Key Points
- Tu Le has been announced as Labor's candidate for the seat of Fowler in western Sydney.
- Le was overlooked as the party's pick for the seat in the last federal election.
- Labor lost the seat to independent Dai Le in that election.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has unveiled community lawyer Tu Le as the Labor candidate for Fowler, three years after she was overlooked as the party's pick for the western Sydney seat.
The young Vietnamese-Australian had the backing of retiring MP Chris Hayes to replace him in the last federal election in the safe Labor seat, which covers suburbs with large multicultural populations, including Cabramatta, Fairfield, and Liverpool.
Hayes argued that Labor should be doing more to expand cultural diversity within the party.
But he was overruled by the NSW Labor Party, and Le was stood aside so former premier Kristina Keneally, a resident of Sydney's affluent Northern Beaches, could be parachuted in.
The move backfired and Labor ended up losing the seat in its traditional heartland to independent Dai Le, who is also Vietnamese.
Albanese said on Friday that his government was a "strong supporter of multiculturalism" and Le would be "a very strong voice" for Fowler.
"The daughter of Vietnamese refugees, a lawyer who currently works at a community legal centre, Tu also has extensive community experience, including advocating for exploited migrant workers and as the co-founder of a local social enterprise," he told reporters in Sydney.
"She's a great candidate, but she'll be even better as a local member who will have a voice in government and be able to get things done."
Anthony Albanese (left) said Tu Le (right) would be "a very strong voice" for Fowler. Source: AAP / Dan Himbrechts
"I'm a proud westie and I am currently raising my young family with my husband, Kelvin, in Mount Pritchard in the local area," she said on Friday.
"Growing up in south-west Sydney and being the daughter of refugees, I understand deeply the power of equal opportunity and what it takes to overcome disadvantage.
"My personal lived experiences have led me to dedicate my life to advocating for the needs of the community, and I am very excited to be the Labor candidate for Fowler."
