BY ALEX BAINBRIDGE
HOBART — Factional opposition to outspoken anti-war parliamentarian Harry Quick was publicly revealed on March 1. The Saturday Mercury reported that the ALP “Left” faction was trying to replace Quick — who is not aligned with any faction — with one of their own.
That day, Quick confirmed the factional moves against him and declared that in part they were a product of his uncompromising anti-war stance. “The Left is embarrassed because I've said what [it] should have been saying, and they know it'', he told the March 2 Sunday Tasmanian.
He threatened to run as an independent if he was not preselected. “And I would win”, he said. His comments came shortly after ALP state secretary David Price — aligned with the left faction — denied that there were any moves against him.
Later in the week, Price accused Quick of owing money to the ALP and said that he would not be allowed to seek preselection unless he promised not to run as an independent should he be unsuccessful. Price also said that Quick had previously indicated he would retire before the next election.
Since then, Quick has emphasised that he will not run as an independent “since [he] will be running as an endorsed ALP candidate”. He called claims that he owes the ALP money “mischief making”.
In a March 5 media statement, Quick said: “I strongly believe that I will be letting those [who support my anti-war stance] down if I were not the ALP candidate for Franklin in the next election.”
From Green Left Weekly, March 12, 2003.
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