Danby to quit Canberra?
THE longest serving Jewish MP in Federal Parliament, Michael Danby, may be forced to retire ahead of the next federal election.
THE longest serving Jewish MP in Federal Parliament, Michael Danby, may be forced to retire ahead of the next federal election.
Danby, who holds the seat of Melbourne Ports, only just retained his seat ahead of Greens and Liberal candidates at the 2016 federal election and Labor Party insiders are now reportedly pushing for him to go.
An unnamed “senior state Labor member” was quoted in The Australian this week saying, “We came so close to losing the seat last time. I don’t think there are too many people in the party prepared to run that risk again.”
Ari Suss, who advised Victorian premier Steve Bracks when he was in the top job, has been touted as a potential candidate for Melbourne Ports. But Suss, who like Danby is Jewish, was tight-lipped about his prospects in the bayside electorate with the second-highest Jewish population of any federal seat.
An executive at Linfox, Suss remains actively involved in Victoria’s ALP, particularly through the Caulfield branch. He told The AJN: “I’m aware of the interest in what I might do but I just haven’t made a decision.”
The vociferously pro-Israel Danby, who has won seven battles for Melbourne Ports since 1998, told media this week he was undecided about standing again but that the Liberals and Greens fear his ongoing presence.
Meanwhile, the Greens announced they would again preselect Steph Hodgins-May, their Melbourne Ports candidate last year. Against the backdrop of the party’s anti-Israel reputation, Hodgins-May sparked controversy in the electorate when she pulled out of a community campaign debate after she learnt Zionism Victoria was a co-organiser of the event along with The AJN.
However, The AJN can reveal that Hodgins-May is due to visit Israel this month to see the country first hand and get a better understanding of its situation.
PETER KOHN
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