The former world champion last night announced his plan to run
as an independent in the inner-western Sydney
seat of Marrickville in next year’s state election.
The seat is held by Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt, who
has already said a run by Mundine would have no influence on her campaign.
The former rugby league player said his move was to secure
Redfern’s Aboriginal housing area The Block.
Redfern’s Aboriginal community has reacted angrily to
proposed changes to planning controls by the Redfern Waterloo Authority and the
Minister for Redfern Waterloo Mr Sartor, which they say would halve the amount
of housing allowed on The Block.
Last night at a rally staged by local community groups, Mr
Mundine, who is Aboriginal and nicknamed “The Man”, declared his
position.
“Obviously there’s a lot of racism and a lot of
despicable acts going on within the Government,” Mr Mundine told hundreds
of his supporters.
“If the Block don’t stand, then Sartor, you don’t
stand.”
According to the Aboriginal Housing Company, The Block will
become part of the seat of Marrickville at the election.
Tom Uren, a former minister in the Whitlam Government, which
made the first purchase of The Block, gave Mr Mundine his support.
“I think he (Sartor) is a man of excessive
arrogance,” Mr Uren said. “After all, he’s been in the Labor Party
five minutes and he seems to be making most of the decisions.”
Efforts to contact Mr Sartor last night were unsuccessful.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20089815-5005941,00.html