Goward's Uphill Battle

Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward has finally made her run for the seat of Epping official and, as of right now, is officially the only contestant. In reality, we all know that right-wing candidate Greg Smith is very much in the race. Peter Debnam is keeping to his tired official line about a `Melbourne Cup field', but unless Goward is the only contender - which is still possible, but very unlikely - it's going to be an ugly fight that shows the hard right factions that have overtaken the State party in all its glory.

Speaking of which, Goward could have not hoped for better timing for the ABC to air their upcoming Four Corners episode on (to quote) `allegations of vote rigging, intimidation, and branch stacking' within the NSW Liberal Party. Though John Hewson and a former staffer of disendorsed Wentworth candidate Peter King will be featured, no sitting Liberals have agreed to speak on-air to the programme. This is hardly surprising, given that the last MP who did, Patricia Forsythe, promptly lost her preselection. However, it could also be argued that their enforced silence speaks even more eloquently about the seriousness of the situation than any interview could. Just as rumours that either Goward or Smith would be sped into the NSW Cabinet upon election speak about the confidence Peter Debnam must have in his sitting Shadow Ministers ...