The ALP was formed by workers in hard times and true it is moveing away from them at a steady pace, and they are moveing away from Labor at a greater pace.
Is it not clear that the Greens are never going to govern? never going to change anything?.
I am not unaware that most non conservative anti Labor posts come from the Greens suporters.
One union is openly talking about leaveing the ALP to go green, so be it.
Maths gentle men can you see other than Labor beating Howard?, are the greens to be his best weapon? divide and all that?
Labor/ Hawk/Keiting and Blair are following the voters execpting reality not day dreaming.
This election may be the first of 3 or 4 that see,s the senate swing towards conservative or Labor, less small partys that would be good for Australia.
I will stand with all who work and vote for the only party that can change it John Howard can not number me amung his followers.

The thread highlights the authors intent, from within the ALP and some who are in fact greens constant complaints about Labors direction.
And the thought that Costello is like Labor?
Has the very real pain on all who work inflicted by workchoices sunk in?.
Can it be that some think a Costello goverment would undo this insult to workers?
Yes I come from Labors centre right, name me a leader who both won an election and did not come from there, name me a leftist leader in modern times.
A refugee from my leftist branch of the party its very true that we need to focus on wining an election may I advise the radical left that the greens have plenty of room?
Labor must take a different direction, we have no time to play Australia needs good goverment too much.

Well,Beazley-has-outdone-himself-in-today’s-meeting-with-the National-Press-Club. ‘Ideology’ is out whether left-wing ideology or the vicious Conservative ideology that informs Howard’s IR agenda. Unfortunately, this is code for ‘ideology (ie: values) out, opportunism in’.Budget surpluses are to be expected in all instances except ‘absolute economic collapse. ’What is more, having promised tax cuts to individuals on over $60,000/year, Beazley went on to describe ‘middle Australia’ as those on Around $55,000/year. Beazley’s speech was full of references to this ‘middle Australia’ – but there was little mention of those on lower incomes nor any mention of how so called ‘Average Weekly Earnings’ is distorted by the omission of part-time workers, pensioners and the unemployed.

Instead of tax cuts for the ‘high end’ (masquerading as ‘middle Australia’) we need tax credits now for those on lower incomes –especially for those in the process of moving from welfare to work.

The only bright spark in the speech was Beazley’s promise to tackle Howard’s industrial relations legislation – but with no details this is still an area of concern for ordinary ALP members. Will the IRC be restored to its former prominence, will there be a right to strike, will elements of ‘Work Choices’ be retained?

We need, now, to begin campaigning for an alternative tax agenda: one that uses tax credits to tackle poverty while restructuring PAYE tax scales to pay for this process in a manner that is revenue neutral overall. What is more, we need to be open to options such as a Wealth Tax in order to fund desperately needed programs in health, education and aged care. To get the issue in perspective, we need about $5 billion to address the crisis of hospital waiting lists. How does this sit with a promise of ‘no new taxes’ and sweeping tax cuts?

Beazley seems to promise everything – but you can’t afford significant boosts to expenditure in vital areas without progressive tax reform including tax increases in some areas – and this is the message that needs to become the ‘common sense’ of the ALP well before the next election, with or without Beazley as leader.

Tristan wrote:
"Instead of tax cuts for the ‘high end’ (masquerading as ‘middle Australia’) we need tax credits now for those on lower incomes –especially for those in the process of moving from welfare to work".

Tristan,

Couldn't agree more. However, will this "middle Australia" vote in unison for tax credits for those on lower incomes?

The Howard government knows full well that downward envy and wedges work very well for the 'aspirational middle Australians’ such as the unemployed, lone parents, the young, those with disabilities, asylum seekers, Indigenous people, the frail, the aged and other relatively powerless citizens.

Until the Bomber (or whoever the next leader will be?) can strategically link support by middle Australia to these groups as an economic as well as ideological synergy, it will always be open to Howard to exploit at will.

The whole economic construct of “middle Australia” is itself a political wedge between the rich and the very poor.

What are your thoughts on this?

`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸><((((º>

Well, I think welfare state universalism - improving services in health, education and aged care services to be used by all Australians is part of the answer. Tax credits for lower income Australians would have to be part of a broader strategy of which solidaristic taxation and universalism in social expenditure (eg: Medicare) would be the centrepiece. Add to this concern over IR and I think there's a chance of victory. Remember - so called 'middle Australia' - in Beazley's estimate those on $55,000/year - are, in reality, a minority. The constituency of those on lower incomes is larger - and Labor should attempt to appeal to these voters as a bloc. I think, also, that the notion that you can't have quality social services without taxation is sellable if only someone had the guts to try.

I agree that 'Menzies' forgotten people' - or 'middle Australia' is a construct designed to split the working class. Many of these people, however, are also unionists who would be fearful of Howard's IR agenda. Others would appreciate the case for more infrastructure expenditure. Others would appreciate that you can't have it all - if you want to cut hospital waiting lists it has to be paid for. Of course you'd lose some of these people - but imagine the votes you'd pick up from those on lower incomes if you appealed directly to their class interests - including job security, services etc.

In short - I think it can be done here as it's been done in Scandanavia, France and other countries - but it takes leadership - soemthing that I think is in short supply in the Labor Party.

Finally, some of the taxation measures - such as abolishing dividend imputation, introducing a wealth tax for millionaires etc - would not hit 'middle Australia' very hard anyway. Labor needs, itself, to start playing class politics again - and building a majority constituency for change. If John Howard could win an election with a GST I think Labor can do this if only it tries.

Tristan

What Labor doe,s not need is to forget any one section of the electorate .
We are not going to be elected with a Robin Hood policys that is surely clear?
However equaly clear Labor will give rights taken by Workchoices back and look after the poor much better.
Come with me to work today, as a careing but never radical trade union oficial and meet people who are working poor right now.
True Aussie battlers and ask them who can help them.
Only Labor, dream of Robin and his lads but know your dream is not shared by enought to win a raffle in the pub tonight.
Labor , any Labor goverment cares more than a conservative one.
And those Australia needs a change in real direction not dreams.