The ALP's Beds Are Burning

[year of the roo]

What a desperate attempt by the ALP to grab some popularity before the next election.

Howard to win hands down, Latham is a joke!!

 

[DaveW]

Garrett will prove to be a fine acquisition for the new Labor government.

 

[MGREG]

Yeah they need some more substance abusers in that party.

As long as Latham is leader the ALP is doomed. Thank God.

 

[TheBloods]

Typical of the minor parties - they make a big show of saying they are independent and not ALP-aligned, yet the biggest names choose to go to the ALP to further their career!

 

[Frodo]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Typical of the minor parties - they make a big show of saying they are independent and not ALP-aligned, yet the biggest names choose to go to the ALP to further their career!

But isn't that reality. Ther's no career outside of the ALP or Coalition. Derorats will try ALP, and so will sane Greens (unfortunately not many greens are sane though). One Nation will go Coalition, if they'll have them. If not it's back to the fish and chip shop

 

[Ripper]

Good to see democracy at work. The local party members wishs are ridden roughshod over and an MP is effectively "appointed" by the faceless powerbrokers.

 

[TheBloods]

Originally posted by Frodo
But isn't that reality. Ther's no career outside of the ALP or Coalition. Derorats will try ALP,

Yes, you're right, but I find it annoying how they pretend they are independent when they are obviously not.

and so will sane Greens (unfortunately not many greens are sane though).

Yep - you got that right!!

 

[Weaver]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
Yes, you're right, but I find it annoying how they pretend they are independent when they are obviously not.
/B]

To change the country and make a real difference on issues that count you have to be in government. Eventually the idealists come to realise that.

 

[Weaver]

Originally posted by RIPPER_46
Good to see democracy at work. The local party members wishs are ridden roughshod over and an MP is effectively "appointed" by the faceless powerbrokers.

That sort of behaviour barely raises a yawn in the ALP.

 

[year of the roo]

Originally posted by DaveW
Garrett will prove to be a fine acquisition for the new Labor government.

Not federally he won't be. If Garrett wants to be part of a Labor government then he best go to state politics because Labor won't be in government at Federal level for another decade or 10.

 

[dan warna]

don't care about garrett

either way, I am hoping for a labour Victory and latham pulls aus out of iraq.

after that, I'll keep my eyes on latham!

one issue for me now.

 

[year of the roo]

Originally posted by dan warna
don't care about garrett

either way, I am hoping for a labour Victory and latham pulls aus out of iraq.

after that, I'll keep my eyes on latham!

one issue for me now.

Yeah I can't wait for Latham to destroy our relations with USA, making us more vulnerable to terrorism than ever before. :rolleyes
I trust that the majority of voters in this country have more sense than to vote this looney into power.

 

[DaveW]

Originally posted by year of the roo
Yeah I can't wait for Latham to destroy our relations with USA, making us more vulnerable to terrorism than ever before. :rolleyes
I trust that the majority of voters in this country have more sense than to vote this looney into power.

That's already happened under Howard.

Our previously good relations with the USA have been damaged by it turning into a master/sycophant relationship.

The threat of terrorism in Australia has increased due to our unnecessary excursion into the middle east.

 

[afc9798]

Originally posted by year of the roo
Yeah I can't wait for Latham to destroy our relations with USA, making us more vulnerable to terrorism than ever before. :rolleyes
I trust that the majority of voters in this country have more sense than to vote this looney into power.

Given your obvious propensity to pick winners (Leeds and the Roos), I think it's a done deal that Latham is home already.

How is the US currently protecting us from terrorism? Attacking a sovereign nation in the Middle East is hardly helping to make us safer. Sending troops without a UN resolution doesn't make us safer. Partenering with the largest enemy of Islamic fundamentalists doesn't make us safer.

Given Howard's track record of lies and deceit and ignorance, I think it's you that is the looney for believeing that the Australian people will be that gullible again.

 

[Tim56]

Why the ALP would want him I have no idea. Just a singer from a mediocre 80's band, who might appeal to perhaps 0.1% of the population. If he would get in, he would go straight to the backbenches, stay for a term, become disillusioned and quit. Environment minister? No way. You don't let the lunatics in charge of the asylum. I don't know why anyone would join the ALP, seeing as you don't actually have a say in your candidate, through either branch stacking or the secretariat pulling one over you.

 

[Tim56]

Local Labor heavies reject Garrett
By Maria Hawthorne
June 9, 2004

ANGRY ALP members last night rejected a move by the party's leadership to have retired rock star Peter Garrett preselected for the safe Labor Sydney seat of Kingsford Smith.

Several hundred rank-and-file branch members passed a motion demanding the ALP executive allow them to choose their own candidate under the party's rules.

