I sent a letter to the editor of The Age in response to Dean Mighell’s article:

‘If Dean Mighell genuinely believed that unions should not be affiliated with the ALP (“Unions must leave Labor”, 11/2), he would move to disaffiliate his own union, the ETU. Given his union’s support for Greens, ALP members would be very pleased.

‘The ALP does not need to break its connection with the union movement, which actually keeps the party in touch with reality. It needs to strengthen it. It could do this by restoring the right of rank and file unionists to vote in ALP pre-selections for Lower House seats, but that is something that will not happen until ordinary party members and ordinary unionists use their internal electoral processes to make it happen.

‘Yours sincerely,

‘Chris Curtis

‘Emailed to letters@theage.com.au
As Green Dean can find the door’

It was not published.

Dear Chris;

You're welcome to post your comment/letter in full at my blog where I have republished Dean's article. (just so long as the content and tone are respectful - and keeps to the subtance of the issues)

My article here at On Line Opinion will likely be published again at my blog 'Left Focus' this coming Sunday also. Your contribution to the debate would be welcome there and then too.

see: http://leftfocus.blogspot.com/

sincerely,

Tristan

Dear Chris.L,

I would agree that there are conservatives who in their hearts can be compassionate and decent. I've known some in my time - and that's why I make a point of appealing to people within the Liberal Party.

The point is to break the nexus between conservatism and neo-liberalism.

It's not always right or fair to 'let the market sort us out'. And there are some areas - such as Aged Care - that oughtn't take place within in a market/profit motive context.

And most neo-liberals today want to ditch aspects of the Australian settlement that were held dearly in Menzies' time. (eg: regulated labour market, progressive taxation system, mixed economy) In some ways and in some contexts the social democrats these days are conservative where the neo-liberals aren't.

What is absoutely crucial - is that conservatives and liberals on the relative political and economic Right should not be pressured to accept the 'conservative/neo-liberal nexus' on pain of exclusion or condemnation.

From what I've seen - the commitment of Quadrant to economic liberalism - and exlcusion of non-economic liberal conservatism - must be called into question.

Chris - given that you've had a level of involvement there - you would be ideally placed to push some of these questions.

all the best,

Tristan

Tristan,

Whilst Sweden is a high taxing, high government spending nation, that's about as far as it goes. Sweden has a lower minimum wage than Australia, and less protected work conditions. The government there privatises businesses. So while you may dream of nationalising Telstra, the Swedish government has no such plans with Sony Ericson. Finally, the govt there supports free trade (unlike the Rudd govt).

Also, unemployment in Sweden is currently at 9%, and at 30% for those aged between 15-25 years. That's far higher than unemployment rates in Australia.

So the example of Sweden does not support your argument. Likewise with the other countries you mention when the facts are scrutinised.

For example, Denmark has very a flexible and mobile labour market, where employers can hire and fire almost all will;

Surely the home insulation and school halls debacles would make you consider that governments are not suited to playing such an active role in the economy?

AJFA, I think your points about the scandanavian's are well made. I also think they are not relevant to a largely resource driven but service employing economy like Australia and also people who hark on about them are deluded frankly. Keating knew better than any other politician in the last 30 years that Australia has no natural trading partners (except for our raw materials) so we have to fight hard for markets and be agile and adaptable as an economy. The manufacturing rent seeks like the car companies and unions are dinosaurs that will disapoint. Given the high dollar, they are going to naturally get smaller or adapt to a different model. That is the creative destruction of markets at work! We need it to prosper ...

Just a few points: If you have a social wage as strong as we find in countries like Sweden - then you can afford more labour market flexibility without there resulting poverty and social dislocation. We are not so fortunate as to have such a strong welfare state in Austalia.

Secondly - trying to 'make the labour market clear' with 'McJobs' which are unskilled and poor playing - without a strong social wage - is a recipe for social dislocation. At the extreme, you have the kind of working poor and underclass experienced in the United States.

Perhaps one of the best ways of dealing with this is through a combination of an interventionist industry policy; and with targeted tax breaks and other social wage benefits.

But in Australia I don't think we need US-style labour markets in order to have minimal unemployment. Although sadly there are people would would benefit from the exploitation on an underclass; and maybe these people therefore don't see a problem with minimal labour market protection.