MacTiernan a 'formidable' Perth candidate Former West Australian Labor minister Alannah MacTiernan has been selected as the party's candidate for the federal seat of Perth. Lawyer Matthew Keogh said he withdrew his nomination before the deadline in the interests of party unity, leaving Ms MacTiernan, 60, as the only nominee. She would be a formidable candidate, Mr Keogh said. The vacancy was created by the retirement of Defence Minister Stephen Smith, who is bowing out of politics at the next election and will be her campaign director. Ms MacTiernan said she hadn't coveted the seat, but Mr Smith had encouraged her to nominate, as had many other people. "Now that we have got rid of the personality issues that I think were distorting the whole Australian political process, there are issues that this Australian election will be about ... really serious issues," she told reporters. That's why I am standing. She said it was time for Labor to reform. The Labor party has got to be like the Labor party when I joined - full of a huge array of people from different backgrounds that all have a say. Even WA Premier Colin Barnett said Ms MacTiernan would be a strong candidate. "If Alannah has a go, it will be a full-on campaign, that's for sure," the Liberal leader said. Ms MacTiernan said she would push hard for WA's interests, including a better share of Commonwealth funding for public transport. And she would work with Mr Barnett on that front - ironic given the pair's sometimes bitter political rivalry. After 17 years in WA parliament and her failed tilt at federal politics in 2010 - when she said she wouldn't have another - Ms MacTiernan returned to public life as the mayor of the City of Vincent in 2011. "I've now learnt you never say never," she said.