Crean Wins Pre-selection Battle

Labor frontbencher and former leader, Simon Crean, trounced a challenge from the dominant Right faction of the ALP on Monday March 6.

Mr Crean won close to 70 per cent of the pre-selection ballot in his electorate of Hotham.

National Union of Workers' official, Martin Paluka, failed in his attempt to wrestle control of the seat away from Mr Crean, who has been the sitting member since 1990.

Simon Crean clearly won the preselection ballot with 196 votes to 88 votes of his challenger.

The majority of local ALP members in Hotham voted on Sunday with the remaining voting during Monday night's ballot.

The local vote was held ahead of the ALP's central panel ballot on Thursday night.

Martin Paluka withdrew his nomination shortly upon hearing of the pre-selection outcome.

Mr Crean labelled the outcome a "Fantastic victory for the rank-and-file members of Hotham".

Mr Crean went onto say rank-and-file members are sick of the factional warlords and called upon frontbencher, Stephen Conroy, to resign as Leader in the Senate. "Conroy should not be leader in the senate," he said.

Mr Crean also rejected any suggestion that his victory is a rebuff to leader Kim Beazley.