Union Boss Recruited To Fill Costa's Old Seat

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday October 18, 2008

Andrew Clennell

THE man who helped bring down Morris Iemma by helping to defeat electricity privatisation, the Unions NSW boss, John Robertson, will take the former treasurer Michael Costa's upper house seat after frantic lobbying from the Premier, Nathan Rees.

The Right faction of the ALP was set to endorse Mr Robertson for the casual vacancy last night after Mr Rees promised him a ministry at some stage "down the track", party sources said.

One party source said Mr Robertson, an architect of the anti-Work Choices campaign during the last federal election, had "changed his mind a million times" but finally acquiesced.

Mr Rees is said to have been concerned at the quality of candidates coming into parliament for the Right - including the candidates for Lakemba and Cabramatta who stand today, Robert Furolo and Nick Lalich. Mr Rees also wanted a higher-profile upper house candidate than whom the party had come up with - the Rockdale councillor Shaoquett Moselmane.

The decision to recruit Mr Robertson prevents Mr Moselmane from becoming the first Muslim in the NSW parliament, as he had been lined up for the seat.

Mr Robertson said last night in a statement it had been a "very difficult decision".

The irony of Mr Robertson replacing Mr Costa after he had helped scupper his career early by leading the charge against electricity privatisation was lost on Mr Costa last night. He said he had previously offered Mr Robertson the seat.

"He should take it. I think it's the right spot for him," Mr Costa said.

Mark Lennon is expected to replace Mr Robertson as Unions NSW secretary and Mr Robertson's other assistant Matt Thistlethwaite will replace Karl Bitar as secretary of NSW Labor, with Mr Bitar to become national secretary of the party.

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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