'politics Without Principles' Will Cost Dearly, Alp Members Warn

Newcastle Herald

Saturday May 5, 2007

By DAMON CRONSHAW

DUMPED Charlton MP Kelly Hoare yesterday accused faceless Labor Party machine men of treachery for parachuting union boss Greg Combet into the safe federal seat of Charlton at her expense.

Ms Hoare told The Herald she was a victim of the Howard Government's WorkChoices laws, albeit it in an unusual way.

Mr Combet's leadership of the unions' attack against the laws increased his popularity and will lead to the party's national executive handing him preselection for the seat today.

Even with a significant backlash against Mr Combet, he is almost certain to win the seat.

"I see a high-profile union bloke being shunted into a safe seat at the expense of a hardworking local woman," Ms Hoare, 43, who has represented Charlton for nine years, said.

She was worried Mr Combet's personal ambition would lead to the Charlton electorate being taken for granted.

Ms Hoare's concerns are echoed by Charlton federal electoral council treasurer Bernard Griffin, who said yesterday that the decision to parachute Mr Combet into Charlton would lead party members to resign and destroy party branches.

Mr Griffin accused the party of conducting "politics without principle" for ousting sitting Charlton MP Kelly Hoare in favour of thewell-known union worker.

He said the decision would "certainly destroy some branches".

Many party members would "simply resign or not actively work within the branches", he said.

Mr Griffin said be believed many members would stop working for the party at local, state and federal levels.

Ms Hoare, who will stay on as the member for Charlton until the election, said she would not quit the party she joined at age 16.

"We need to regain control of the party, we can't let faceless men take control and keep it," she said.

Ms Hoare was disappointed the party did not contact her about her impending dismissal, until Mr Combet phoned at 7.30 pm on Thursday a conversation she described as "polite".

Mr Griffin, 60, who has been a member of the ALP for 40 years and is the West Wallsend branch secretary, said he was disillusioned with the way Ms Hoare was treated.

"All these rumours and no one's had the guts to ring her up and say 'This is what we're going to do', until Thursday night."

In speaking publicly against the decision, Mr Griffin risked being kicked out of the party.

"I might well end up with a letter saying I'm no longer a member of the party, but I've been asked my opinion and I've given it," Mr Griffin said.

The speculation about Ms Hoare's future, which has been around since May last year, has taken its toll on her family.

Married with two teenage children, she is the family's main breadwinner.

On her future, she said: "I'd really like to spend the rest of my working life primary school teaching."

Asked if Labor would win the election, she said: "I hope so".

© 2007 Newcastle Herald

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