O Connor to take on former party at polls

Dumped Labor MP Gavan O’Connor yesterday announced he would run as an independent at the federal election to clean up a “cesspool” of politics in Geelong.
Mr O’Connor launched his campaign with a blistering attack on an alleged “cabal of greed” comprising political figures, businessmen and public officials who had “betrayed this community”.
He cited examples such as the cash-for-councillors scandal, various inquiries into City Hall, conflict of interest allegations and a police investigation of alleged corruption involving council staff.
Mr O’Connor said Geelong had become “the plaything of a few who stand for nothing but their own ambition and self interest”.
He aimed his biggest salvo at Richard Marles, who defeated Mr O’Connor for Labor preselection to represent the party in the federal seat of Corio.
His accusations against Mr Marles included “backroom wheeling and dealing”, keeping dossiers on 400 community members and refusing to reveal his involvement in “scandals besetting our community”.
“You cannot at the same time betray the community and also represent it,” Mr O’Connor said.
“My candidacy is about a return to probity, integrity, honesty and ethics in public life.”
Mr O’Connor quoted a former US Supreme Court Justice to explain his campaign for Corio.
“Louis Brandeis once famously said, ‘Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants’.
“It is time for that sunlight to go to work cleaning up that cesspool that politics has become in Geelong.”
Mr O’Connor also staked his campaign on cleaning up the Labor party and federal politics in general.
He accused “right factional hacks” in Geelong of grubby politics such as branch stacking, slush funds and “money laundering”.
He switched his aim at the federal level to the Coalition before extending an olive branch to Labor leader Kevin Rudd.
“Politics, lies and deceit, the abandonment of ministerial standards, the assault on democratic practices, the curtailment of civil liberties and the cult of spin have become the stock in trade of the Howard Government.”
“I harbour no ill-will to Kevin Rudd, whom I hope becomes Prime Minister.”
Mr O’Connor said he had resigned from the Labor party.
Mr Marles refused to attack Mr O’Connor directly for his run as an independent except to say he was “disappointed”.
But he feared Mr O’Connor could provide a boost to the Liberals in Corio, which Labor holds with a margin of 5.8 per cent.
“The only winner out of this will be John Howard and the Liberal party,” Mr Marles said.
“I will be getting on with the business of keeping Corio a Labor seat.”
Mr Marles remained positive about his chances of holding Corio for Labor.
“I’m feeling good about the seat,” he said.
Mr Marles’ factional ally, state Member for Lara John Eren, savaged Mr O’Connor. for his “treachery”.
“He is an absolute rat,” Mr Eren said.
“His act of ultimate treachery is beyond words.”
Mr Eren said Mr O’Connor had deserved to lose preselection after 14 years representing the party in Corio as a “lazy, good-for-nothing” MP.
Mr Eren feared Mr O’Connor would jeopardise Labor’s chances in Corio and suck up media attention to damage the party’s campaign for neighbouring Liberal seat Corangamite.
“He is actually jeopardising the chances of a Labor Kevin Rudd government.”