Sunday 27 March 2011

Grau pulls out of Cairns Labor race

The only Labor name touted as Desley Boyle's replacement has announced that he will now not seek selection as the Labor candidate for the upcoming State election.

Tim Grau, who had the support of the party's dominant right faction, including outgoing MP Desley Boyle, has said he will now not put his name forward for pre-selection as the Cairns candidate.

"While here has been much and continued uniformed media speculation about my potential 'parachuted' candidature, now that the Party has officially opened nominations, I think it is appropriate to advise Branch members that I will not be a candidate for the next State election," Tim Grau said yesterday.

Grau was touted as the preferred candidate for what has been a strong Labor seat for around 100 years. He was subject to intense scrutiny over recent months when in September last year Tim Grau penned a opinion piece in the Cairns Post, with no reference to his presidency of the local Labor Party branch.

Grau replied very angrily in response to the comments. Recently he had an exchange with veteran activist Bryan Law, where he was labelled a "slave-owner" and a "scab."

Tim Grau said yesterday that the next State election is going to be an important one for Queensland and the region and a "tough one for the Labor Party."

"I strongly believe the Bligh Government and our Labor members in Far North Queensland deserve, and will be, re-elected with our help and support," Tim Grau wrote to party faithful, and some who are not so faithful (you know who you are).

"With Desley Boyle's announcement that she will not re-contest the next State election, it will be more important than ever for us to work hard to ensure Cairns remains a Labor seat. Now more than ever Cairns needs a Labor representative."

Grau said that only Labor has a commitment to the important core community values of job generation, regional economic development and diversity, the opportunity of education and training and the importance of a strong universal public health system.

"As many of you know, I am a father to a beautiful two-year old, Matilda, and at this time my priority is to be fully in her life and the best father that I can be," Grau said. "Those who actually know me, know she is after all the real and only reason I 'parachuted' into Far North Queensland."

"Having worked for, and with, Members of Parliament for many years I know the amount of time and level of commitment that is required to serve the community. It is truly a 24-hour seven-day a week job – sadly a fact not often recognised or acknowledged by many outside the Party or politics."

Tim Grau says he doesn't believe he could be the father he wants to be, or his daughter needs, while seeking to be a State Member of Parliament.

"I appreciate and am genuinely humbled that a number of you were eager for me to put myself forward as Labor’s candidate for Cairns," Tim Grau says.

"I apologise if I have disappointed you."

Local tram union representative, community and sports identity, Richie Bates, has said he will seek the party's selection for the seat of Cairns. Bates contested the Cairns Regional Council in 2008, against former councillor Kathy Plath and incumbent Alan Blake.

"Now that nominations have officially opened, I will submit mine this week," Richie Bates told CairnsBlog.

However Desley Boyle would probably dig up a body from the Pioneer Cemetery to run, before endorsing someone like Bates, who really represents the core values of Labor.

13 comments:

Unknown said...

Well well well some serious egg on the faces of some big loud mouths around town now. Step forward Gavin King, Bryan Law and you Mike Moore.

From what I have seen Tim Grau never said he was running for Cairns. So he never "pulled out" as you now claim. Looks like he has played you fools like a fiddle.

That he is so dedicate to his daughter demonstrates that he is more of a GENTLEMAN than the three of you combined.

Sure is a lot of egg to be removed from your faces fellas.

It also demonstrates what hopeless idle gossip merchants you all are. You cant even get the gossip right! Not a serious journalist or commentator between you.

Bryan Law said...

Oh my goodness, the world-renowned political expert “Charlie” has reprimanded me and my Elk. The shame of it all. I should end my miserable life now.

There’s no doubt that Mr Grau would have nominated for the seat of Cairns, and been pre-selected by the usual corporate suspects if he hadn’t been exposed to public scrutiny by Mike and Gavin. Good luck with your parenting Tim. Fathering my boy Joseph has been the best thing I’ve done in my life, and I hope you find it as richly rewarding.

As for the ALP in FNQ, Desley Boyle, Col McKenzie, and Mike Bailey must take the lion’s share of blame for the malaise the Party finds itself in. These three have adopted the “winner takes all, screw the workers, we’re the bosses here” style of politics that has white-anted Labor, and given FNQ the bland mediocrity of MLAs like Steve Wettenhall and Jason O’Brien, along with Jan McLucas and (what was is name) Turnour. Let’s face it. Factional deals behind closed doors are the only way such poor performers could ever get a seat in Parliament.

I’m waiting to see now whether Richie Bates will win the pre-selection for Cairns. I hope he does, and I hope he continues to work with unionists like Stuey Traill in a genuine attempt to represent the working class. After all, it’s the working class that built Labor, and the working class that’s being hammered now by the economic collapse.

If Richiew is the candidate in Cairns, we might all succeed best by putting our efforts next year into removing Steve and Jason from the public tit.

Unknown said...

Tim Grau "exposed to public scrutiny by Mike and Gavin". Are you for real? What exactly did they "expose"? He never declared he was running so they were WRONG on that. His past career with Wayne Goss and membership of the ALP was widely known and available by a simple Google search. Hardly "exposing" if anyone can find it that easily.

In reality King and Moore were exposed as uninformed gossip merchants nothing more and nothing less. And you Bryan were exposed as the angry fraud that you are.

Bryan Law said...

Of course I'm not real Charlie. I'm a figment of your imagination, sent by God to taunt you for being such a shameless and gullible Labor hack. You're right that Mr Grau never declared his candidacy, but that's because he's always been a back-room kinda guy.

As for "angry fraud", I think it was Robert Kennedy who said "don't get mad, get even". I see my task clearly. Not bad for a figment hey?

Vaughn said...

If Tim Grau wanted to keep his intention to run for pre-selection for the seat of Cairns secret, he should have spoken more softly when talking about it in a public place. You are a pathetic, grubby liar Charlie, whoever you are. You and your slimey co-horts are fooling no-one mate.

Alison Alloway said...

He had never nominated in the first place so how could he "pull out"?

Leigh Dall'Osto said...

It says a lot that when someone moves to Cairns and becomes immediately involved in the community and in a political party (that they had been a member of for years) it is immediately assumed that they have an underhand motive for doing so.

Alison Alloway said...

I just hated the way he was accused of being a stranger pulled out of Brisbane and thrown into Cairns. He has family here and he is as local as I am.

Bryan Law said...

Leigh, "rumour" has it you're going to run for CRC at the next election. You can deny/confirm it now if you like (I'll believe you).

Alison, hee hee hee! You're funny!

Unknown said...

The incompetence of Gavin King and others who claim to follow these things has been further exposed with the revelation that Tim Grau told Gavin King directly on 10 December LAST YEAR that his daughter would prevent him from running for Cairns.

Check out Grau's own words: http://twitter.com/TimGrau/status/13060080706519040

But King and others continued to peddle the lie and attack him publicly.

King's not journalist's boot lace.

And based on the other rubbish he has been writing lately you have to begin to wonder how long before the Post sacks him again.

Vaughn said...

Charlie, you've been duped mate. Your love is obviously so strong that you've lost all ability for rational thought. Give up the bullshit mate, we're all getting tired of it now.

Syd Walker said...

I dislike the spitefulness of much of this commentary.

I don't know Tim Grau personally, but from what I've observed via Cairns Blog, I think he's behaved with dignity in the face of some rather nasty bitchiness.

It is not a crime to stand - or to want to stand - for elected office. We need a good field of candidates for a healthy democracy.

Charlie said...

Bryan what a f...... creep you are saying that. You are certainly getting into the gutter(but then you are comfortable there.) Just so you know Tim is a practicing Roman Catholic. Charlie