WA: Carpenter says a WA PM would be good for the state

AAP General News (Australia)
12-01-2006
WA: Carpenter says a WA PM would be good for the state

PERTH, Dec 1 AAP - West Australian Premier Alan Carpenter says he wants Kim Beazley
to win the federal labor leadership ballot because he thinks a WA prime minister would
be good for the state.

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley's leadership will be open to a vote on Monday in a bid
to kill off conjecture about his future.

He declared a spill of his entire frontbench following a fortnight of speculation that
Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd would mount a leadership challenge.

Mr Carpenter told journalists today he hoped Mr Beazley would emerge from the challenge
next week as the leader.

"We get left out so much of the national debate, and we struggle to get a fair deal
out of Canberra, and I think a West Australian prime minister would go a long way towards
resolving some of those problems," Mr Carpenter said.

The premier said he thought Mr Rudd was an outstanding talent but believed Mr Beazley
had the experience to win the next election.

Mr Carpenter said he hoped the leadership spill did not damage Labor's election chances
and that the party united behind whoever won the ballot.

"It will clearly be better if there is stability and universal support for the leader
of the Labor party in the run down to the next election."

AAP lk/pe/cdh

KEYWORD: LABOR CARPENTER

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