▁of ▁Ke ira ▁as ▁an ▁independent . ▁S ull ivan ▁took ▁the ▁pr ese lection ▁to ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁but ▁lost , ▁and ▁public ly ▁considered ▁running ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁before ▁dec iding ▁against ▁it . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁re app oint ed ▁as ▁Parliament ary ▁Secretary ▁for ▁Ab original ▁Affairs ▁after ▁the ▁election , ▁and ▁acted ▁as ▁a ▁strong ▁pro ponent ▁of ▁Sorry ▁Day ▁and ▁National ▁Re con c ili ation ▁Week . ▁He ▁faced ▁spec ulation ▁about ▁another ▁challenge ▁for ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁le aked ▁to ▁the ▁press ▁that ▁his ▁name ▁was ▁on ▁an ▁internal ▁party ▁" hit - list " ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁election . ▁Long ▁a ▁target ▁of ▁the ▁right ▁wing , ▁the ▁fa ction ▁had ▁been ▁especially ▁anger ed ▁by ▁his ▁ref us al ▁to ▁cross ▁a ▁union ▁pick et ▁line ▁at ▁Parliament ▁House ▁in ▁opposition ▁to ▁Car r ▁government ▁workers ▁compens ation ▁changes ▁that ▁were ▁deeply ▁un pop ular ▁in ▁Mark ham ' s ▁blue - col lar ▁elect or ate . ▁The ▁spec ulation ▁received ▁a ▁sharp ▁response ▁from ▁the ▁trade ▁union ▁movement , ▁with ▁the ▁local ▁divisions ▁of ▁six ▁major ▁un ions ▁threaten ing ▁protest s ▁and ▁support ▁for ▁independent ▁cand ida cies ▁if ▁Mark ham ▁was ▁to pp led ▁by ▁head ▁office . ▁Mark ham ' s ▁imp ending ▁ax ing ▁took ▁on ▁federal ▁consequences ▁when ▁angry ▁local ▁un ions ▁and ▁left - wing ▁groups ▁directed ▁their ▁resources ▁against ▁the ▁right ▁fa ction ▁candidate ▁Labor