Comments on: Hazem El Masri to run for the Liberals?

By: Joel MacRae

Joel MacRae — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 06:51:18 +0000

I suspect that the ALP have also sounded out and approached El Masri as well. A further guess is that the Telegraph has exaggerated the likelihood of El Masri joining the Liberals. its just another way to kick the ALP while they’re down.

By: David Walsh

David Walsh — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 03:30:55 +0000

He’s no chance.

By: Sam Bauers

Sam Bauers — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:40:16 +0000

Although it’s hard to imagine he would want to run for the Libs he may have some affiliation or contact with them. It’s even harder to imagine that they would just ask him out of the blue.

For reference here are the results when Craig Wing “ran” in the council elections in 2008.

Not amazing, but he contributed enough to that ticket to get the first candidate in that group elected.

By: MDMConnell

MDMConnell — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 23:22:03 +0000

“Also the Tele claimed that Lakemba is ‘predominantly Muslim’”

I’m guessing they use the words Lebanese and Muslim interchangably. Obviously there would be a huge number of Lebanese Christians there are well.

As for El Masri, well I doubt he’ll win. But perhaps it will be one of those deals where running for an unwinnable seat earns Brownie points for the future. Seats like Granville, Kogarah, Rockdale, etc will likely be very marginal if the 2011 election goes how we all expect, so there might be a chance there in 2015.

By: Hamish Coffee

Hamish Coffee — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:56:08 +0000

Can’t imagine that the Liberal Right would have been very happy; anti-immigration and frankly anti-Muslim nutjobs like David Clarke, Marie Ficarra & Greg Smith would find it harder to push their agenda. And on the other hand, why would El Masri want to join with people like that?

Still, if he does join the Libs Lakemba would be a genuine dark horse for the election. The Cabramatta by-election showed what a popular local Lib can do in Labor heartland.

Also the Tele claimed that Lakemba is ‘predominantly Muslim’ when, while very significant at 15%, isn’t really true; but I guess that’s tabloid journalism.

By: Nathan Lambert

Nathan Lambert — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:43:11 +0000

Hi Ben,

Re ‘El Masri… would be the first Muslim MP in the NSW Parliament, and possibly all of Australia’: Adem Somyurek in Victoria is a Labor MLC and an Australian Muslim.

Cheers Nathan