Fed: Need for Cunningham by-election a special case, says Labor

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Fed: Need for Cunningham by-election a special case, says Labor

By Denis Peters

CANBERRA, Aug 18 AAP - Federal Labor today acknowledged voters were likely to punishit for creating a by-election through its latest mid-term retiree, Cunningham MP StephenMartin, but pleaded for compassion.

Labor leaders today said Dr Martin, Labor's trade and tourism spokesman and a formerSpeaker of the House of Representatives, had strong personal reasons for retiring.

Dr Martin cited burnout after 18 years as an MP when announcing his retirement frompolitics and his NSW seat last week.

The Liberal Party, which made solid gains in the Wollongong-based seat at the lastelection, is yet to announce whether it will contest the by-election.

A date for the poll has not yet been set by Speaker Neil Andrew.

Labor has been tough on members wanting to leave parliament outside of a general election.

Tasmanian MP Duncan Kerr was dissuaded from quitting his seat earlier in the year inan effort to switch to a state seat.

Former opposition leader Kim Beazley has vowed to stay on on the back bench at leastuntil the next election.

Opposition frontbencher Bob McMullan said it was well known that voters did not likeunnecessary by-elections, a mood that was becoming stronger and stronger.

"My understanding is Stephen did have some strong personal reasons but he wants tokeep them private, and that's his business," Mr McMullan told Channel Ten.

"We might pay a bit of a price for that but people are not only politicians, they'rehuman beings and they have to live their lives as well as be public figures.

"That's part of the challenge for us."

Opposition Leader Simon Crean said Labor faced a tough battle to hold onto Cunninghambecause voters punished parties who allowed MPs to quit soon after re-electing them ata general election.

"We have to be realistic about the difficulty of this," Mr Crean told the Nine Network.

"We've seen in recent years, electors mark down very heavily parties whose candidatespull the plug quickly.

"I introduced a rule to try and stop that thing happening, but there are circumstances,individual circumstances, that simply I couldn't ignore.

"They are of a private nature. Steve Martin has asked me to respect that privacy and I will."

Mr Howard said the Liberal party organisation would decide on whether to contest Cunningham soon.

"It's a very safe Labor seat," he said.

"We got a swing in our direction of seven per cent at the last federal election, sothe pro-Liberal swing in Cunningham has been squeezed out of the lemon, if I can put itlike that.

"I expect Labor should get a swing because it is a by-election, incumbent governmentinto its third term.

"Steve Martin will be a loss to Labor. He was a good Labor member, although the publicthere will probably be a bit cranky being dragged out to a by-election only nine monthsafter the federal election."

AAP dep/jmd/sb

KEYWORD: MARTIN NIGHTLEAD