'The Mouth' Mundine to enter politics

The former world champion last night announced his plan to run as an independent in the inner-western Sydney seat of Marrickville in next year's state election.

The seat is held by Education Minister Carmel Tebbutt, who has already said a run by Mundine would have no influence on her campaign.

The former rugby league player said his move was to secure Redfern's Aboriginal housing area The Block.

Redfern's Aboriginal community has reacted angrily to proposed changes to planning controls by the Redfern Waterloo Authority and the Minister for Redfern Waterloo Mr Sartor, which they say would halve the amount of housing allowed on The Block.

Last night at a rally staged by local community groups, Mr Mundine, who is Aboriginal and nicknamed "The Man", declared his position.

"Obviously there's a lot of racism and a lot of despicable acts going on within the Government," Mr Mundine told hundreds of his supporters.

"If the Block don't stand, then Sartor, you don't stand."

According to the Aboriginal Housing Company, The Block will become part of the seat of Marrickville at the election.

Tom Uren, a former minister in the Whitlam Government, which made the first purchase of The Block, gave Mr Mundine his support.

"I think he (Sartor) is a man of excessive arrogance," Mr Uren said. "After all, he's been in the Labor Party five minutes and he seems to be making most of the decisions."

Efforts to contact Mr Sartor last night were unsuccessful.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20089815-5005941,00.html