headlines of The Australian in the past 24 hours, with the outlet reporting comments from the Australian Workers Union NSW Christmas party on Friday, where trade leaders slammed Anthony Albanese’s “blatant disregard” of party procedure and “disrespect” of card-carrying members.
When party leaders get involved in internal disputes about choosing candidates for political office, it is almost guaranteed that the details will attract media coverage. And public interest is only heightened if one of these politicians holds the prime minister’s office.
Recently, Anthony Albanese successfully managed...
