Bill Shorten has pitted himself against his most significant factional ally after the departure of Stephen Conroy – fellow Victorian right-winger and long time friend Richard Marles.
Marles is backing lawyer Diana Taylor for the prized Senate spot vacated by Conroy, rather than Kimberley Kitching, who is the candidate Shorten supports.
Eight women have nominated to contest the position.
In-fighting about Conroy’s replacement has been thundering behind the scenes for days as various sub-factional groupings within the Victorian right have faced off over the the nominations.
Several senior figures have attempted to warn Shorten off backing Kitching, who is a close friend of the Labor leader. Kitching, a lawyer, is married to Andrew Landeryou, formerly a combative political blogger.
The couple is close to Shorten, but they are very contentious in Labor circles.
Conroy’s abrupt departure from politics in mid-September is problematic for Shorten, given he was the most significant figure in the Victorian right after the Labor leader, and Conroy’s relationship with Victorian left-wing powerbroker Kim Carr was a critical institutional component underpinning his leadership.
Conroy was a figure with the institutional authority to fix problems for Shorten.
Colleagues point to a vacuum in the Victorian right courtesy of Conroy’s exit, and senior figures have argued Marles will have to step into his factional “fixer” role to ensure Shorten’s interests are protected.
But the first test of the power realignment in the faction has seen Shorten and Marles face off over Conroy’s replacement.
The results of the tussle will be known on Thursday night.
