The shift towards Mcleod has occurred in light of Liberal MP Kelly O’Dwyer announcing that she would not recontest the seat at the upcoming election.
Spiegel, the previously endorsed candidate for Labor was preselected by the Labor party before Kelly O’Dwyer announced her retirement from politics in January.
Mcleod, the new candidate for the ALP, is a senior counsel barrister and has held a number of high profile roles.
She is the former president of the Law Council of Australia and led the Commonwealth’s legal team in the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse.
Labor dumps Higgins candidate in favour of high-profile lawyer (Fiona McLeod SC!) https://t.co/GMl4QsC7Cj via @theage
— Aust Women Lawyers (@AusWomenLawyers) March 21, 2019
She also chairs the anti-corruption body Transparency International Australia.
She led the legal team in the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. McLeod has also called for a compensation scheme for victims of human trafficking.
Last month, the Liberal Party preselected pediatrician Katie Allen to contest the seat, replacing O’Dwyer.
Congratulations to the wonderful Dr Katie Allen who is the new @LiberalAus candidate for Higgins. As a doctor, Katie has cared for so many people in our community. I have no doubt she will care for them in that very same way as our preselected candidate. pic.twitter.com/Reu8sm785r
— Kelly O’Dwyer (@KellyODwyer) February 24, 2019
The Liberal Party holds a margin of 10.1%. At the 2016 federal election, the Liberal party received 52% of the primary vote in Higgins. The Greens attracted the second highest vote in 2016, garnering 25.3% of the primary vote. Labor trailed significantly behind at 14.9%.
The seat is located in the inner-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, a wealthy area that has been held by the Liberal Party since 1949. Past local members include Peter Costello and Harold Holt.