Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman wants to see Labor ‘have a serious crack’ at Forrest

A key confidant of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says he wants Labor to “have a serious crack” at taking Forrest in the next Federal election. Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister Patrick Gorman believes long-serving MP Nola Marino’s retirement opens up an opportunity for the party in a seat it has not held in more than 50 years. Mrs Marino has been the Federal member since 2007, holding the seat for the Liberal Party on a 54.3 per cent two-party preferred vote. The last time Forrest was held by Labor was before the 1972 election but Mr Gorman, who worked as the party’s State secretary before entering Parliament, said he never writes off any seat in WA. “I always want Labor to contest really strongly in every seat in the west,” he said. “That was my approach when were in opposition and at the last election we gained four seats (in WA). People didn’t think we could do that and we did.” Former senator and small business owner Ben Small has already been chosen by the Liberals to replace Mrs Marino as a candidate, but Labor is still to go through its preselection process. Mr Gorman said he had already been in talks about potential candidates for the seat. “We are in discussions with a range of people about how do we get that best candidate for us and how do we make sure that people in this part of the world get a real choice,” he said. “I think with Nola Marino stepping away, and I have got a lot of respect for Nola at an individual level, it really does open up the opportunities in this particular seat,” he said. Mr Gorman highlighted some of the Federal Government’s decisions which have benefited the region, including changes to tax cuts, moves to cheapen childcare and the Medicare Urgent Care Clinic in Eaton. “We’ve got a really proud story to tell, so I want to tell that story and also make sure that people of Forrest get a serious choice about who’s best to represent them in the Federal Parliament,” he said. The next Federal election is expected to be held early next year.