Preselection 2010: The ALP selects its candidate for Fraser

• Terry Giesecke
• Australian Policy Online

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Andrew Leigh portrait and preselection flyer

20 February 2012While a large battle looms once again for the APL leadership, this paper provides an insider's view of a more orderly, though no less intense, ALP contest and Andrew Leigh's eventual preselection for the Canberra seat of Fraser.

Fear and loathing on Anzac eve?

For eight aspiring Federal politicians and 241 ALP Members 24 April 2010 was the culmination of five weeks of frenetic campaigning. At stake was the labor candidacy for the Federal Division of Fraser.

The campaign had been hard and long, though fair and clean. The winner was a youngish gen Xer Andrew Leigh, a professor of economics at the ANU.

Voting took place at the Polish White Eagle Club in the inner northern suburb of Turner on a cold showery day, verifying the old Canberra adage that winter starts on Anzac day.

In the weeks from the announcement of the preselection to preselection day the eight candidates devoted themselves to winning over the hearts and minds of pre selectors. Campaigning was intense and redefined to new levels of sophistication.

How did Andrew Leigh win? Or why did the other seven lose? This is the story of that campaign.

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Terry Giesecke is an independent researcher with qualifications in economics and political science. He is a member of the ALP and voted in the preselection.