BORDER residents keen to make an informed choice between the candidates of the two major political parties at the federal and state elections planned for later this year and early 2011 might be disappointed at preselection decisions made by the Labor Party.
With no disrespect meant to those who have gained preselection as Labor candidates for Farrer, Indi and Benambra, do Labor Party chiefs really believe these candidates have any real likelihood of beating the Liberal incumbents?
Christian Emmery is 19 and standing as Labor’s candidate in Farrer will offer him a rich and potentially life-changing experience.
But shouldn’t constituents within Farrer expect a Labor candidate offered who has a strong chance of winning the seat or at least of significantly closing the margin between the two parties?
Similarly, shouldn’t the party hierarchy reconsider the preselection of those candidates who have repeatedly stood in the same seat or nearby seats at a different level of government, yet who have failed to win?
Voters would be forgiven for thinking the Labor Party hierarchy does not take seriously the contest in some of these seats and should perhaps pay more attention to its candidate recruitment.
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