Left faction ‘directs’ votes in leadership ballot

Tasmanian Labor’s dominant Left faction has angered members by allegedly ‘dictating’ who they should vote for in the party’s leadership ballot.

Tasmanian Labor Left faction convener Senator Anne Urquhart. Photo: Philip Gostelow/The Australian

Tasmanian Labor‘s dominant Left faction has angered some of its members by allegedly “dictating” who they should vote for in the party’s leadership ballot.

An email from Left faction convener Senator Anne Urquhart sent on Tuesday informs members “the Left is voting for David O‘Byrne”, rather than rival Shane Broad.

Senator Urquhart’s email tells Left members the faction‘s “co-ordinating committee” had “formally resolved” to back Mr O’Byrne, a Left member, over the unaligned Dr Broad.

While the Left’s backing of Mr O’Byrne is no surprise, some Left faction members said they believed the email went beyond recommendation and was an “edict” or “directive” as to how they must vote.

“I resent being told by the Left powerbrokers … how I have to cast my vote in the leadership ballot,” said one member. “Where has democracy gone within the Labor Party?

“The email is dictating that I vote for David O’Byrne. These are the same powerbrokers who blocked the preselection of Dean Winter, and once again they have made a decision without consulting the broader members of the Left.”

Sources say a group of “hard” Left powerbrokers – senior officials of the Health and Community Services Union and United Workers Union and their acolytes – effectively control the administrate wing of the party and most conference delegates.

Mr Winter, a former popular local mayor, was blocked as a candidate for the May 1 state election by Labor’s administrative committee.

This led to a successful plea by the Australian Workers’ Union and then party leader Rebecca White for ALP national executive intervention to install Mr Winter as a candidate. Mr Winter went on to top the party ticket in the seat of Franklin, ahead of Mr O’Byrne.

Ms White further antagonised Left powerbrokers by insisting Left-aligned party present Ben McGregor quit as a candidate for sending “vulgar” text messages to a woman. Mr McGregor threatened defamation proceedings against Ms White.

Sources say Ms White – who had wanted to continue as leader – was told she had lost the support of HACSU and the UWU, which wanted her replaced by Mr O’Byrne, a former leader of a predecessor union to the UWU.

After the election, Ms White agreed to stand aside for Mr O’Byrne in exchange for Left powerbrokers committing to national executive oversight of a review of state party governance.

However, Dr Broad, a former member of the Right, nominated for the leadership, forcing a ballot against Mr O’Byrne.

Dr Broad has likened Left powerbrokers to school bus bullies and is campaigning for wholesale national executive intervention to restore “balance” to the state branch.

The ballot, conducted by post and online, is weighted 50-50 between rank and file members and conference delegates, and closes on June 15.

Despite Left powerbrokers effectively forcing out Ms White, leader of four years, Senator Urquhart’s email praises her. “Throughout her time as leader, Rebecca did the Left and the Labor Party proud,” she writes.

Mr O’Byrne, the email says, “has the skills and experience to bring our party together, and the hunger to take on the Gutwein government”. “Shane Broad is also contesting,” it says.

Senator Urquhart did not respond to requests for comment. HACSU and the UWU have repeatedly declined requests for comment.