Julia Gillard during a press conference at Parliament House in Canberra. Source: News Limited
A WOMAN seeking to take over deposed prime minister Julia Gillard's prized safe seat of Lalor has been in politics a month and admits she has no connection to the area.
Lisa Clutterham grew up in Adelaide and has never lived or studied in Melbourne.
Her only link to the Victorian capital is she has visited on holidays and "my partner, Dominic Sharley, has family there and as a child he visited Werribee on many Christmas holidays".
Ms Clutterham has in fact been living more than 3000km away in Papua New Guinea as a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade diplomat.
But she said she has long-aspired to a career in politics and would be proud to take over the seat from the first female prime minister, whom she says she greatly respected and admired.
Ms Clutterham was approached by Kevin Rudd supporter and new Trade Minister Richard Marles to stand for preselection in the seat southwest of Melbourne. Lalor is one of the safest seats in Australia.
She told ABC radio this morning she is thrilled by the opportunity but freely admitted her local credentials aren't strong.
``I don't have a connection with Melbourne and that's not something I'm shying away from,'' she said.
She said she has only been a member of the ALP since mid-June.
``It isn't much of a pedigree, but I'm in the camp of a majority of Australians, 99 per cent of whom are not members of political parties," she said.
Nonetheless, she says she has the ``merit, motivation and skill-set'' to make an effective member of parliament.
Lisa Clutterham is seeking to take over Julia Gillard's seat of Lalor in Melbourne's southwestern suburbs. Picture: DFAT Source: Supplied
Local consituents are outraged that someone who had no link to the area could potentially hold the seat.
"How is she supposed to know what the local people want?" Werribee resident David Moon said.
But Ms Clutterham reassured the people of Lalor that she would continue to engage with them to hear what they would want their local member to fight for.
In a statement announcing her intention of nominating for the seat, she said: "I know I will be a strong advocate because that is what I do day-in and day-out as a diplomat.
"Serving Australia first in Solomon Islands and then in Papua New Guinea, I am an experienced advocate who can get results.
"And that is what matters to the people of Lalor: advocating for opportunity."
She continued: "As a young Australian I believe I can make a difference not just to the constituents of Lalor but for young Australians everywhere.
"I want to see greater diversity in our Parliament. I am a new Member of the ALP who has not followed a traditional pathway but who is ready to make a contribution.
"I have always been an active participant in my community - whether that was Adelaide, Brazil, Canberra, Honiara or Port Moresby. I also have a record of community service, particularly through Rotary.
"Now I am ready to build a life in Lalor and to be a part of the community, advocating for Labor values."
She said she wanted to deliver a "fairer, stronger and more prosperous Australia".
Other preselection candidates for the seat include Sandra Willis, daughter of former Keating-era treasurer Ralph Willis, and unionist Kimberley Kitching.
Ms Gillard has endorsed former local primary school principal Joanne Ryan.
Ms Clutterham rejected suggestions that if she prevails over Ms Ryan it will be a final snub to Ms Gillard.
``She is a role model of mine as Australia's first female prime minister,'' she said.
``I am confident she would have nothing but encouragement for young, aspiring female politicians.''
The Labor Party opened preselection nominations for the safe seat of Lalor, which includes the suburbs or Werribee, Point Cook, Laverton, Hoppers Crossing and Williams Landing, on Monday.
The candidates will be chosen at the end of the month through a ballot of local members, followed by a vote by a panel of ALP officials.
The seat of Hotham is another Victorian electorate up for grabs, with Monash City Councillor and lawyer Geoff Lake already putting his hand up for the role.
- with AAP
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