When Gough Whitlam got chucked out on his ear, the Australian Labor Party decided that it needed a more broadly based electorate than it's traditional working class and disadvanteged class base. In a country like Australia where prosperity was rising, Labor's traditional voting base was shrinking.

Labor then became a chief advocate for more immigration and an advocate of refugees. If there was not enough poverty in Australia for Labor to take advantage of, then Labor would do it's best to import it from overseas. That such a policy would hardly be applauded by Labor's traditional voters is something that the Labor apparatchiks would not even consider.

Labor endorsed immigrant friendly "causes" like the Republic, guaranteed to bring a tear to the eye of any imported ethnic who resented Anglo domination of Australian culture, but it was anathema to working class and disadvantaged class Australians. Proof of this came with the referendum results. Two thirds of Beazley's own electorate voted against the Republic.

What we are seing now is election results hinging upon ethnic faultlines. Labour has now practically abandoned it's traditional Australian voters and those voters are now increasingly voting Liberal.

The only way that Labour will regain the respect of it's traditional Australian voters will be to offer to endorse Pauline Hanson as an ALP candidate in the next election. After the Latham debacle, the ALP must be insane if it thinks that a good looking sort like Julia Gropeable, a university trained functionary with an "all you need is love" philosophy, who has never run a business or had a real job, is going to get them back on the Government benches.

I know quite a few ordinary, working class 'poms' who fled Blair's Britain because of his policies. Most loathe and detest the very thought of the man.
Our "Labor" party probably wouldn't find a "working" man among it's membership of academics and union leaders.
Once 'Labor' stood for the workers, it has been many years since the main interest of the party was anything but their own quest for personal power, perks and prestige.
Get rid of the union and old university types who clog up Labor's arteries. Until then, stay on the opposition benches.

Some say Labor lost its way, or lost the plot after Hawke and Keating, both backing an Australian version of Thatcherite economic rationalism, which meant very much sucking up to Big Biz, which had really been getting a rough time right through the days of the Keynesian mixed economy, which incidently showed how Maynard Keynes after a long spell of the earlier free mrket, had taken note of the warning from the founder of Laisey-faire, Adam Smith, who said that though far more freedom was needed for business acumen, certain government utilities were better managed by government. Also Smith warned that the need for natural greed for the progress of capitalism, would also bring the need for the protection of the worker.

Futhermore, because the Thatcherite and Reaganomc version of free-market capitalism was ultra-right-wing, Labor could be called fortunate to have been able to govern those years. And though Howard might have been slow getting the market message, he has proved himself a master at it - not without a few evasions and untruths which could still get him in a lot of trouble.

Blair of course, followed pretty well the same economic trail as Hawke and Keating, really abusing the true Keynesian democratic mixed economic principle.

While Blair has been successful double-crossing the true Laborite principle, the Australian conservatives have been apparently much smarter than the UK conservatives, Australian Labor still caught in the eco-rational economic net, most of the time half agreeing in economics rather than opposing

Alex,

I live in Britain and believe in the move to the Centre. Blair is a winner no doubt.

But there is something even better: primary preselection.

Go read: http://www.onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=159

It is the only way to bring into concert popular involvement and a viable sentiment for long term governance. It also ensures community involvement and choice. I'd say it is only way to ensure the Localism to which Kevin Rudd refers.

I am firmly of the view that when New Labour is beaten they will again drift into the wildernerss Left. You need a mechanism to stop this permanently.

Great article by the way,
Corin

Corin,
Yes the ALP is a carbon copy of Blair already, it has trouble opposing Howard because they are so much alike, scewed so far to the right, it is difficult to tell them from the tories.

The only way the ALP will regain government, is to regain its trafitional base, working class families, and the disabled in the community, which does look like happening any time soon.

I believe the ordinary people are sick to the back teeth of little Johhny, however as long as the ALP stays so far to the right, there is no alternative, for whom to vote. In my view this fact alone will keep the ALP in opposition for another decade.

I don't know that things are so dire for Labor. They are only 1 federal election win away from governing in every parliament in Australia. They are flush with funds, thanks to the union backing. Depending how Howard's IR laws play out, there is the possibility of Labor being swept in on the backlash as almost happened in 1998 with the GST backlash. If they change leaders and develop a couple of half-decent policies federal Labor is still a chance of a 2007 win. There is no great love for Howard, just not enough faith in the alternative.
Alex, what part of Latham's strategy did you advise him on when you worked for him? It seems to me that for a while Labor had a chance with Latham in 2004 before a series of bad strategic decisions led to his portrayal as an unstable man who could not be trusted to be PM. And weren't you with Latham on Liverpool Council in the early 90s where his failed experiments with a neo-con, economic rationalist agenda were brought back to haunt him in the 2004 campaign?

