Fed: ALP national executive meets on NSW preselection today

AAP General News (Australia)
12-18-2000
Fed: ALP national executive meets on NSW preselection today

CANBERRA, Dec 18 AAP - The ALP national executive will convene a special meeting in
Sydney today to examine a bitter preselection dispute in the NSW federal seat of Robertson.

Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley sought the meeting after a row between candidate
Trish Moran and former NSW senator Belinda Neal, who has accused colleagues of covering
up vote rorting.

Mr Beazley denied the stoush, coming on top of claims of vote rigging and branch stacking
in Queensland, would damage the party's chances at the next election.

Ms Moran won preselection for the Central Coast seat by 87 votes to 85.

An ALP committee decided to hold the preselection ballot again, citing irregularities
on ballot papers, but the decision sparked an uproar.

Senior ALP figures appealed against the decision to give Ms Neal a second chance to
become the candidate for the seat she unsuccessfully contested in 1998.

Ms Neal insists her marriage to ALP powerbroker and NSW Special Minister of State John
Della Bosca should not be an issue.

She has alleged the Robertson preselection was unfair because of malpractices and major
rule breaches.

Ms Neal indicated on Friday that her husband - though a member of the ALP national
executive - would not take part in today's meeting intended to resolve the dispute.

AAP kmh/md c

KEYWORD: NEAL DAYLEAD

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