NSW: Franca Arena bows out of politics

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-1999
NSW: Franca Arena bows out of politics

SYDNEY, April 13 AAP - Anti-paedophile crusader Franca Arena today announced she was
leaving politics after failing to be re-elected to the New South Wales Legislative Council.

In a statement, Mrs Arena, a former Labor MP who became an independent, said she was sad to
leave parliament, but accepted the verdict of the voters.

"I stood for re-election being fully aware that it would be difficult to get re-elected as
our party (The Franca Arena Child Safety Alliance) was only a few months old and we had little
infrastructure to cope with the problem of manning over 1,000 polling booths," she said.

Mrs Arena said the large size of the upper house ballot paper contributed to her defeat.

"As I bow out of public life, I still intend to pursue good causes as a community
activist," she said.

Mrs Arena was first elected to the NSW Legislative Council in 1981.

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KEYWORD: ARENA

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