Perth Voice Interactive

FORMER Leederville-based Greens MP Giz Watson has dubbed Vincent city council a “training ground” for future Labor MPs.

The former north metro MLC last week told the Subiaco Post newspaper the Greens are backing 11 candidates across the metro area, helping with training and support, but didn’t say where they’d stand (though Vincent is considered likely).

She says it’s no different to the way the ALP and Liberals operate: “The ALP use local government as a training ground for state and federal parliament. The City of Vincent is just one obvious example.”

Since its inception 21 years ago all five Vincent mayors have been ALP members—Jack Marks, John Hyde, Nick Catania, Alannah MacTiernan and John Carey. Mr Hyde went on to become a state MP, Ms MacTiernan is now a federal MP (and was a senior state MP before her mayoralty) and Mr Carey has been mentioned as a likely future candidate.

But Mr Carey dismisses Ms Watson’s claim as “bizarre” noting the two candidates he’s backing for south ward are non-party people, and they’re up against an ALP member.

“Yes, I’m a member of the party, but I’m backing two independent candidates,” he says.

“We want a diversity of views on council but that shared vision of positive reform and change, that’s not aligned to any particular party.”

He says he never received a tap on the shoulder from Labor HQ asking him to run: he’d put his hand up after starting up the Beaufort Street Network and wanting to do more to improve town centres.

by DAVID BELL