Qld: Sciacca wins Bonner preselection ballot after Latham letter

AAP General News (Australia)
04-17-2004
Qld: Sciacca wins Bonner preselection ballot after Latham letter

By Johanna Leggatt

BRISBANE, April 17 AAP - Veteran Labor MP Con Sciacca has overwhelmingly won the preselection
battle for the new federal Queensland seat of Bonner, following the intervention of federal
Opposition Leader Mark Latham.

Mr Latham wrote to the Labor branch on Thursday supporting Mr Sciacca's preselection
bid and claiming he needed the experienced MP in a new Labor government.

His intervention annoyed Queensland party president Ron Monaghan, who said it was "up
to the party faithful to decide pre-selection battles".

Mr Sciacca today staved off a challenge by union official Tom Schultz to secure 144
votes to Mr Schultz's 66 votes.

His switch to the new seat of Bonner in Brisbane's east followed a redistribution that
left his former seat of Bowman marginally Liberal.

Mr Sciacca admitted the intervention of Mr Latham was a plus.

"Well it cannot hurt can it?" he said.

"Now I just have to focus on the Federal election."

Federal Capricornia MP Kirsten Livermore also faced a challenge in her Rockhampton-based
seat from Greg Clair, a training and employment consultant.

She won almost 70 per cent of the vote.

"I am happy that the members have overwhelmingly endorsed me," she said through a spokesman.

Mr Sciacca and Ms Livermore's preselection battles were just two of 11 Labor party
preselection ballots held in seats across Queensland today.

AAP jtl/tma/de

KEYWORD: LIVERMORE NIGHTLEAD

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