Carpenter possible successor to Gallop

Current Energy Minister Alan Carpenter is shaping as an early favourite to replace Geoff Gallop as Western Australian Premier.
Eric Ripper, who has been Acting Premier while Dr Gallop has been on leave, will continue in the role until such time as the State Parliamentary branch of the Labour Party meet to select a new leader.
Mr Carpenter, who has long been touted as a future leader, is seen by commentators as a 'clean-skin' in that unlike many other senior contenders for the top job he has no political skeletons in the closet.
Also in his favour is his ability with the media, well honed over a number of years as a television journalist with the ABC.
With all these factors in mind the transition in leadership may be a smooth one with Mr Carpenter, who is currently overseas, well placed to secure the numbers to take the role.
A factor counting against this may be that the Gallop decision has caught Carpenter and his supporters a little off-guard, as their planning for succession into the top job may have been geared to a longer term time-frame, opening the door for other would be leaders to throw their hat into the ring.