The hastily-convened meeting at Randwick Labor Club was in protest against plans to offer Mr Garrett - who is being publicly backed by Federal Labor leader Mark Latham - the safe seat.

The party faithful demanded overwhelmingly the chance to pick their own candidate from within their ranks.

Australian Workers Union vice-president Matthew Thistlewaite said members had earned the right to choose their own candidate.

"We are the ones who make the Labor Party strong in Kingsford Smith," he said.

Mr Thistlewaite said the branch would not cop an eleventh-hour deal.

Randwick Labor Club president Ken Murray said the electorate had a good track record in Canberra.

"This electorate has a record of not sending duds to Canberra," he said.

"Each and everyone of them face a rank-and-file preselection."

Preselection hopeful Dominic Sullivan, a former Randwick mayor, said the meeting was a chance to send a message to Mr Garrett not to apply.

"We demand to choose someone from our ranks," he said.

But not everyone agreed, with around 12 people opposing the vote.

Former South Maroubra branch member Peter Tighe pleaded with the room to let go of local aspirations.

"We need to select a candidate who will take Labor over the line," he said.

"Peter Garrett has been a politician without a party."

On an appearance on the Channel 10 variety program Rove last night, Mr Latham said it could be a few days before the matter was sorted.

"This has only come up in the last couple days, give us a few extra days and we'll sort it out," he said.

Mr Latham has not yet commented on whether the national executive would overrule a branch preselection.

Asked if he would take account of local opposition, Mr Latham said: "Sometimes in politics you've got to make some hard decisions and if you join a political party, you've got to do the thing that's right for Australia."

"I think getting someone of Peter Garrett's quality into the national parliament would be good for Australia and I'm sure other Labor Party members feel that way.

"If we can get him in as a candidate and it's good for the country, well that's why we're in public life in the first place."

Earlier yesterday, party stalwart Tom Uren called opponents of the plan "rednecks" after locals said they did not want an ageing former rock star to represent them in Federal Parliament.

Mr Uren, a former minister in the Whitlam and Hawke Labor governments, said only rednecks were opposed to Mr Garrett's preselection.

"I hope (he will stand) because a lot of the people that have really been speaking out against him are rednecks," he said.

"They've been very, very conservative people.

"I haven't heard any progressive person come out and say anything against Peter Garrett."

Australian Workers' Union national head Bill Ludwig said the party leadership had lost the plot and would dishearten long-term supporters.

"We have people that put themselves forward to try and do the impossible with great enthusiasm, to try and win seats that on the statistics would be very difficult," Mr Ludwig told ABC radio.

"But they never waver with their commitment. They must feel a bit disappointed when some high-profile people can circumvent the structure of the party."

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer borrowed Mr Garrett's song lyrics to warn that giving him Labor preselection would be a "setback for our country".

AAP

Tom Uren's support for him is a compelling argument to oppose him.

 

[MrMeaner]

Originally posted by Tim56
I don't know why anyone would join the ALP, seeing as you don't actually have a say in your candidate, through either branch stacking or the secretariat pulling one over you.

No branch stacking in the Libs then? Will someone tell Mr Turnbull?

 

[DaveW]

So some Labor hacks have had their ambitions thwarted. Boo hoo.

As MrMeaner said, its no worse than to what happened to Peter King.

Originally posted by Tim56
Australian Workers' Union national head Bill Ludwig said the party leadership had lost the plot and would dishearten long-term supporters.

"We have people that put themselves forward to try and do the impossible with great enthusiasm, to try and win seats that on the statistics would be very difficult," Mr Ludwig told ABC radio.

"But they never waver with their commitment. They must feel a bit disappointed when some high-profile people can circumvent the structure of the party."

For more about Mr Ludwig. Check out Alan Ramsey's article.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/06/08/1086460292347.html

 

[Joel]

Garrett gives me the ****s...and the ALP are jsut trying to grab a few votes. Pathetic.

 

[CharlieG]

Why don't they do something novel and put him in the senate? I don't see why that isn't an easy solution to the problem?

 

[MrMeaner]

Originally posted by CharlieG
Why don't they do something novel and put him in the senate? I don't see why that isn't an easy solution to the problem?

In my experience, positions on the senate ballot paper can be more fiercely fought over than than preselection for a safe seat. Besides which, the reps should be where he is able to shine, given his rhetorical ability.

 

[Bombers 2003]

I notice Anniswan has NO VIEWS on this.Very interesting.

 

[DaveW]

Labor already have three NSW senators up for re-election.

 

[Adrian Shelton]

Didn't Garrett have a bash at the senate with the No A-Bomb mob in the 80's?

 

[The invisible mullet]

Originally posted by CharlieG
Why don't they do something novel and put him in the senate? I don't see why that isn't an easy solution to the problem?

Too late all the other preselections were tied up.