Govt ministers defend PM dumping candidate August 11, 2013 - 10:07AM Senior government ministers are defending Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's decision to dump a Labor candidate for misconduct, saying it shows true leadership in difficult circumstances. Geoff Lake, the ALP's candidate for the safe Labor Victorian seat of Hotham, was forced to apologise again for verbally abusing a fellow councillor at a meeting in 2002, and said he remained remorseful. But Mr Rudd on Saturday issued a statement saying the party had removed Mr Lake's endorsement following a report by Labor's national secretary George Wright into misconduct claims. Cabinet minister Chris Bowen said there was a "drama" every election campaign with one candidate or another, and the key question was how the party responded. Mr Bowen said the prime minister demanded the highest standards of behaviour and accountability of ALP candidates, and in this case had demonstrated leadership. "I think that's how a leader, a prime minister, or a leader of an opposition should respond when difficult issues have emerged in relation to a candidate for either political party," he told ABC TV on Sunday. He said while it was usually preferable for the ALP rank and file to select a new candidate, in this case it was appropriate the national executive quickly select a replacement given the campaign is in full swing. Cabinet minister Penny Wong said Mr Lake's removal was regrettable, but the prime minister had shown he was "decisive and clear" about what the ALP expected from candidates. Another Labor candidate also called it quits during the election campaign on Saturday. Labor's candidate for the Queensland seat of Kennedy, Ken Robertson, resigned after reportedly calling Tony Abbott a bigot.