Victorian Senator David Feeney, local Mary-Anne Thomas and relative unknown Labor member Franc Titan will give their last words to an ALP members-only forum tonight to sway their votes to become the new Labor endorsed Batman candidate.
For the first time, ALP representatives from the northern Victorian suburbs will be given the chance to vote for their Federal candidate on Sunday, while a public office selection committee will get the final vote on July 2.
The electorate of Batman is home to many Greek Australians, covering suburbs like Northcote, Preston, Thornbury and Fairfield and has played a large role in promoting Greek and multicultural rights in Parliament over the years.
After veteran Labor Minister Martin Ferguson left his position for Batman in May, the seat has become a fight for political survival and gender equality in the Labor party.
Senator David Feeney is at high risk of losing his seat at the election and is seeking the safe Lower House seat of Batman.
He has been endorsed by top members of the Labor Party, including former Prime Minister Julia Gillard and senior minister Bill Shorten, and was hand picked by the outgoing Minister, Martin Ferguson.
Currently the Parliamentary Secretary for Defence, Senator Feeney was instrumental in securing Julia Gillard as Prime Minster and might be running for her vacated seat of Lalor if unsuccessful.
He is hoping to sway some of the Victorian Labor minsters to get their votes and has been campaigning around the electorate.
“Pre-selection is ultimately the gift of the members, it’s not bestowed from on high and I think for that reason I’ve spent every moment that I’ve not been here in Canberra, talking to party members and listening to them, because they’re the ones that have to weigh the merits of the candidates and make a choice,” he told Neos Kosmos.
Northern suburbs local Mary-Anne Thomas has received strong support from female Labor members and ministers who are asking for a balance of gender.
Already, the Labor government is threatening to breach its affirmative action policy which states at least 40 per cent of Labor candidates for safe seats must be women.
If Mr Feeney or Franc Titan are elected, the ALP in Victoria will have only 27 per cent of female candidates in safe seats.
Ms Thomas, a Labor party member for years and the executive manager of children’s development agency Plan International, says there must be fairness in the party’s representation.
“I think the parliament should represent the people and I think there should be more women in leadership positions in Australia and I think there should be more women in parliament,” she told Neos Kosmos.
Ms Thomas has received a lot of support from other female parliamentarians, including Member for Calwell Maria Vamvakinou, and the Northern Metropolitan Region Member, Jenny Mikakos.
Western suburbs local and ‘rank and file’ Labor party member Franc Titan only recently came to the fore to contest and made an impression at the June 13 debate.
Also joining the candidates briefly were Hutch Hussein, a well-regarded refugee advocate and social worker, and Darebin mayor Tim Laurence. They have since withdrawn and offered their support to Ms Thomas.
Ms Thomas is seen as a more progressive and leftist candidate, supporting multiculturalism, refugees and advocacy.
She told Neos Kosmos that as a local, she has a deep connection to the strong Greek community and wants to work closely with community members if she is elected.
“The Greek community have a long standing residence of Batman, and I’ve really enjoyed meeting so many Greek members of our community, some of whom have reminded me they’ve lived in Australia longer than I have,” she says.
Senator Feeney says the Greek community in Melbourne has had a strong legacy in parliament.
“The Melbourne Greek community has for so long been intimately involved in the life of the Labor Party and of course there is a rich tradition of Australians of Greek accessory serving in the Parliament,” he says.