Labour is only left with the dregs after all the rich and powerful join the Liberals.

And even then the dregs will be dumb enough to associate themselves with Liberals because of their blind loyalty to their masters.

Labours fast fall from grace was to kick Latham down not only because he fractionally lost his first election but also in his defenceless situation with his health made him easy prey.

Simon Creane has experienced some of the behaviour in recent news, the knives, ready to draw blood. Although after Kim and Simon met the other day, they were not willing to comment on what had been discussed but were happy with the outcomes of their talks.

The only thing that really saved Simon was his intentions on letting out his first bit of mud out, regarding branch stacking and the Fundamentalist Unionism positioning itself into top position, such as the potential of his seat of Hotham.

Industrial Awards are in Labours favour with the majority of Australian citizens about to be effected.

The influx of imported Labour from international sources are taking away advertised positions for Australian workers.

Lets hope that Labour doesn't stuff the High Court challenges they are to partake in as the Opposition of our Government, on behalf of the majority of Australian workers.

I have my doubts about the Labour opposition ability. Just as they have proven in the last 30 years, even in Government.

Labor's biggest mistake was it's attempt to hold the centre ground and this pushed the Libs even further to the Right.
Now it's just trying to "out-Howard" Howard and left itself nowhere to go.
It needs to move back to the Left where it belongs.
If it stuck to it's principles starting with the Tampa incident it would have probably thrown that election away but likely to be back in power now.
The last few elections were won on the basis of fear, personal greed and playing the race card.
The Liberals will inherit a bitter legacy in years to come that will screw them like the Democrats were after the GST, IR and Telstra legislations.
When interest rates invariably rise and the basic wage falls as a result of IR changes, those affected will be looking for an alternative and Labor needs to be ready.

Corin - thanks for the support.

Maybe some of Labor's Shadow Ministry do know what they would like to do. But from what I see the problem is that the electorate don’t want them to do any of it. We just don’t get Howards Australia. Keating said when you change government’s you change the nation. He was spot on. The thing is, once the nation has changed you have to change with it. You don't get to choose the point at which you step off.

Do I reckon the current Shadow Ministry could have done what Hawke/Keating did? Not a chance. Consider this scenario. Howard doing what Hawke/Keating did. What do you think we would be saying now? Of course, we would be opposing bank entry and deregulation of rates (we would say they would hurt the little people); we would oppose tariff reductions (job losses, the regions etc would be affected); and you can bet we would be opposing HECS (I can see it now).

The reality is we talk Hawke/Keating but we don’t believe it. It’s a blip in our history. And you know what? The punters know it too.

PK - a perfectly reasonable question to ask what I did for Latham. My answer? You read the book, do you reckon Latham had advisers per se?

A R,

And for primaries?

You know it's the only way home! They all know they must find something that resonates beyond factions, struggle, etc and that is community participation.

Run for National President? Heck if I were living in Oz I would see the opportunity and the press would love it - the debate over primaries has the Oz and SMH editorial team written all over it. Would you support it in 12 months.

Cheers,
Corin

Does anyone find it strange that so much attention is being given to the ALP's internal problems while the AWB scandal has slipped from the headlines?

If we all step back and think about it, what is the bigger news story? Preselections in Victoria for the ALP, or the payment of kickbacks to a regime that we were about to go to war to get rid of, that the government either condoned or turned a blind eye to?

Maybe the AWB scandal is not sexy enough to be a front page story

I don't know that I agree with all of your post today, Alex/ A R. Howard doing the Hawke/Keating agenda - didn't the Libs have that chance pre '83 and muffed it? Who was Treasurer during the latter years? Yep. OK, so John Winston may have wanted a reform agenda & was over-ruled by Frazer and the Nats. Just like Keating was over-ruled on the GST. And, there was plenty of opposition to much of the H/K reforms. I remember the HECS protests were especially bitter. I still think education should be taxpayer funded. I guess the point is that it may only take a change of leader and getting a few can-do people in for Labor to have a true reform team. Must admit that it looks unpromising now. This current lot of ALP Feds would be like the NSW Carr Government and waste their opportunity if elected. At least it could stop the degradation of Australian institutions over the past 10 years under JWH.

