Victorian Labor peace talks threaten to erupt on Stability Pact sticking points between the Right and Left. ‘It’s like 19th-century empires dividing up Africa.’ The article is edited below, with additional editorial pickings following.
The draft cross-factional agreement says: “Recent revelations regarding practices within the party relating to membership matters are a source of serious concern. They reflect on the ALP’s internal procedures and operation and demand that the reform undertaken by the national executive is enduring.”
However, the CFMEU construction division and several other unions have undertaken a legal challenge to the Victorian intervention to regain the right of the Victorian division to choose parliamentary candidates for upcoming elections.
Further, the “secret three-hour meeting in Carlton” sticking issues included the Right faction’s lack of female representation, the future of veteran left-wing senator Kim Carr and succession planning for a handful of Labor-held seats.
Of the 25 Victorian federal Labor MPs, 14 are men and 11 are women – three only are from the Right. ALP rule changes mean after 2022 there must be 45% female representation.
The Right faction divided over the preselection for the safe new seat of Hawke (Sunbury, Melton, Bacchus Marsh and Ballan). The Transport Workers’ Union wants Victorian ALP secretary Samuel Rae (aligned to deputy federal leader Richard Marles); whilst unions aligned to Bill Shorten say the seat should be for a woman.
Likely signatories to any peace deal for the Socialist Left include Alan Griffin, (a mentor to Daniel Andrews), Senator Kim Carr, Mat Hilakari and Minister Lily D’Ambrosio. Among the Right negotiators are Australian Workers’ Union Ben Davis, Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association boss Michael Donovan and Samuel Rae.
A challenge to Senator Kim Carr remains on the cards.
Read Stability Pact sticking points threaten to erupt between VIC Labor – by Rob Harris, The Age 21 May 2021 [external link, may be behind pay wall.]
In other press commentaries:
Any deal arising between the factions would be the first truce since the former factional alliance was undone by Somyurek following Stephen Conroy’s departure from the Senate in 2016 as both right and left breakaway groups sought to overturn the (secret) Conroy–Carr Stability Pact alliance.
By 2016 the Socialist Left/Centre Unity Stability Pact reflected the very Victorian fact neither the Socialist Left nor the newly reconstituted Centre Unity Right Short-Cons group (allies of Shorten and Stephen Conroy, plus the National Union of Workers minus the right-wing Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association) could rule the Victorian branch alone.
All this has absolutely nothing to do with ordinary ALP members. That is why we need to talk about Labor.
Related readings
Stop the shadowy preselections & give ALP members their rightful vote – by Open Labor, Aug 2021
The preselection battle for Hawke – by Open Labor, Sept 2021
Fight for prized new Labor seat as factions eye peace deal – by Paul Sakkal, Sydney Morning Herald, 28 Mar 2021
Labor has a significant problem, Premier Daniel Andrews says following branch-stacking scandal – ABC News 17 Jun 2020
ALP power vacuum – can the Labor Party really clean up its factional mess? – by Sumeyya Ilanbey, The Age, 19 June 2020
Labor stability’ deal torn up as unions, Somyurek turn tables on factional warlords – by Adam Carey and Noel Towell, The Age February 2, 2018
Bill Shorten’s power base in turmoil after factional fight in Victorian ALP – by Katherine Murphy, The Guardian, 20 Dec 2017
Stability? Shorten throws an uneasy Labor pact into chaos – by Ben Chiefly, Crikey Oct 21, 2016
What will Conroy’s departure mean for Shorten’s leadership? – by Ben Chifley, Crikey, 19 Sept 2016
Unions and the ALP – time to stay friends but end the marriage? – by Max Ogden, Open Labor, Aug 2021
The ALP must repair trust between leadership & members – by James Button, Open Labor, Oct 2020
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