Fed: MPs mourn dead colleague before any jousting for his seat

AAP General News (Australia)
04-29-2001
Fed: MPs mourn dead colleague before any jousting for his seat

MELBOURNE, April 29 AAP - Prime Minister John Howard is expected to join political
colleagues at Melbourne's Waverley Christian Fellowship church tomorrow for the funeral
of Liberal MP Peter Nugent.

But shortly after mourning 63-year-old Mr Nugent's death from a sudden and massive
heart attack last week, the political focus will switch to retaining or winning his relatively
marginal seat of Aston.

Labor could win Aston with an estimated swing of 4.2 per cent, far more modest than
the 9.5 per cent it gained to take the Queensland seat of Ryan in a by-election last month.

But for now, they are concerned only with praising the MP, described as a Liberal moderate
with a social conscience and a determination to defend human rights and indigenous issues.

Federal Treasurer Peter Costello, said to be a close friend of Mr Nugent, has said
it was too early to be thinking of a by-election in Aston.

Likewise, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks has said it would be wrong to begin campaigning
in the seat until "it is appropriate at a later date".

Last week, the Liberal MP for Ballarat, Michael Ronaldson, said a large contingent
of Mr Nugent's federal and state colleagues, including Mr Howard, were expected to attend
the funeral in the suburb of Wantirna South, in Melbourne's outer east.

A spokesman for Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has said he had prior commitments
and would not be at the funeral.

Mr Ronaldson said a range of community groups would be represented and Mr Nugent's
constituents were welcome to attend.

Messages of praise and condolence had been issued by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Commission and the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

Mr Nugent had held Aston since 1990, with some commentators saying much of his 4.2
per cent margin was due to personal support by his constituents, rather than party sentiments
in the seat.

Since 1960, Australians have voted in 14 by-elections resulting from deaths of sitting MPs.

In 13 of those by-elections, the party of the former member retained the seat.

Mr Nugent is survived by his wife Carol and his three adult children.

AAP gfr/md/mo

KEYWORD: NUGENT NIGHTLEAD

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