Labor luminaries renominate for another term

Despite persistently ugly polling for the State Government, both the member for Balmain, Verity Firth, and Marrickville MP Carmel Tebbutt, have announced they will stand for re-election in 2011.

Firth’s announcement in particular came as something of a surprise, with prior media reports speculating she may not renominate. However, Ms Firth consistently denied such reports, and was preselected unopposed in mid-October.

Ms Firth’s primary opponent at the 2007 state election was current Leichhardt Greens councillor and newly-elected Deputy Mayor, Rochelle Porteous. She claimed a 3.3 per cent swing towards The Greens on preferences, reducing Ms Firth’s margin after preference distribution to 7.6 per cent.

Ms Firth’s major opponent at the upcoming state election is current Leichhardt Greens Mayor, Jamie Parker.

Ms Firth acknowledged the toughness of the challenge ahead, but said she was prepared for it. “I love representing Balmain and I am proud of what I have delivered for the local area in the last four years,” she said. “Most of all, I believe in fairness and equality of opportunity, and I have aimed to represent these core values every day since being elected in 2007. I hope to be able to continue in this role after March next year.”

She nominated as her top local priorities increasing open space and foreshore access; delivering light rail extensions to Dulwich Hill and the CBD, as well as improving public transport; and improving local services, especially hospitals and schools.

Asked if she had considered a move to the Upper House or even to federal politics should she lose in March, Ms Firth denied a focus on anything other than retaining Balmain. “I haven’t thought beyond March next year,” she said. “My main focus is to work as hard as possible to keep representing this fantastic area.”

Ongoing investment in health, education and public transport were also amongst the priorities listed by Carmel Tebbutt’s office. As in 2007, Ms Tebbutt’s main opposition will come from Greens candidate Fiona Byrne, the current Mayor of Marrickville. At 14.4 per cent after distribution of preferences, Ms Tebbutt’s margin is considerably less slender than that of Ms Firth, but with Labor’s polling at historic lows, even traditionally safe seats are being regarded as ‘in play’.

Ms Tebbutt nominated as some of her achievements the extension of the Light Rail from Lilyfield to Dulwich Hill; the upgrade of Newtown Station; and bringing the GreenWay to the area.

But Ms Byrne said these were achievements the Deputy Premier should not be claiming credit for.

“It’s duplicitous of Ms Tebbutt to claim credit for all these initiatives,” she said. “The involvement of the Deputy Premier and her government in most of the initiatives she mentions has come only with great reluctance and continual pressure from local councils, local communities and The Greens.

“For example, it was The Greens and residents’ groups who were behind the proposal to extend light rail to Dulwich Hill. Ms Tebbutt’s government refused to fund the feasibility study for the light rail, and so the local councils had to stump up half the funding.

“The people of Marrickville have the right to real representation in NSW Parliament, but Ms Tebbutt is proving to be tethered to the tired and spent force that is the NSW Labor Government.”