From The Age, May 2, 2007 ....
Labor's candidate for the seat of Fremantle at the next federal election has sought to play down claims she is out of touch with the electorate.
Melissa Parke ["annointed" by retiring member Carmen Lawrence - SL] won preselection for Fremantle [at the beginning of the month] after no other candidates put in their nomination. Ms Parke, who lives and works in New York in the United States as a human rights lawyer, has been criticised by Fremantle Mayor Peter Tagliaferri as an outsider not in touch with local issues.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Ms Parke said she would listen to the electorate.
"I will be taking every opportunity over the next six or seven months to meet and speak with the people in the Fremantle electorate about the federal issues that affect them," Ms Parke said in the statement.
Mr Tagliaferri has again said he is considering standing as an independent candidate for Fremantle to ensure the seat has a candidate who knows the local issues. "If Melissa Parke is going to stand for election, what's in it for the federal seat of Fremantle?" Mr Tagliaferri said.
"She comes into it inexperienced, not connected to the community whatsoever. She hasn't lived in Australia for seven years, hasn't been on the electoral roll for several years - extraordinary stuff."....
....Carmen Lawrence, the current federal member for Fremantle, said ..."She's someone who will get involved as soon as she gets back here and will buy a house in Fremantle and then she'll be a Fremantle resident."...
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