WA Labor's state conference has been cancelled to keep Prime Minister Julia Gillard away.

Labor leader Mark McGowan yesterday claimed the annual conference, scheduled for Saturday, had been cancelled so the party could focus attention on next year's March election.


But Labor sources have told The Sunday Times a bigger reason was that the WA party did not want the on-the-nose Prime Minister to visit just eight months out from an election.

"There would have been much apprehension if Gillard was to have come to Perth for a state conference," a senior Labor MP said.

"And it would have looked even stranger having a Labor conference and not seeing the Prime Minister here. It was a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't.

"The Federal Government and the State Labor Party do not see eye to eye. We are very disappointed with the way the Gillard Government and the federal ministers have embraced the State Liberal Party more, and worked harder with them than the Labor Party.

But things have not improved, with influential figures in WA Labor believing Ms Gillard's poor approval from the Australian public was harming its chances in next year's poll.

lol at this...

Awesome wrote on Jun 24^th, 2012 at 10:11pm:

WA Labor's state conference has been cancelled to keep Prime Minister Julia Gillard away. Labor leader Mark McGowan yesterday claimed the annual conference, scheduled for Saturday, had been cancelled so the party could focus attention on next year's March election. But Labor sources have told The Sunday Times a bigger reason was that the WA party did not want the on-the-nose Prime Minister to visit just eight months out from an election. "There would have been much apprehension if Gillard was to have come to Perth for a state conference," a senior Labor MP said. "And it would have looked even stranger having a Labor conference and not seeing the Prime Minister here. It was a case of damned if you do, damned if you don't. "The Federal Government and the State Labor Party do not see eye to eye. We are very disappointed with the way the Gillard Government and the federal ministers have embraced the State Liberal Party more, and worked harder with them than the Labor Party. But things have not improved, with influential figures in WA Labor believing Ms Gillard's poor approval from the Australian public was harming its chances in next year's poll. lol at this...

Poor petals. Sob, sob...

we have the same problem in Canberra cant get rid of her.

So long as Gillard remains a figure head of Federal Labor - State Labor should not win another election

Actually Abbott becoming PM should help State Labor

I wonder who the "senior Labor MP" was? Tony Abbott probably.

Gist wrote on Jun 25^th, 2012 at 9:40am:

I wonder who the "senior Labor MP" was? Tony Abbott probably.

Probably Swan

Maqqa wrote on Jun 25^th, 2012 at 9:42am:

Gist wrote on Jun 25th, 2012 at 9:40am: I wonder who the "senior Labor MP" was? Tony Abbott probably. Probably Swan

lol