The Left has not done as well as expected in the vote this week for the 40 members of the ACT pre-selection panel, according to Labor sources.
Of the 40, 25 are from the Left; 11 from the Right and four are independent.
Under the new collegiate system of pre-selection the 40 on the panel together will have an equal share of the vote as the mass membership.
For example, if 400 members are eligible to vote in the pre-selection for the Federal seat of Canberra, their one vote each will be matched by 10 votes from each of the members of the panel.
Similarly for other pre-selections both Federal and for the ACT Legislative Assembly.
The system is under challenge. A meeting next weekend will vote on whether to allow a vote to revert to the previous system at the 1994 ACT conference.
There are about 1000 ALP members in the ACT, of whom about 500 are typically eligible to vote in pre-selection by meeting the rules on meeting attendance. They split about 150 to 200 each to the Left and about 100 to 150 to the Right with the rest independent.
Labor sources suggest that sitting members Federal and ACT should not be much affected. Ros Kelly is strong in Tuggeranong (as is the Right). Senator Bob McMullan, though independent, gets cross-factional support. John Langmore on the Left will have no difficulty.
The prospects of Bill Wood, who seemed in trouble with the Left against him, should be slightly improved. Terry Connolly, of the Right, although stirring Left anger, has performed well enough not to be in trouble.
The real effect of this week’s vote and the new collegiate system will be on the nature of new candidates for the Assembly, where Labor will have to pick nine of them in the next few months, and a candidate for the third ACT Federal seat which seems certain before the next election. This is likely to go to the Left. Also should either Mrs Kelly or Senator McMullan get hit by the proverbial bus, they are more likely to be replaced from the Left.