Lake sidelined

THE Labor Party asked its Hotham candidate Geoff Lake to step aside over the weekend, after details of an ugly spat with a fellow councillor 10 years ago resurfaced.
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Saturday said he asked the party’s national secretary to report on allegations concerning Mr Lake’s conduct in his previous career with City of Monash.
“The National Secretary has informed me that he is not satisfied that there has been full disclosure about these previous matters,” Mr Rudd told a press conference.
“I have concluded that it is inappropriate for Mr Lake to continue as the endorsed Labor candidate for Hotham.
“I cannot be confident that he has met the standards that I would expect and demand from members of the federal parliamentary Labor Party.”
Mr Lake released a statement on Sunday, which acknowledged he was involved in a “heated argument” with wheelchair-bound Kathy Magee during a 2002 council meeting.
“At the time of the incident, I was 22 years old,” he said.
“In the heat of the moment, I made inappropriate and hurtful comments.
“I apologised for those comments at the time of the incident. I regretted making the comments then and continue to regret it now.”
Mr Lake said the incident had been reported many times in the past 11 years.
“The ALP has determined that the incident means I can no longer contest the election. I accept that decision,” he said.
“I categorically deny any other rumour or allegation of wrongdoing.”
He said he’d continue to serve the community as a Monash councillor and through charitable activities.
“I wish my successor well and will continue to work for the re-election of a federal Labor Government,” he said.