http://www.theage.com.au/federal-politics/federal-election-2013/hsu-chief-frontr...

Health Services Union general manager Kimberley Kitching has emerged as a frontrunner to replace former prime minister Julia Gillard in her safe western suburbs seat of Lalor.

No other female candidates have emerged for the seat, and many in Labor have severe reservations about Ms Kitching because of her work at the beleaguered HSU and her partner, blogger Andrew Landeryou.

The party's affirmative action policy demands Labor selects 40 per cent of women for winnable seats by 2020, and in Victoria it is well below this target.

Ms Kitching would not comment on her bid for the seat, but most within Labor's Victorian right expect her to nominate for the seat Ms Gillard won in 2010 with a 22 per cent margin.

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One MP said Ms Gillard - who backed Senator David Feeney for the safe seat of Batman - was unlikely to endorse Ms Kitching, a close friend of Bill Shorten, who switched his support away from Ms Gillard in the leadership tussle.

Mr Shorten declined to support Ms Kitching when asked this week if she was an appropriate candidate for the seat. ''I'm not getting involved,'' he said. However, he is understood to be heavily involved in manoeuvring over both Lalor and Hotham, the seat being vacated by Simon Crean.

Ms Kitching, a Melbourne City councillor from 2001 to 2004, was chairwoman of its planning committee. A lawyer, she is now general manager of the HSU's main Victorian branch. She was appointed to the position soon after former Darebin mayor Diana Asmar became union secretary last year, with assistance from Mr Landeryou - a divisive figure because of his blog.

Faced with the prospect of Ms Kitching becoming a candidate for Lalor, several senior Labor figures said it would be a bad look. ''Why would we want to run anyone associated with the HSU again?'' one said. ''How long does it take to learn the lessons of the NSW ALP?'' said another.