TRADE union bosses and ALP stalwarts have come in boots flying against Labor’s radical Left-wing climate agenda – calling it “electoral poison”.
Realising the damage inflicted by Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard and Bill Shorten’s decade-long embrace of Greens Party policy, unions have stepped in to rescue the “soul of the Party”.
After last week’s near-physical brawl in the ALP Party room, which saw pro-jobs shadow minister Joel Fitzgibbon resign his resources portfolio, union leaders and former Labor MPs have publicly taken sides.
FAIL
Former ACTU president and Labor MP Jennie George this week took aim at climate extremist MP Mark Dreyfus, who had called Mr Fitzgibbon “out of step” with ALP values.
The only people “out of step”, Ms George told The Australian newspaper, were Labor MPs who “fail to take note of the result of the last election”.
“ALP climate policies did not gain widespread support in the electorate,” she said.
“Labor’s primary vote has not increased since then. The fact that Joel almost lost his seat [of Hunter, NSW] last time around should be a matter of great concern.
“This is Labor’s heartland. Trying to justify policy on the basis of Biden’s win and the Queensland COVID election result is nonsense.”
CFMEU NSW mining and energy president Peter Jordan was just as blunt.
“Labor just don’t get it,” Mr Jordan said.
“Make no mistake about it, they have lost their traditional base,” he said.
“Joel was doing nothing more than trying to get them back in touch with it.
“Unfortunately people like [ALP energy spokesman] Mark Butler and Dreyfus don’t get that.”
Also on the attack was CFMEU Queensland mining and energy president Stephen Smyth who said Labor had failed to win back workers since its disastrous showing at the 2019 “climate change” election.
LEADERSHIP
“There is still some hangover from the last federal election in these mining seats,” Mr Smyth said.
“Federally, there is still a lot of work to be done and I am certainly disappointed to see Joel go.”
Mr Fitzgibbon’s agriculture and resources portfolio has been handed to city-based MP Ed Husic by Labor leader Anthony Albanese – a move considered insensitive to regional voters.
Before resigning his post, Mr Fitzgibbon hinted he may seek to replace Mr Albanese as ALP leader.
After last Monday’s Party room brawl the regional-based MP said he “regretted” not running for the leadership after Labor’s 2019 election loss and that he would reconsider his position “if he was drafted”.
Labor senator Alex Gallacher has publicly supported Mr Fitzgibbon saying he was “heading in the right direction” to become a successful Labor leader, according to reports in The Australian newspaper.
“There isn’t a vote tomorrow, but clearly there is division. Unless Albo can bring the tent back together who knows what will happen,” Senator Gallacher said.
“There is no such thing as waiting for a turn. We need to win with policies that resonate with and matter to our working base.”
He said 33 per cent primary vote didn’t cut it.
“We need to get away from the trendy inner-city climate change view and back to working Australia.” PC
I agree that Labor has lost its way with the working class. They are wedged between the LNP and the Greens, and seem to be lurching to the far left too often. The nickname “Each Way Albo” may seem unkind but as the Leader he is fighting to hold off the Greens in his own seat, and seems to make statements to appease both sides of an argument… walking the tightrope so as specifically not to upset the Greens. I don’t know how Albo could hope to win the next election without support from the Unions and working class.
I await the rolling out of the real Albo. But just as in Julia’s case, who will believe it?
If Labor changes its position on renewables etc, who will seriously accept that as Labor policy?
All will know that it is a superficial change of position for the purpose of winning the election. Just like Peter Garrett once said., and of course “Whatever it Takes”.
Once elected (shudder) the previous climate policy will come to the fore. There is nothing surer.