By DANIEL TRAN: dtran@mmpgroup.com.au
MONASH councillor Geoff Lake will fight for preselection for the
federal seat of Hotham following the shock resignation of long-serving
MP Simon Crean.
“The thing that I’m now interested in is making sure that the next
person to represent the Labor Party in Hotham is somebody who is able
to carry on the proud legacy of Simon Crean,” Cr Lake said.
“I’ve had a long-standing association with Hotham. I’ve
represented a good part of the electorate in my role as a councillor at
the City of Monash for 13 years.
“I live in Hotham, along with my wife, raising a family and I’m a life-long member and supporter of the Labor Party.
“I’m putting myself forward because I have a track record of getting things done.”
Cr Lake’s declaration came as Mr Crean announced an end to his 23-year political career.
The decision followed his failure to win the position of deputy
prime minister during Labor’s most recent leadership spill. In March,
former prime minister Julia Gillard sacked him from the front bench for
trying to orchestrate a leadership ballot.
Cr Lake, 33, has served on Monash council since 2000. At 22, he
was elected Victoria’s youngest mayor and he has been president of the
Australian Local Government Association and the Municipal Association of
Victoria.
In a letter sent to Labor members in Hotham, Cr Lake said Labor faced the toughest election in a generation.
However, he said he was confident about his preselection prospects and Labor’s chances at the next election.
“I’ve worked with Kevin Rudd previously; I hold him in high regard and the polls are showing it’s game on,” he said.
“I think Labor can win the election and I’m running for Hotham –
not to be part of Labor in opposition but hopefully to be part of the
government benches whenever the election is held, and making sure that
the achievements of the Gillard-Rudd years in government are not rolled
back by the most negative opposition leader Australia has ever seen, in
Tony Abbott.”
