Western Australia Labor Senator Glenn Sterle has confirmed he has "annoyed the living daylights" out of Alannah MacTiernan in his bid to persuade the state Labor MP to move to federal politics.
He told WA Business News that with Ms MacTiernan's work ethic and history, she would bring "the best quality of candidature to the next federal election campaign for the people of Canning."
"You wouldn't have got a harder working minister in the previous Gallop/Carpenter governments... recognition, everyone knows who Alannah is," said Senator Sterle.
"She's delivered one of the greatest infrastructure projects that we've seen in Western Australia for that many years I can't remember; the $1.6 billion rail line to Mandurah.
"I think she would be a more than formidable opponent for the Labor party in the next federal election."
He added that Ms MacTiernan, who holds the Armadale seat, has not given any indication to him that she is considering the move.
Ms MacTiernan told WA Business News she would not rule out a move to federal politics and that it was not the first time she had been asked to consider the move.
"People have been approaching me about this, I was approached before the 2007 election," she said.
"Obviously if I could help get the government be returned I'd consider it, but I really think its too long out to be making any decisions on it."
