Ben Chifley asks: With ‘Dalek’ Stephen Conroys departure, will the (secret) Victorian Stability Pact hold and can Bill Shorten survive? We summarise his article below.
Neither the Victorian Socialist Left nor newly reconstituted Centre Unity Right ShortCons group (allies of Bill Shorten and Stephen Conroy – plus the recent inclusion of the Victorian National Union of Workers minus the Michael Donovan right-wing Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association SDA) could rule the Victorian branch alone.
Stephen Conroy Conroy is believed to have controlled a majority, or nearly, within what was formerly named the ShortCon grouping. And Conroy and Left faction leader Kim Carr also have a close relationship.
Hence the Socialist Left/Centre Unity Stability Pact, which pretty much runs everything due to its super majority.
With the surprise resignation of Victorian Centre Unity power broker Stephen Conroy (16 Sept 2016) the right faction is destabilised.
Who will now drive the Centre Unity bus? Federal MP David Feeney might have tried, but with the SDA sidelined Feeney is too. Maybe Richard Marles? (and what about Somyurek we ask in hindsight.) Will whoever work with Kim Carr? Will the Victorian Right factions survive after Conroys departure? Will the ordinary members ever know what happened anyway?
“It just goes to show what a house of cards, not to mention a liability, the unreformed Victorian Labor branch continues to be for the broader labour movement.” writes Ben Chifley.
Related readings
What will Conroy’s departure mean for Shorten’s leadership? – by Ben Chifley, Crikey, Sept 2016
Why Stephen Conroy departed in such a hurry – Crikey, Ben Chifley, 16 Sept 2016
Stephen Conroy resigns from the Senate, taking colleagues by surprise – by Katherine Murphy, The Guardian, 16 Sept 2016
Bill Shorten’s power base in turmoil after factional fight in Victorian ALP – by Katherine Murphy, The Guardian, 20 Dec 2017
Labor stability’ deal torn up as unions, Somyurek turn tables on factional warlords – by Adam Carey and Noel Towell, The Age February 2, 2018
Power vacuum: can the Labor Party really clean up its factional mess? – by Sumeyya Ilanbey, The Age, 19 June 2020 [External link]
Stability Pact sticking points threaten between VIC Labor – by Rob Harris, The Age, 21 May 2021
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