Canberra asbestos campaigner Brianna Heseltine has joined the Labor Party and could contest the 2016 ACT election.
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The high-profile Fluffy Owners and Residents' Action Group founder confirmed to The Canberra Times on Tuesday that she had joined the ALP and was considering a role in politics.
In a statement Ms Heseltine said she was examining her options as she continued her work for the more than 1000 households caught up in the "Mr Fluffy" asbestos crisis.
"Over the past months I have been approached by numerous people on whether I intend to attempt to run in the 2016 election," she said.
"When this was first put to me, I was astounded that something that has brought my family so much devastation could possibly lead to a future in public life.
"Politics is a brutal arena. I've always despaired at the low end of it – the behaviour of tearing people down instead of championing issues with merit and getting results. During these times of deep uncertainty and strain, I ask for privacy about any possible future plans in politics which may or may not materialise depending on my own decisions, and party processes."
Joining the ALP could complicate Ms Heseltine's advocacy for asbestos-affected households, which has won bipartisan political and community support.
Criticising Labor's "political games" in signing up Ms Heseltine, Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson said on Tuesday that affected homeowners would feel "misled and let down".
The 39-year-old-public servant has been the face and driving force of the campaign for territory and federal assistance.
She has had regular meetings with Mr Hanson, Chief Minister Katy Gallagher and the government asbestos taskforce.
Her new political affiliation comes as the ACT Legislative Assembly prepares to expand to 25 members, prompting broad candidate recruitment from all parties.
In revealing her political ambitions on social media, Ms Heseltine asked friends and family on July 30 to keep secret her party membership to avoid jeopardising advocacy for families with loose-fill asbestos in their homes.
"ACT Election 2016 here I come," she wrote, suggesting Labor Senator Kate Lundy had proposed Ms Heseltine could "replace her".
The post revealed she had also considered running for federal Parliament or joining the ACT bar.
In her statement released on Tuesday following inquiries from The Canberra Times, Ms Heseltine said the past five months had brought turmoil to her family but that the media and public focus should remain on other families facing anxiety and financial strain.
"Any Australian citizen has the right to be a member of a political party, and I confirm that I have exercised that right," she said.
She had been "working across the political divide towards a constructive solution for all affected".
"The politics on Mr Fluffy have and must remain a matter for our politicians," Ms Heseltine said.
The territory and Commonwealth governments will announce in coming weeks a formal plan to deal with the homes, missed in previous clean up efforts.
In NSW, councils and the state governments are considering how to remove Mr Fluffy's toxic footprint.
Senator Lundy, the immediate past president of the ACT Labor Party, denied she had suggested Ms Heseltine could take over her role as ACT Senator.
She defended Ms Heseltine's decision not to disclose the membership while representing the group to the ACT government and the media.
"I didn't have that conversation with Brianna," Senator Lundy said. "It didn't happen."
"It was clear that she was getting approaches by political parties, as you would expect. I certainly took the opportunity to make sure that the ALP was there as an option for her."
Senator Lundy praised the mother-of-two as a passionate advocate with potential to represent the community in the Assembly.
Mr Hanson said he was disappointed Ms Heseltine had not disclosed her ALP membership sooner.
He denied approaching her about a possible run for the Liberal Party at the 2016 election, and said she had raised the prospect during an informal meeting the pair had on July 17.
"In light of this revelation, this now calls into question Ms Heseltine's recent statements in defence of Katy Gallagher's past inaction on this issue," Mr Hanson said in a statement.
"More importantly the 1000 affected homeowners will feel misled and let down. Regardless of political games being played by the Labor Party, I remain committed to finding a bipartisan solution for all the Mr Fluffy families and continue to offer the opposition's ongoing support for a timely, fair and permanent solution."