Adem Somyurek goes ‘dark’ as his moderates Labor branch memberships crash following the federal Labor intervention into the Victorian ALP Branch
Springvale branch went from 95 to 5, Casey Central branch from 111 to 41 and Endeavour Hills branch from 112 to 56. The Turkish-dominated Coolaroo branch lost 110 members, Parkmore branch 74 members, and both Thomastown West and Heidelberg lost more than 55.
Socialist Left branches also had big losses with Italian-dominated Lalor South losing 115, Greek dominated Batman North dropping 84 to 12 and Deer Park 150 to around 60.
Party members paying their membership online by traceable means has increased from 67% to 87%.
Victoria-wide Labor branch memberships crashed by 3500 as they did not renew before the September 2020 cut-off.
Despite this decline in numbers, it is considered that the Victorian Branch stacks will still not be fully cleared for some years, by the end of the intervention 2023.
Age journalist Sumeyya Ilanbey asks: ALP power vacuum – can the Labor Party really clean up its factional mess? Open Labor writes that the ALP must repair trust between leadership & members.
Related articles
Weeding the stacks was never going to be easy – by Eric Dearricott, Open Labor, Oct 2020
The Rise and Rise and Fall of Adem Somyurek – by Guy Rundle, Jacobin Magazine, 20 Jun 2020
Operation Watts IBAC enquiry into branch stacking practices – Open Labor, Oct 2021
Branch stacking the party – by Rosie Elliott, Open Labor, 1 Nov 2021
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