22 April 2010

ALP Membership revolting?

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times informs us that there’s a whiff of revolution in the air amongst the membership of the Labor Party.

The factional chiefs insisted on a preselection ”show-and-tell”, requiring members to cast their votes two at a time and reveal their ballot papers to each other.

But this week has seen an open defiance inside the party, with high-profile members encouraging the rank-and-file to ignore the directive.

It’s slightly terrifying when a democratic party institutionalises such anti-democratic practices.

Apparently the annointed ones are Mary Wood in Canberra, and Nick Martin in Fraser. If the revolt succeeds they’ll be the disappointed ones.

We find out on Saturday.

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I bumped into a member of the right faction of the ALP today. He told me no ‘show and tell’ instruction was directed to members of his faction, and that he’d voted for his preferred candidate, and not the one he understood he’d be ‘required’ to. Seems the Canberra Times account of what’s going on is off the mark.

p1 said :

’cause if you follow the party line at every single vote, why vote?

And then the question really is – who decides what the party line is? Maybe Bob isn’t happy with the “party line” on this one.

amarooresident32:47 pm 22 Apr 10

In the past it has only been the left faction that enforced show & tell so I would be disappointed if either of the right factions had taken up the practice.

This however sounds like the usual blather that occurs before important votes in the party – speculation will run wild that the left is split (as they often are) however when it comes down to it they will vote as a bloc AS THEY DO EVERYTIME SINGLE TIME.

Policy positions are arrived at democratically. Enforcing the “party line” on individuals whose job it is to represent the party is no more undemocratic than the conductor of an orchestra ensuring everyone’s playing in tune.

While I am fine with this statement, my understanding of the original post was that the party (or some subset (faction) thereof) was enforcing a party line as to who would be elected to represent the party… Isn’t that one of the points at which the membership gets the chance to shape the party, ’cause if you follow the party line at every single vote, why vote?

This quote from the CT article is rolled gold:

“Ironically, and against all tradition, the best candidate in each seat might actually get up.”

It’s hardly “terrifying” when a party does such things though.
Policy positions are arrived at democratically. Enforcing the “party line” on individuals whose job it is to represent the party is no more undemocratic than the conductor of an orchestra ensuring everyone’s playing in tune.

It’s slightly terrifying when a democratic party institutionalises such anti-democratic practices.

There are few things which don’t terrify me about both major parties internal operations.

It’s slightly terrifying when a democratic party institutionalises such anti-democratic practices.

Like directing their members how to vote on an issue is a surprise.

It has been pointed out to me (a former ALP member) that the procedure of showing factional “checkers” one’s voting form before it is stuffed into thhe ballot box is only carried out by one faction of the local ALP. And failure to do so only results in that faction refusing to endorse the non-shower in votes in the next 2 years.
But unless a member of that faction is in some position of standing, the failure of the faction to stand by them for 2 years is hardly a significant penalty.

colourful sydney racing identity10:29 am 22 Apr 10

It will all amount to nothing – this is the usual rubbish form the McMullan faction (which of course isn’t a faction – just ask them they are unaligned…)

Saying the ALP Membership is revolting is a little harsh. I’m sure there are at least one or two good looking ones in there… 🙂

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