Faceless political warlords hurt us all

The 60 Minutes/The Age sting exposing Adem Somyurek was just as galling to watch. In my experience it is more systemic within the ALP than it is not, and it is costing us dearly: instead of good governments focused on what they should be doing, and good leaders at a time when we most need them, we have politicians serving their own power-hungry agenda, and not the starving people they feign care for.

The system is broken. There is no power button to turn it off and back on again. It is time to reinvent before Labor is relegated to benchwarm the opposition couches for another two terms. As soon as you knock off one Obeid, one Somyurek, you find another. Just like Rudd says: a cancer. There are others whose behavior isn't equal to that, but their damage is just as significant.

At least this faceless man, Somyurek, looks like he'll have his power wound back, having been sacked from cabinet, resigned from the Labor Party, and possibly facing criminal action. In my case, having resolved a defamation lawsuit to my satisfaction and received exoneration from any serious misconduct, the architects of my demise in the Labor Party have never been dealt any such pain or received any cautionary warning. Nor has Labor apologised to me for the damage done.

An expose like this one gives the wrongdoer nowhere to hide. It airs their dirty laundry, in full view. While ever the Labor Party relies on that level of "exposure" to clean up after itself, it reminds the Australian public that it has zero ability to manage its own internal issues. If dragging it all before the media, true or untrue, is the only way power is regulated and held accountable, we should all order more popcorn and strap in for the ride.

Cutting out cancers like the Somyureks and Obeids is always the right thing to do. There are many names who won't make headlines like this, but they're still there, scheming their way like slimy drain rats.

We can't keep calling them faceless men, though - and it's not only the ALP. There are faceless women too, on both sides of politics, willing to do anything to get power, increase it and retain it with a "win-at-all-costs" mentality.

Scott Morrison, also, ought not feel empowered one iota - remember there were some significant questions raised over the manner of his initial preselection.

We have no statesmen or stateswomen representing us anymore, only those with their eyes on the next election, preselection and, sadly for the rest of us, not the next generation.

When I raised issues of factional white-anting in my own seat for years before the lewd and salacious headlines, I was simply told to beat them at their own game and stack the branches to secure and retain my power.

I represented a marginal seat, and was kept incredibly busy with, ironically, doing my job. I had no time and even less desire to do so.

There is no mechanism for dealing with these people.

I won my preselection and a marginal seat without any need to stack, wrangle, manipulate or owe anyone any favors on my way up. I was taunted by powerbrokers, that because of my gender I was not good enough and hadn't served my "Labor apprenticeship". I believe, and still do, that this is the right way to rise. However, it turns out that you're very vulnerable in that situation - and you need power to keep it.

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My experience of politics has made me wish I never walked through the door. It ruined my life, my livelihood and it almost took my life.

I paid an enormous price.

As a woman, the faceless men and women are even more dangerous, using physical threats, intimidation, stalking and, in my case, the use of my sexuality and private life to assassinate a career.

You do not stand a chance in Australian politics unless you have a power base, and the only way to achieve that is to burn, break and destroy anyone in your way and manipulate anyone who can support you in your quest.

You sit across from your opposition and next to your enemies in Parliament - a lesson that came far too late for me.