Kucera ready to run for old seat

Former Labor government minister and senior policeman Bob Kucera is on the brink of a political comeback after being asked by new leader Mark McGowan to contest the seat of Mt Lawley at the next election.

_The West Australian _has confirmed the preselection move by Labor and that Channel 7 news reporter Reece Whitby is almost certain to be endorsed as the candidate for Morley.

Mr Kucera, who was cast adrift by Labor before the 2008 election, said he believed he could win back the Liberal-held seat.

"If I didn't think it was winnable, I wouldn't even consider it," Mr Kucera said yesterday. "The seat hasn't changed greatly since I held it for eight years and I haven't walked away from the community either."

The 67-year-old stepped away from politics after threatening to run as an independent when the party overlooked him for preselection. It followed the controversial decision of then premier Alan Carpenter to put hand-picked candidates into several seats.

Mr Kucera said he was surprised to hear from Mr McGowan but, after giving it some thought, he agreed to nominate. "One of my concerns, to be frank, is that I'm the chairman of Council of the Ageing in WA and neither side of politics has really picked up the cudgel for older people," Mr Kucera said. "They make up a big group in the community that's hurting."

One Labor powerbroker said Mr Kucera's comeback was a real boost for the party and that he would have beaten Mt Lawley's sitting MP Michael Sutherland in 2008.

Mr Sutherland said he looked forward to the fight to retain his seat.

Mr Whitby, who was parachuted into Morley at the last election and lost to Liberal Ian Britza, has been convinced to contest the seat again.

Mr Whitby has been heavily involved in local Labor politics as the party's branch president.

In the seat of Fremantle, UnionsWA secretary Simone McGurk is likely to secure endorsement from Labor and challenge independent MP Adele Carles.