Australian Labor Party

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Australian Labor Party

The Australian Labor Party (ALP) is a political party in Australia, formed in 1891. The ALP's major competitor is the Liberal Party of Australia, who are often in a political coalition with the National Party of Australia.

The ALP has been the official opposition at a federal level since the 2013 general election. They are currently in government in Victoria (Labor majority), South Australia (Labor-Independents coalition), Queensland (Labor-Independents coalition) and the Australian Capital Territory (Labor-Greens coalition).

Contents

[edit] Political stance

The constitution of the ALP states that it is a "democratic socialist party" that is committed to the 'democratic socialisation of industry, production, distribution and exchange" As with most mass-based social democratic parties around the world, this clause is basically meaningless in the modern ALP. As a result, Labor's policy positions are normally determined in reference to the major party factions:

  • The Labor Left, which believes the party should focus on having a spine and losing elections; and
  • The Labor Right, which believes the party's main objective should be betraying its support base and resembling the Liberal Party.[1]

No prizes for guessing which of the two groups normally ends up getting its way, although it should be noted that in recent times a number of leaders have managed to successfully do both.[2]

Despite styling itself as a progressive alternative to the Liberal Party, the ALP has always relied on support from an uneasy bond between relatively socially conservative trade unions and a growing progressive, distinctly green electorate. Conflicts in the party often arise around related issues such as:

  • Regulation of heavy industries, which please progressive elements of the party, but naturally upsets the trade unionists who are employed in those industries;
  • Legalising same-sex marriage which upsets the strong Catholic base within the trade unions; and
  • Refugees seeking asylum which, depending on the electorate you ask, are here to "terk er jerbs!" or just to escape persecution in their home countries.

Unsurprisingly the Labor party has pandered to the conservative element of its base by consistently watering down taxation on heavily unionised industries, avoiding dealing with equality issues such as gay marriage wherever possible and actually being harsher on refugees than the Liberal party. This has effectively removed the only reason that people still voted for Labor: that they are not quite as bad as the Liberals. This disconnect is largely the reason as to why Tony Abbott remains in power.

[edit] In bed with The Greens?

The party is often accused of jumping into bed with the Australian Greens by its detractors, particularly, wingnuts and other cranks in the Liberal Party of Australia and other extreme right-wing parties.

Although this was true to a certain extent following the 2010 Federal Election, after which Labor relied on the support of a single key Greens MP to help it remain in power, it also relied on the support of three other independent MPs, two of which were former National Party members and thus were very conservative. So even then, to consider Labor "in bed with The Greens", even at this time, is a bit of a stretch.

The reality is that Labor love the Liberal Party more than they do The Greens, and Labor often don't make their hate for The Greens go unnoticed, particularly during election times. In reality, Labor sit somewhere in the Centre and even tend to the Right on some key issues.

[edit] But they're definitely socialist... Right? Right???

Labor has not removed references to socialism from its constitution but it may as well have. It is in favour of economic liberalism, economic policies that align similarly with that of the Liberal Party of Australia. The only difference is that Labor isn't so blatantly anti-poor and actually support things such as universal healthcare, public education (although they did introduce HECS fees) and social security.

[edit] Stance on spelling

They are wrong.

[edit] Footnotes

Australian Political Parties
Australian Greens - Christian Democrat Party (The Fred Nile Group) - Liberal Party of Australia - National Party of Australia - One Nation - Palmer United Party - Rise Up Australia Party - Shooters and Fishers Party - Socialist Alliance -
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