By Royce Millar and Ben Schneiders
Labor leader Bill Shorten has weighed into the internal ALP battle over the replacement for former senator Stephen Conroy by backing one of his closest friends, controversial lawyer Kimberley Kitching, to fill the breach.
The new senator will effectively be ratified tonight when the party's public office selection committee votes on candidates, with an agreement across sub-factions that the candidate should be a woman.
Kimberley Kitching.Credit: Eddie Jim
Ms Kitching, the wife of notorious former political blogger Andrew Landeryou, would be a contentious choice, with senior party figures warning of the dangers of her preselection to the party and Shorten.
"It's crazy" is one how one federal Labor frontbencher described the Shorten push for Ms Kitching.
Andrew Landeryou is a confidant of Labor leader Bill Shorten.Credit: Arsineh Houspian
Mr Shorten's inner circle including the Victorian branches of the Australian Workers Union and plumbers union have been careful to minimise publicity around Ms Kitching's likely nomination.
But on Thursday morning, ahead of tonight's vote, phones were running hot among Labor factional players about Ms Kitching's late run.
One source within the Shorten camp claimed the leader's push for a female candidate had been a strategic move to limit the field of potential candidates and boost Ms Kitching's prospects.
But another senior source close to Mr Shorten insisted the leader did not have a candidate in the race. "He just wants a fair contest. He has a high opinion of a number of candidates. He's made it clear he wants a woman," said the senior Shorten ally.
Stephen Conroy.Credit: Angela Brkic
The preselection process has again highlighted tensions and disunity within the Victorian Right, which is guaranteed the plum Senate spot under a stability deal with the party's once-rival left group.
As of Thursday morning, the Shorten group was at odds with other sub-factions. These include one-time close ally, defence spokesman Richard Marles as well as Mr Conroy and his base in the Transport Workers Union.
Fairfax Media understands both Mr Marles and Mr Conroy are supporting an alternative candidate, Diana Taylor, a lawyer and board member of the Geelong football club. Eight candidates have nominated including Jacinta Ermacora, Julia Mason and Sarah Carter.
Some insiders from the party's Right faction have warned that the Shorten group's insistence on Ms Kitching - deeply unpopular in many parts of the party - is threatening to destroy the stability deal.
It is understood that the National Union of Workers will boycott the vote in protest at the "undemocratic" preselection process.
Fairfax understands that on Thursday morning Mr Conroy and Mr Marles were actively lobbying for Ms Taylor. Right faction leaders anticipated lobbying to continue throughout the day.
Ms Kitching unsuccessfully stood for preselection to lower house seats ahead of the 2013 election when she ran into sustained opposition, including from Mr Conroy.
Her marriage to Mr Landeryou - Mr Shorten's close friend and political counsel - has been especially problematic for her political career.
His aggressive and often defamatory blog - which he closed down in 2013, coinciding with Mr Shorten's rise to the party leadership - upset many in the party, including within the Right.
Mr Landeryou was arrested, with others, on the eve of this year's federal poll for late-night raids, where it is alleged he ripped down polling booth promotions for Liberal and Green candidates in the seat of Melbourne Ports. No charges have been laid.
Senior Labor figures are also concerned about the role of both Ms Kitching and Mr Landeryou in the scandal-plagued Health Workers Union, formerly the Health Services Union (HSU).
Ms Kitching was the union's general manager after the victory of a team led by Diana Asmar team in 2012.
The union racked up heavy losses and was warned it risked insolvency after spending heavily to defend senior union officials in a case over the alleged forging of permits to enter workplaces.
A 2014 report by the Royal Commission into trade union corruption recommended criminal charges against Ms Kitching, and others, over the right of entry permits. It is unclear whether police have followed up the recommendations.
Fairfax Media in 2015 revealed the role of the HWU in Labor Party branch stacking.
Do you know more? Contact us securely via Journotips