5 September 2009

Carnage in the ACT ALP

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times brings word of the widespread bloodletting in the ACT branch of the Labor party as the national executive moves to lock up the value of the Labor Club assets.

    ACT Labor has thrown open all senior party positions, with invitations extended to rank-and-file members to put forward their names for positions including party secretary, president and senior and junior vice-presidents.

    Six of the nine members on the Canberra Labor Club board will also be replaced under the sweeping changes, while 15 positions on the local administration committee will also be vacated.

If only they hadn’t built up such a vast fortune no one would care!

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I find it perplexing that the local lot were reportedly described as “hopeless” and that they are now being replaced. They have won elections, built up the best asset base in the ALP and have actual live members (rather than the fictional ones occupying some branches interstate). The fact that they have done this with election candidates of mostly indifferent quality (although less likely to implode than those in NSW) is a tribute to them.

Does anyone really think the federal ALP would have been interested if the ACT mob had not been about to open their piggybank by selling the clubs?

Poptop, if the current Government continues its parade of antics and failures, there will be carnage in the Ministry.

What we do know from history is that democracies eventually savage inept governments. This may take a long time, but then the cuts may be deeper.

It looks to me like the Labor Party is now testing the patience of its rusted on support.

I admire that. Hope it turns out as Skidbladnir has described.

Pity “all senior party postions” doesn’t include that of the current City Mayor.

And then these are the people who sit in the Assembly, or control those who do, and claim to be representing or making decisions for the community. So very sad.

Yes, but you end up with a survival of the fittest with either people afraid for their jobs and willing to do whatever the Party wants, or Party people who will stop at nothing.

That’s gotta be one of the sadder commentaries on the ALP, if not politics more generally, that I have seen.

Brilliant way to achieve an outcome, send a message, prevent it from being questioned ever again, and restore a new order, all while having no blood on your own hands.

Instead of decimating the offenders, just wipe the slate clean, tell everyone that something has gone wrong and you didn’t like it so have created a power vacuum you want filled, offer everybody their choice of weapons, and let them all fight each other.

Once it starts, they all make their own alliances, decide on their own scapegoats, and shed however much blood _they_ think will keep you happy, and present you with the scalps once its over.

You get a team full of blooded fighters, scheming bastards, and negotiators who all show they can get dirty if needed, but know that if they get too ambitious it could be their scalp being presented as a prize next time.

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