Ousted Tasmanian Labor MP David O'Byrne to seek preselection despite opposition from leader
- avawilliams012
- Aug 7, 2023
- 1 min read
Labor's national executive will be asked to decide whether controversial Tasmanian Labor figure David O'Byrne can return to the parliamentary party, with the state government calling it a "referendum on Rebecca White's leadership".
David O'Byrne, who resigned as party leader and went to sit on the crossbench after a sexual harassment scandal in 2021, is seeking preselection to run as a Labor candidate at the next election.
"This is a nightmare for Ms White, who has staked her leadership on keeping Mr O'Byrne out of the Labor Party," government whip Dean Young said.
"Let's be clear, if Mr O'Byrne is in, Ms White is out."
Mr O'Byrne was appointed Labor leader in June 2021 after the party lost the state election but stood down a month later when a woman accused him of sending unwanted text messages and kissing her without her consent when she was working alongside him as a junior union staffer 2007 and 2008.
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