Cate Molloy

What are the prospects of current Queensland Noosa Labor MP Cate Molloy who ahs been denied Labor preselection for the next state election over her opposition to the construction of a controversial dam near her electorate holding her seat as an Independent? Scott Prasser thinks not much. However she did get a notable swing to her at the 2004 election. One possibility that has not been mentioned is whether Labor will endorse a candidate against her, presumably she remains a member of the ALP until she actually nominates against an endorsed Labor candidate. In the 1950 NSW election Labor disendorsed several MPs on the suspicion they were not following the Labor ticker in voting for the indirectly elected Legislative Council. One MP won re-election as an Independent Labor candidate in North Sydney (back then it was inner-urban working class) but in Monaro where sitting MP John Seiffert was disendorsed, no member of the local ALP sought official endorsement as the Labor candidate and Seiffert won the seat. He remained a member of the ALP and was endorsed as the official candidate in 1953. Seiffert had a strong personal following and like Molloy increased his vote strongly at his second attempt. The saga is described in Don Rawson's Politics in Eden-Monaro. Might Queensland Labor find this a desirable outcome? They have no prospect of winning Noosa. Cate's husband Ivan Molloy had a rough time at the 2004 election.