A messy process but Labor got it right

ANALYSIS: The factional rift that enabled Roger Cook to become Labor leader has parallels with a famous preselection battle during which a young Ben Wyatt defeated union heavyweight Helen Creed.

On that occasion, in 2006, Labor got it right: Mr Wyatt went on to become one of Western Australia’s most accomplished ministers and played a big role in the McGowan government’s success.

The process may have been messy, but Labor also made the right call this time around.

Mr Cook brings experience, maturity and continuity to the role, especially with Rita Saffioti agreeing to become his deputy.

This week’s events represent a remarkable turnaround for Mr Cook, whose political fortunes had been waning since he was shifted from the high-profile health portfolio.

It remains to be seen whether he will be a successful premier; some people, like Mark McGowan, thrive when they get the top job, others flounder.

It is also unclear what repercussions will flow from this week’s leadership battle.

A look back at 2006 provides some pointers.

At that time, four candidates nominated for preselection to take former premier Geoff Gallop’s safe seat of Victoria Park.

The hot favourite was Ms Creed, a Western Australian who had risen to become the national president of the powerful Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union.

That union has changed its name to the United Workers Union but is still known as the ‘missos’.

Ms Creed was described at the time as a ‘lay-down misere’.

Her rivals included Ben Wyatt, who was a lawyer working at the Director of Public Prosecutions and aligned with Labor’s ‘right’ faction.

Then, as now, the ‘missos’ had counted on the support of party members aligned to another left-wing union – the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union, aka the ‘metalworkers’.

That didn’t happen and Mr Wyatt ended up winning.

On that occasion, the split stemmed from historic disputes between the missos leader, Jim McGinty, and the metalworkers leader, Jock Ferguson.

The two sub-factions eventually mended fences and, for the past decade, have generally worked well together.

There were 28 WA MPs aligned to the missos – at least until this week’s rift – and 17 aligned to the metalworkers.

Combined, they had a clear majority in Labor’s 74-member caucus.

However, they had limited capacity to exercise that power, as Mr McGowan’s electoral success gave him commanding authority inside the party.

That was evidenced by his decision to dump Dave Kelly – a former state secretary of the missos and a highly admired figure in Labor’s left – from the ministry.

The missos, who are led by in WA by Carolyn Smith, saw Mr McGowan’s resignation as an opportunity to get one of their own in the leadership.

Mr Cook has been aligned with the missos but Ms Sanderson has more recent and stronger ties, so the union leadership opted for her.

Prior to being elected to state parliament in 2013, she spent 10 years working for the union, including as assistant state secretary.

Ms Sanderson was keen to pursue the leadership.

She has made no secret of her own ambition. For instance in 2016, when she explained her decision to give up a safe spot in the Legislative Council to contest the lower house seat of Morley.

“I have always believed that with great risk comes great reward,” she said at the time.

“Life is too short to ask what if, and to wonder what would have happened had I not taken up this opportunity or that challenge.

“It is important to take opportunities as they arise.”

Of course, she is not alone in being ambitious.

But like anyone, ambition needs to be measured with discretion.

Clearly, she and her factional allies failed to read the mood of their party colleagues, such as David Templeman and Stephen Dawson from the metalworkers.

They opted for the continuity and experience offered by Mr Cook and Ms Saffioti, while also putting a check on the influence of the missos.

Ms Sanderson’s failed leadership tilt is not fatal.

She is still seen as a very effective minister and may return as leader in future, when she has more experience under her belt.

It’s worth remembering Mr Wyatt had his own bungled leadership challenge in 2011, just five years after being elected to parliament, before resurrecting his career.

The repercussions from this week’s factional split are yet to play out.

One indicator of their significance will come with Mr Cook’s ministerial reshuffle.

How much does he reward MPs who backed him and punish those who voted against him?

For starters, Ms Saffioti is widely tipped to become treasurer.

That opens up her planning portfolio, with John Carey the logical replacement.

There are bound to be winners from the metalworkers and the right faction, with cabinet secretary David Michael (from the right) widely tipped to come into the ministry.

Former minister Peter Tinley, also from the right, will be hoping for a revival.

We will watch with interest, as will the opposition parties, for whom the change of leadership gives them extra hope of winning back seats at the next election.