A look at the career of Warren Mundine, a former ALP president who has been picked by the prime minister as the Liberal candidate for the NSW seat of Gilmore.
Who is Warren Mundine, the Liberal candidate for the NSW seat of Gilmore?
Mr Mundine is an indigenous community leader whose career has spanned across the public, private and charity sectors. He has been the deputy mayor of Dubbo, commissioner of the NSW Local Government Grants Commission and was chairman of the Prime Minister's Indigenous Advisory Council from 2013 to 2017. He's also the second cousin of boxer Anthony Mundine.
Why does his name sound so familiar?
He is a conservative political commentator, regularly speaking about indigenous issues in the media. Mr Mundine also hosts Mundine Means Business on Sky, which looks at entrepreneurship in indigenous communities and considers where improvements can be made.
What was his role with the Labor Party?
He was the national president from 2006 to 2007, before quitting the party in 2012 after almost 20 years of membership.
Mr Mundine left the party saying it no longer held the same values as when he joined, and he was disappointed Labor hadn't put forward any indigenous candidates for winnable seats.
Has he ever had a tilt at federal parliament?
He sought Senate pre-selection in both 2001 and 2012. In the latter year he put his name in the ring to fill a seat vacated by Mark Arbib, but he lost out to Bob Carr.
The plight and progress of indigenous Australians. Mr Mundine has called for an indigenous voice in parliament but says most communities are more worried about jobs, education and healthcare over the date of Australia Day.
