NSW senator Kristina Keneally, who is involved in a fierce preselection contest with her colleague Deb O’Neill for the first and third positions on the Labor Senate ticket, this week ruled out shifting to the lower house ahead of the next election.

The contest has created internal ructions, with the senator who fails to secure the top of the ticket facing the troublesome third place on the ticket behind Left-aligned senator Jenny McAllister.

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Mr Hayes said his seat of Fowler contained the largest Vietnamese diaspora in the country, a community he had worked closely with since shifting from the neighbouring seat of Werriwa.

“I consider it an absolute honour to be associated with this community that has contributed so much in fundamentally such a short period of time,” he said. “That is the strength of our multiculturalism. And I know issues about diversity have been in the public eye for a while.”

Mr Hayes said he was “quite confident” Ms Tu could easily win a rank-and-file preselection.

He said his replacement in one of the most multicultural communities would reflect the electorate.

“My departure, I think, will give the party the opportunity to consider someone, not only who has the necessary commitment and drive and energy to perform the task of a Member of Parliament representing that community, but also represents the face, the aspirations, of what is one of the most diverse communities in the country.”

Mr Hayes was first elected to Parliament in 2005 after contesting a byelection following the resignation of former leader Mark Latham.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese said Mr Hayes was one of the few people who “don’t have any enemies in the building”.