A " Captain's Pick " ?

Julia Gillard made a surprise announcement that Nova Peris, the first Aboriginal woman to win an Olympic gold medal would head the Labor Senate ticket in the Northern Territory at the coming Federal election.  This almost guarantees a term in the Senate as the two Northern Territory Senate seats are usually split between Labor and the Conservatives.

The announcement dumps sitting Senator Trish Crossin who held this seat for the past fifteen years. Many will beleive that this is a case of " settling old scores " because Senator Crossin backed Kevin Rudd when he challenged Gillard for the prime minister's leadership.

The Prime Minister claims her selection of a candidate as " a Captain's pick ", but this has been done without reference to the ALP branches in the Northern Territory and it will remind many of the ALP's notorious use of it's " N-40 " rule to impose head office candidate selection over local choices.

The ALP previously claimed that it " owned " the Aboriginal vote in Australia, but in recent times Aboriginal people have deserted Labor in droves.  This seems to be a tactical move to shore up Aboriginal support by presenting a candidate who - if successful - would be the first Aboriginal woman to sit in the Senate

It will certainly anger many Labor voting Territorians because Nova Peris is not even a member of an ALP branch and has absolutely no political experience.. The sole reason for her selection - seems to be her Aboriginality.

This could easily backfire !   Many will resent the summary nature of the announcement, without the courtesy of first discussing it will the local branches.   It will also remind many of the claim that Gillard " knifed " Rudd to win the job of Prime Minister - and some will see this further " knifing " of Trish Crossin as a ruthless pursuit of power - and lack of loyalty !

The ALP has been on the nose with voters in both the state and Federal sphere in recent times and one of the promises made by it's political leaders is a return to " democratic " decision making.   No more imposing head office candidates on branches - and no more candidate selection to balance factional representation.

Julia Gillard just trashed that promise - and there are some in her party who will not forgive her !