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August 5th, 2013 
KEVIN Rudd’s campaign has hit early turbulence with a key marginal seat candidate likely to be disqualified for a Labor Party blow-in.
In a further sign of campaign problems, the Prime Minister’s office has issued an urgent plea for volunteers to answer phones – a move that has triggered concerns over Mr Rudd’s readiness for the campaign.
Solicitor Trevor Drake – selected for the seat of Dobell, held by disgraced MP Craig Thomson – is expected to be replaced by Labor’s national executive within days.
Kevin Rudd’s campaign is calling for volunteers to answer phones, which worries some seasoned political advisers.
Source: News Limited
The move will be a major embarrassment for Labor whose chances of retaining the NSW central coast seat have been damaged over Mr Thomson’s long-running legal tussle.
Mr Drake – who was a member of the Liberal Party before switching political allegiances – suggested he’d been muzzled by ALP’s head office.
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Dobell – held by a margin of 5.07 per cent – is one of four federal seats which the ALP has still to preselect its election candidates for.
Seasoned advisers have also been surprised by an email issued by one of Mr Rudd’s senior staff, calling for volunteers to answer phones and do other mundane tasks in the PM’s office.
The email – sent to around 20 senior Government staff – conceded this “won’t be the most popular request” received.
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“It suggests the campaign is disorganised, having to ask for volunteers after the election’s been called,” one Labor figure said, of the email.
There have been other suggestions of internal tensions within the ALP campaign – following the coup against Julia Gillard just over a month ago.
But the failure to complete the preselections will also hurt Mr Rudd’s chances of winning the September 7 poll.
Mr Drake – a former Liberal Party councillor on the Gosford Council – revealed he was likely to withdraw having been “tapped on the shoulder”.
“I’m waiting to hear [what’s happening],” he said.
“I think it would be more likely I will withdraw my candidacy because of my political pedigree.”
A spokesman for the ALP confirmed Dobell was one of a “handful” of seats still to have preselected candidates formally endorsed.
The Liberal Party is desperate to win Dobell from the ALP and is hoping to exploit voter anger over Mr Thomson’s long list of criminal charges resulting from his time as Health Services Union boss.
Mr Drake said he suspects Mr Rudd has personally chosen a “star” candidate for the marginal seat.
Mr Drake’s Liberal roots did not prevent him from running as a Labor candidate for the state seat of Terrigal in the last unwinnable NSW government elections.
“I’m a bit annoyed they didn’t do it six weeks ago,” the solicitor said.
Despite Mr Thomson’s ongoing court battle over allegations he used Health Services Union credit card to pay for prostitutes while national secretary the incumbent MP is undeterred, ramping up his campaign as an independent by meeting and shaking hands with commuters from 4.30am at Tuggerah station yesterday.
“People have a choice on the Central Coast where they’ve not had before,” Mr Thomson said.
“They don’t have to go with Abbott, they don’t have to go with Rudd, now they have an independent fighting solely for the needs of the Central Coast and first and foremost is [blocking] the Wallerah2 coal mine [north west of Wyong].”
Voting in Dobell is book ended by retirees such as old salts John Brailey and George Evans, and young mums like Pettina Rogers and Karen Wheeler.
Retired public servant Mr Brailey, 62, said he voted for Mr Thomson last time but wouldn’t be making that mistake again while his old surfing buddy Mr Evans said the unknown Ms McNamara was an “untested quantity”.
“I’ve been very disenchanted with the name Craig Thomson, with all the publicity associated with it and disenchanted with the Labor Party in general,” the 63-year-old said.
“I voted Labor last time but I won’t be voting Labor this time.
“[Ms McNamara] is an untested quantity, I would have to reserve judgment before I find out what she’s about.
Mr Evans said as a result of the “scope and frequency” of scandals and alleged malpractice plaguing the Labor brand it needed to be “deconstructed and rebuilt over several years in Opposition”.
“I want a statesman with principle to represent us in parliament, a statesman wanting to represent the people that they serve and not just themselves.”
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