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The Forum > General Discussion > labor's national conference

labor's national conference

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Although the media appears to be pre-occupied with gay marriage the sleeper issue at the Labor convention is pre-selection. If the party moves to adopt a USA style primary pre-selection process it could be a game breaker; not only will it reduce the influence of independents and minor parties but it will break the stranglehold that factions have on the political process. Overnight accountability will have switched from the powerbrokers back to the electors. Furthermore the Liberal Party will have little choice but to follow suit.
The weakness of the current system is that the majority of voters are alienated from the political system – both parties operate as closed clubs. Join either party and you will spend most of your time kicking your heels in the lobby whilst real decisions are taken place behind closed doors. Little wonder that voters are disillusioned.
The reason a shift to a USA style primary system will be a game breaker is not because that is a perfect system. That system too has become as corrupted as vested interests manipulate the process but it takes time for these vested interests to work out the best way to control the process. The advantage is that in the short term at least it will revitalise the political process in as much it will require prospective candidates to demonstrate that they are critically engaged with the issues that matter to the electorate.
Will the Labor Party have the courage to open up its pre-selection process? If it does then the odds are that it may well manage to defeat the Coalition in 2013 for their selected candidates will have already established their credibility with the electorate as a whole and not just with the party faithful. It could also spell the end of the Greens and the minor parties for their supporters would be tempted to use the preselection process as a Trojan Horse to put forward their candidates.
Posted by BAYGON, Friday, 2 December 2011 8:20:35 AM
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i listend to the juliar on abc
taklking about how they as young people
thought they had something to say...[mainly from the left]

but in time the shut up
and then go to the right

[ok she said the first bit
but forgets all she used to think
cause only the right gets into power
be it lib/lab/gree..or demonic autoc-rat

public serviants love these party meetings
cause they run the two party system

the backrom facelwess men
do they speak publicly?

hell labratter policy was get rid of the drug laws
so they got rid of hokers and gambling..[by legalising that]

oh who give a hoot
two partypatsies
the lot of em...serving the elite corperat adenda of the elite exploiting plundering anf looting the wealth of the common weal[ie the people and OUR estates]

tell me how much current party policy they put through
was it partyy policy the nbm..or the carbon tax and carbon trading..or the war on smokers

[partyy policy is the vener
to con you ladies]..the party wants you..
it dont need you....once the vote is counted

unless its to say how good my party is
lol

so sad thats some tranpherance of affection
lol to a name or a mind set based on an image..a delusion

in lue of real true love
and govt being there to serve you
not tax you into early graves and put police on ya
when you finaly dare complain

bah party loyalty is treason
ban parties..[and fat cat free lunches]
and bailing out capitalists...

and give up trying to pick
ya mates wind solar water/..scemes as winners]
and clean up the medicine subsidy..its corperate welfare

diabetus isnt sick
its lack of self control
mostly
Posted by one under god, Friday, 2 December 2011 1:37:56 PM
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BAYGON thanks informed thread and post.
Labor the party of true reform seems doomed to be praised for it only in retrospect.
I am well aware of intended changes and benefited from some already achieved.
I have voted in party elections twice online, and had my say on issues too.
I am full of hope, at the promised changes.
Trade unionist for life,I now take the view unions must not keep the 50% rule.
In a country that has less than 20% union members,this rule stunts the growth of both unions and the party.
MORE IMPORTANTLY it overlooks the needs of both.
Often the votes are made by robot members,folk who go to conference for the grog and to vote AS TOLD TO not even understanding, and in some cases those telling them, know not either.
ALP deserves its chance to turn around the missing members, stop branch stacking and start letting members not HQ pick those to stand.
I am full of hope and see the party reborn self interest not killed but contained.
Posted by Belly, Friday, 2 December 2011 3:26:18 PM
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Dear Baygon,

Thanks for this thread and your opening post.
It sounds exciting - the possibilities are great
and I hope that things do happen and positive
changes do occur to bring party politics into
the twenty first century - instead of them being
stuck in the antiquated past.
Posted by Lexi, Friday, 2 December 2011 4:38:29 PM
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Lexi as you know I live for change and trust youth to give it.
But Labor is confronted as much for the fact it is and has been trying to live in the present as it is challenged with living in the past.
I think it has from 1972 struggled with that very problem.
Progressives knew/know change is a must.
Stagnation, however still is an issue.
I am isolated from my unionist past, because I acted as I lived took a bad boss on.
But it it not that but love of both movements, that has me challenging the old , and always wrong, hold the union movement thought it had on the child it gave birth to.
You will see claims from the left Labor betrayed its past, by moving to ground that made election victory's possible?
You too will see the Conservatives say Labor is a puppet of the unions, untrue but asks the question.
In refusing the mining tax, haveing to be dragged to support plain packaging while excepting big tobaccos bribes , are conservatives the puppets of big money.
Labor is well on the way to its new future ,it will continue to be flogged by its detractors but continue the journey.
When we, me you any one , is upset with a Labor policy or act consider this.
Every fight has a known out come before the first Punch is thrown.
And it is also known who will and who will not support it.
Only a silly party again and again, starts a fight it under stands it will not win.
Labor must not, ever be driven in to by leftist taunts, left mud, by a few leaving the many on dry ground laughing at us.
Posted by Belly, Saturday, 3 December 2011 5:44:30 AM
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Dear Belly,

I can only hope that Labor's National Conference will
allow many voices to be heard and will take on board
some of the positive changes that are being suggested.
Labor needs to attract new members and supporters -
especially the young - and give them reasons as to why
they should join the party.
Posted by Lexi, Saturday, 3 December 2011 9:02:51 AM
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