Albanese government must recognise Palestine this term: Victorian Labor Conference
The factional shift within Labor is expected to be all but complete at the national conference in August, prompting concern over the party’s support of AUKUS and recognition of a Palestinian state.
The Left faction takeover of the Labor Party is expected to be all but complete at the national conference in August, prompting concern from a former MP over the party’s long-term support of AUKUS and Israel.
Right faction sources told The Australian they were concerned the conference would be the first time in 70 years that the Left would have a majority on the floor, paving the way for a more left-wing platform binding the parliamentary party.
Left faction MPs are also expecting a slim majority of numbers at the national conference, although some believe neither faction will have a majority because of an increase in non-aligned delegates.
The concern within the Right over the structural change to the party comes as the Left-dominated Victorian Labor conference at the weekend called on the Albanese government to recognise a Palestinian state before the next election, setting the stage for the matter to become a focal point at the national conference in Brisbane.
Former Labor Right MP Michael Danby said the national conference would see Left faction heavyweights battling between staying loyal to Anthony Albanese and raising concerns on issues such as AUKUS.
“State by state delegate allegiances mean that for the first time since the great split of 1955, the Socialist Left will command a clear majority,” he said.
“August’s national conference in Brisbane will see the majority Socialist Left faced with a conflict of disloyalties; either ditch AUKUS and Israel and vote down (Anthony) Albanese or dump their opposition to rebuilding our military capability to stand up to China.”
The Right traditionally dominated power structures within Labor and was the faction of every one of the party’s prime ministers until Julia Gillard toppled Kevin Rudd in 2010.
But the tables have turned since Mr Albanese – a longtime Left faction warrior – became Labor leader in 2019, with Senate leader Penny Wong and ALP national secretary Paul Erickson also from the Left. The Left has a majority of members on the powerful national executive, although Mr Albanese has vowed not to use his deciding vote for factional reasons if there is a deadlock.
While it is not clear if the once-Right leaning stronghold of the NSW branch will fall – with voting for delegates closing next Monday – sources told The Australian they expected the Left delegates to make up 52 to 55 per cent of national conference.
The historic moment follows numerous former Right-leaning unions defecting to the Left, including the National Union of Workers in Victoria and the Electrical Trades Union in NSW.
At Labor’s previous national conference, the Right had 219 out of 400 delegates, with the Right faction currently holding a majority of the government’s caucus.
The NSW Right and national Right caucuses will meet on Monday to canvas national conference numbers.
A motion put to the Victorian Labor conference on Sunday congratulated Mr Albanese and Senator Wong for the restoration of aid to Palestinians and shifting Australia’s vote at the UN on matters relating to Israel’s occupation of Palestine.
But the state conference called on the federal government to go further and formally recognise a Palestinian state in this term.
“The state conference calls on the Albanese Labor government to recognise the Palestinian state within the term of this parliament, joining with 138 countries and the Vatican, which have already done so,” the motion said.
The motion was carried by the voices, rather than being put to a formal vote in order to avoid public disagreement on the issue.
Former foreign affairs minister Bob Carr said the motion “was not a surprise”.
“It’s very important all supporters of two state solution send the message to both sides and the best way for us to help make that happen is to join 138 nations which already recognise Palestine,” he said.
The Zionist Federation of Australia expressed its “deep disappointment” in the Victorian Labor state conference’s resolution on Palestine.
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