Brendan Simpkins

TWO candidates – one from Gawler’s famous Dawkins family – have emerged to replace one of the Labor Party’s long-standing federal parliamentarians, with preselection set to open in Spence.

Incumbent member Nick Champion will soon ditch Canberra for North Terrace, a move that had been long-rumoured, after announcing his bid for preselection in the northern suburbs seat of Taylor earlier this year.

Gawler-based Alice Dawkins, who is to vie for the safe Labor-held seat, is no stranger to the political sphere with her family’s association with Australian politics.

Ms Dawkins last week confirmed to The Bunyip she intended to nominate for preselection in Spence. Ms Dawkins is likely to go up against Transport Workers Union (TWU) senior official Matt Burnell.

Ms Dawkins is the daughter of John, a former minister and treasurer during Paul Keating’s prime ministership in the 1990s, and Maggie Dawkins, a former adviser to ex-Labor leader Kim Beazley.

John Dawkins is cousin to the SA politician – formerly of the Liberal Party – and president of the Legislative Council, also named John Dawkins.

The latter is well-known in the Gawler community, having been born and raised here.

Ms Dawkins has friends in high places, having worked for billionaire philanthropist Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest in Western Australia and alongside former premier Jay Weatherill. She also calls former prime minister Kevin Rudd a friend.

Ms Dawkins previously nominated for the seat of Mayo, encompassing the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula, in 2018 after the resignation of independent Rebekha Sharkie triggered a by-election.

However, she lost out to eventual Labor candidate Saskia Gerhardy.

Ms Dawkins said she wanted to “provide a contest” for the party’s nomination.

“We don’t do contests in the Labor Party for preselection; it is a very rare thing for structural and criteria reasons,” she said.

“I have a very strong interest in normalising that, because whether I win or not, it will start the precedent where anyone in the party can look to a nomination process and realise that even if they haven’t worked in a political office, even if they don’t know too many people within the party, even if they don’t have strong political mentors, they can give this a go and put themselves forward.”

Policy benefiting older and younger Australians would be at the forefront of her mind if Ms Dawkins won preselection.

She also believed Government intervention was needed to overhaul Australia’s labour laws.

Mr Burnell’s TWU is aligned with Labor’s rightwing Unity faction, the dominant one within the state party. Mr Champion is also aligned with the right-wing arm of the party, as a former
member of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association, the dominant union in South Australia and one of the most powerful behind-thescenes figures.

Mr Burnell and Mr Champion met on Friday to discuss matters surrounding local jobs and the transport and logistics industry in the Spence electorate.

A photo of the pair was posted to Mr Champion’s Facebook page.

Nominations will officially open at Labor’s next state executive meeting, which is expected to take place this month.