In CityNews Michael Moore is speculating that a full blown leadership run is underway from Andrew Barr and the so called “right” of the ACT ALP.
- The manoeuvring has now begun for the first right-faction government to take power in the ACT.
Unlike other parliaments, the Chief Minister of the ACT is not just the leader of the majority party but is elected by vote on the floor of the Assembly. However, the structure of the parties and the voting system still put a right-faction Labor member as favourite in any vote for Chief Minister.
However, it may be assumed that Hargreaves understands the election process used in the Assembly for choosing a Chief Minister. He can be pretty confident that the Greens will not vote for the Liberals. Therefore, any right-faction candidate put up by Labor will be elected. And the right faction does have the numbers within Labor’s parliamentary caucus. Katy Gallagher and Simon Corbell are from the left and Jon Stanhope non-aligned. The other four are from the right faction – Mary Porter, Andrew Barr, John Hargreaves and Joy Burch. The time is right for them to ask what chance they have at the next election of improving their position with Jon Stanhope at the helm.
Others have noticed that for the first time in the nearly eight years of Jon Stanhope’s long rule that the Chief Minister’s media release page is no longer a comprehensive collection of the public utterances of his ministers.
Andrew Barr’s last media release there was on 17 June. Over on Andrewbarr.com.au however, he’s been very busy with 11 announcements made since that time.
I think it was about two months ago that RiotACT’s all seeing eye had to be tasked with keeping a lookout on Mr Barr’s page as well as the Chief’s. Something that has never been necessary in eight year.