6 August 2013

Katy fortifying her position

| johnboy
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The Canberra Times has the interesting news that Chief Minister Gallagher is seeking to shield herself from her party room in the spirit of the Red Handed Rudd:

Katy Gallagher wants ACT Labor Party members to have a say in who leads the party in the ACT Legislative Assembly.

Ms Gallagher is proposing changes to how the local party elects its leader and is suggesting an identical reform to the one put forward at a national level by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

The Chief Minister is recommending the ACT Labor caucus and rank-and-file members jointly elect the parliamentary leader, with a 50 per cent weighting given to each.

One wonders what brought this on.

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HiddenDragon12:01 pm 06 Aug 13

I was very surprised by this – perhaps Katy thinks that Alistair will roll Jeremy before the next ACT election, and the resultant drover’s dog scenario for Labor might embolden a frisky colleague.

johnboy said :

It will, however, create situations where the leader does not have the support of their own party room.

Considering Government is supposed to be predicated on control of the legislature this looks like a party power grab over the wider democratic process.

And good luck to a leader without the support of their party room. Remember Natasha Stott Despoja?

True. I certainly didn’t state I agreed with it personally. Yet given the accusations of “faceless men” within the ALP there is political merit in attempting to resolve that negative perception.

As usual, the success or failure will be in the implementation within future, unknown circumstances. Direct election by the membership worked well for Don Chipp and Janine Haines; not so much for Meg Lees and Natasha Stott-Despoja.

I predict a cultural schism within the ALP, but that might be an internal battle they need.

PS – How could I forget NSD? I never wore Doc Martens again 😉

There doesn’t need to be a conspiracy… I mean, the idea of popularly electing a leader from the membership base has merit. It would be easier to simply copy the federal reforms, too… although I admit many have baulked at how difficult it would be to force out a leader.

It will, however, create situations where the leader does not have the support of their own party room.

Considering Government is supposed to be predicated on control of the legislature this looks like a party power grab over the wider democratic process.

And good luck to a leader without the support of their party room. Remember Natasha Stott Despoja?

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