Brendan Simpkins

SPENCE hopeful Alice Dawkins has fired a parting shot at the Labor Party as unionist Matt Burnell was confirmed for the federal seat.

The South Australian branch of the party confirmed Mr Burnell’s preselection on Twitter last Thursday.

A senior official with the Transport Workers Union (TWU), he was described as an “outstanding candidate” in the tweet because of his “broad experience and history of advocacy”.

Mr Burnell will replace outgoing Labor stalwart Nick Champion, who is set to shift to state politics at next year’s election.

Mr Champion had long been rumoured for a switch from Canberra back to South Australia, and the move was confirmed in February when he announced his intent to nominate for preselection in the seat of Taylor.

Mr Burnell’s TWU is aligned to Labor’s right-wing 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.

The preselection of Mr Burnell brings to an end a dispute between his opponent, Ms Dawkins, and the Labor Party.

Counting of ballots began last Wednesday and Ms Dawkins issued a statement that same day, lashing the conduct of the party.

“To call this process a free and fair ballot does a disservice to democracy,” she said.

“There is no merit to claim when the process is this polluted. There was voter intimidation; there was febrile misinformation and disinformation which remains uncorrected by its perpetrators and participants; there was massive information and access asymmetries between me and my opponent.”

Ms Dawkins, daughter of former federal Labor minister and treasurer and Gawler identity John Dawkins, launched an appeal with the National Appeals Tribunal over the process but the appeal was rejected.

She also previously threatened to take the branch to the Supreme Court over the process and for breaking its own national rules.

In a parting shot, Ms Dawkins labelled it a “sullied ballot” and called out Mr Burnell.

“If you win this sullied ballot and if you accept endorsement, you will have a heavy burden on your shoulders,” she said.

“That burden is to create better outcomes for women in Spence and in this party than I could have done. History has its eyes on you.”