Yesterday, Labor announced Mr Chris Lynch as an endorsed State Labor candidate for Braddon. It is a matter of public record that Mr Lynch was found guilty in 1994 of “having in his possession, for sale, a quantity of methylamphetamine valued at about $1,200”.
Labor also announced yesterday that former State Labor Minister and Leader, Mr David O’Byrne, had been denied pre-selection. Last year, a Labor-commissioned report found Mr O’Byrne’s conduct “inappropriate” and “wrong” but that it did not breach party sexual harassment policy.
It is widely understood that the decision to block Mr O’Byrne’s return was a “captain’s call” from the embattled Ms White, with the Labor Party divided over Mr O’Byrne’s endorsement.
Media reports suggested that this included leading Party figures Carol Brown, Ross Hart and mainland party administrator Doug Cameron.
It is then incumbent on Ms White to explain: why is Mr O’Byrne not a suitable Labor candidate, but Mr Lynch is?
With Ms White’s leadership on the nose is it more a reflection of who she feels most threatened by?