OK, so Latham may not have taken advice. So, it did end badly as some had forecast. But, you worked for him, Alex.

Corin - I do think primaries are a good idea. But I also think member elections of the National Executive are a good idea and I also think member petitioning to disendorse recalcitrant MP's is a good idea (like private companies have the ability to do with directors). I don't know which one is the "silver bullet" (if there is one at all) but at least I would like a conversation on these things. But I think we agree that we need to open the show up and that is the answer. Our problem is we debate the instrument not the goal.

PK - I remember the controversies over all the Hawke/Keating reforms. HECS, foreign banks etc etc. And your right, we take them for granted now, but not at the time. However, my basic point remains the same. Today, there is no way the ALP would go against the grain - they would side with the oppositionists. That's the key difference. A choice between the right road or the easy road, today we choose the easy road. Back then, it was the right road.

Your spot on. I did work for Latham and like all jobs, there are things I wish I had done and things I wished I hadn't - but I put my hand up for both. No walking away from the truth. But hey that's life. You do, you learn, sometimes you regret and quite often you wish.

Alex

From a someone with left leaning sypathies (only) l reckon Labour should just give up. Quit while they are behind. Get rid of the dead wood. They are only drifting aimlessly in their own seas of personal ambition. Beazley is a joke to the point of embarrassment. He didnt just appear out of thin air. The party room put him at the helm and it speaks for itself.

In Australia, voters dont really vote in a government, they vote one out. Howard, whatever one's political opinion, is a consumate politician of the highest order (thats not a compliment). He knows how to play the game. He knows where the buttons are and when to push them.

If people want to make things better, dont sit around waiting for a politician to do it on the back of voter complaints. Change things, starting at home. That is the essence of how we allow the political process to nueter ourselves. Take back responsibility and accountability. Dont let them drag you down.

From an old Cockie. Thanks for very interesting posts, mates.
Also keep up the cynicism - stirring makes such a potent political stew. Finally, it all might help Labor get real, if it returned to Keymesian mixed economics, the days of WW2 thanksgivings and the truly gracious Marshall Plan, despite the threat of Stalinism. My God, how did we get into the rottem mess we are now in, with our media magnates jumping for joy at the Western world's preponderance of new billionaires?

Besides Beazley promoting on media tonight his plan to help the busy or working mother, by attaching child care facilities to Primary Schools and other institutions.

Liberal retort to this idea, was the financial aspect and it economical practibility.

That is such a visionary thought of Kim's that after 30 years to help us tend to the kids so it is easy to drop them off to be mothered by someone else whilst we go out and maintain our daily roles and work routines for the economy.

It is also interesting that along with the Imported worker, Australian tax payers are also burden with the education of their children that so often accompany them.

Also the children do not speak English and are of school age, our burgeoning, taxed education budget is now having to be adjusted at a cost of what, to support this new epidemic.

Great "Industrial Workplace Agreement", assistance, Kim.

Thanks mate for the fair go!

If you look at the Crean/Latham train wreck [it had to be no chance ever existed they could rule] Labor has come back from true death.
Seen for what it is true renewal the pre selection war? is good for Labor.
For the left to blame it on factionalism is a huge laught.
Labor is renewing and a by election now to put Bill Shorten in the house is another step, lets do it! party first, well just behind the voters.
A question for Simon Crean , any thoughts on your next job?

In many ways I think Tony Blair is the UK version of the "drover's dog". He promised to be a more compassionate conservative , and has achieved that lofty goal.

Federal Labor really only needs to appear unified, keep chipping away at John Howard, and not embarass themselves in public.

Some may say that this is a small target approach and we should huff and puff about shiny new policies. Let's get real - nobody cares about most Government policies let alone Opposition policies 12 months or more from an election.

Stop looking for magic bullets - the last one (Latham) shot us all in the foot.

Well ok westernred but it remains true some on the left will not ever understand Labor must not drift to the left.
How realistic is it to think we are in our current position because we are too conservative?
Enter workers lunch rooms with me and understand 40% vote only conservative.
Understand while its comforting to cover our heads with the blankets and say Howards scare tactics on interest rates beat us it remains untrue.
And while we suspect we shall see new policys and smileing baby kissers dureing the election, surely its clear Aussies think we should see it every day, have we only a short supply of ideas? must we conserve them?
Labor is ,if we run hard every day, much closer to goverment than many think.