Belinda Neal’s official electorate spokesperson has accused preselection rival Deborah O’Neill of racism and “vile conduct” in her attempts to unseat her.

In an extraordinary email sent to Robertson ALP preselectors on Wednesday night, and obtained by Crikey, Federal Electoral Council president Katie Smith says her rival’s  “mob” are guilty of “racist remarks and vilification” and claims a senior Neal supporter has been abused.

Smith says O’Neill is complicit in the attacks. “She knows what are doing and by her silence supports it.” However Smith gives no specific examples.

Under party rules, Smith has deigned herself the sole spokesperson for local members, effectively banning the rank and file from speaking out.  However, she has so far failed to stem the torrent of internal leaks and sniping since the preselection battle began in earnest two weeks ago.

In the email, Smith says local members have “forgotten” Neal’s election night victory speech, when she promised to work hard for the people of Robertson.

“Not once  have you complained of her performance yet  you stand now and condemn her for doing the job she was elected to do. You stood on the sideline and watch the media besmirchment (sic) and cheered and now you join in.”

Last year, Neal installed Smith as the president of the Robertson FEC at its annual general meeting, with the duo leaving shortly after the vote to attend a football match. A local lawyer, Smith has been angling for years to replace Neal’s rival Marie Andrews in the state seat of Gosford with the backing of Neal and husband John Della Bosca. She is intimately involved in Neal’s bid to retain her position on the ALP ticket in the face of a grassroots rebellion which has seen local support lock in behind her rival.

Smith’s spray appears to have been prompted by a Daily Telegraph front page on Wednesday, which claimed that Neal had fast-tracked Wamberal-Terrigal branch member Louise Sauvage’s hip surgery in exchange for her support in the March 6 ballot. Soon after the incident, the 72-year-old Sauvage received a call from a local hospital offering the surgery. Neal has denied any inference of impropriety.

Sauvage was the second Wamberal-Terrigal member to speak out after former branch president Darryl Bowling called on Neal to stand down two weeks ago.

Smith’s email has been met with an angry response from other locals. A reply sent yesterday by long-time Mooney Mooney branch member Ted Roberts lashed Smith and Neal and demanded the duo produce evidence for the claims:

“Katie Smith, the president of Robertson FEC, in an hysterical letter to members, lumps me and every one else who believes in our democratic right to decide which candidate for preselection we will support, as a member of some imagined “mob” who stand on the sidelines and cheer as the media reports on the activities of her preferred candidate.

“It is she and her own clique who by doing this are resorting to innuendo, vilification, and gutter tactics.”

A Neal staffer, Dez Karlsson, told Crikey that Smith was writing in her capacity as a local member and was not a mouthpiece for Neal. However, Smith has repeatedly gone into bat for her close friend, telling local media that there was “no move” to unseat Ms Neal and she would lead Labor into the Federal Election.

Neal claimed she had not seen Smith’s email when contacted by Crikey, despite it having been sent to Karlsson’s email account.

“The views of individual party members are their own. I do not intend to comment on internal party matters,” Neal told Crikey.

Despite the grim tidings as local members revolt, Smith predicts Neal is set to triumph from adversity, claiming that she “has down [sic] her job and done it well”.

“A united front and a resounding Pre Selection win will silence all the critics; lets [sic] do it”.

Deborah O’Neill did not return Crikey‘s calls before deadline.