Denise chucks the wobbly.
Ever read an article as brilliantly aware as this?
Go Denise Allen, you crazy lady.
If I posted the good bits, I’d be copying the entire article, so I’ll quote the amazingly brilliant ones.
“Last Tuesday I resigned as a member of the Labor Party. I could no longer sit by and watch as the party I have loved since a child becomes a faction of the Howard Government.”
“In May 2000, I became the first Labor person and the first woman to win the state seat of Benalla after 97 years of conservative rule. It was the proudest moment of my life.”
“But over the past few years, I have sat back and watched the party I grew up passionate about, that was so much a part of our everyday thinking, move progressively further and further to the right and simply become another faction of the Howard Government with its me-too, me-too attitude.”
“It frustrates the hell out of me - I can't stand it any more and I bet I'm not the only one.” And I thought I was the only one!
“Until more of the original Labor Party devotees stand up to be counted and go as far as resigning from the party, the party hacks and faceless factional men will continue to drag our party into the cesspool of conservative right-wing politics that is so alien to the traditional Labor Party true believers.”
“There are many good people in the Labor Party - where is their voice, why don't they stand up for their beliefs?”
There’s no mention of The Greens in any of this, so I’ll hoof ‘em in.
“We were dedicated to social issues and a fair go for everyone."
I’m sure I don’t have to point out Greens position on this one.
“The Labor Party I know would have fought tooth and nail against Australians' involvement in Iraq without UN sanctions. They would have protected Australia from terrorism by simply not being party to an illegal war.”
A bit like The Greens did really.
“Over the past week we have seen the plight of citrus growers across Australia.”
Tens of thousands of tonnes of oranges dumped – a bit of a globalisation world trade whoopsie-doodle. Not exactly a Green policy to encourage this sort of thing – a few weeks ago Browns labelling laws were knocked back – aimed at labelling imported foods with country, as well as GM labeled as GM, and a list of contaminants in products on the web. Once again – Howard (and the ALP I guess) is saying, “consumers do not have the right to know the country of origin, genetically modified information, or what heavy metals or pesticides are in the food they eat. Unless the company that sells the products wants to tell them.” *Laff*
“Now we have Bob Hawke calling on Australia to be the garbage tip for nuclear waste. Money, money, money - that's what it is all about.”
It’s a good point, it should not be done for money, and my opinion is that it should be done – the thought of other countries dropping barrels of nuclear waste into the ocean, or if possible, worse, gives me the shivers. The Greens policy on this one:
“14.2.4 ensure that nuclear waste generated in Australia is stored as safely as possible above ground at or near the site of generation, and is adequately and permanently monitored
14.2.6 immediately ban the import of nuclear waste into, and the export of nuclear waste from, Australia
14.2.7 ensure that Australian spent nuclear fuel rods are not processed in Australia nor elsewhere”
Now this is interesting, to best ensure the third, we may have to forfeit the second clause, and adjust the first to include waste generated around the globe, and stored in the safest manner possible, and Australia is probably the best place for that.
However, is it fair to harvest the benefits of nuclear power without suffering the consequences of dealing with the waste (as is unavoidable with coal power?) Very debatable topic really, both have pro’s and con’s – party would have to set up studies and vote on that one. Regardless, the point is – it shouldn’t be done whilst rubbing greedy hands together, but for maximum benefit of all concerned.
Anyhoo, there you have it. She storms off like a Latham in a sock, saying something similar, ie: ‘you all suck’ but without saying ‘these guys are like what you guys were supposed to be like, but aren’t.”
And then some.
posted by Larry Bonewend @ 5:15 pm
7 comments
7 Comments:
Ah Kimbo.
You see in 2001 his excellent national Defence creds got over shone by Tampa. So on terror he has to go over the top - even though in 2001 the ALP took one on the chin to make sure subsequent legistlation introduced had some semblance of sanity about it.
I am getting worried about Kimbo. He should be a lot smarter than this. Is he trying to reach out to the aspirants who regard any muslim as a backpack toting bomber or something?
I will retain my ALPness however for the immediate future. But if I get the courage I will ask Stanhope why he supported the changes when the very morning of the COAG meeting he claimed he would not.
The fact that there are people with a conscience in the ALP is not surprising. The fact that there is (or was) a person with a conscience in the pariamentary ALP is a huge fucking shock. Normally once they see their parliamentary pension, any semblance of decency goes out of the ALP members of Parliament. That and the whole factional system that almost always ensures the biggest fuckwits get pre-selection.
Here's hoping Denise joins the Greens.
Oh and Mikey you said
"the ALP took one on the chin to make sure subsequent legistlation introduced had some semblance of sanity about it. "
This is really a half truth; they opposed one piece of legislation, which was more about judicial review than about refugees. Remember the ALP was the party that introduced mandatory detention of refugees. In 2001 Kim didn't (and still doesn't) give a shit about refugees, or social justice issues as a whole for that matter.
Like Howard, he is a career politician; there is only one thing he believes in; power for it's own sake. He will do whatever it takes for him to get elected, even if it means going against everything the ALP stands for (or used to stand for). The reality is this applies to pretty much every member of the parliamentary ALP.
By being a member of the ALP what you are doing is supporting such a mentality in the ALP. In 2000/2001 the Carr ALP government introduced changes to workers compensation for the benefit of Insurance companies which would screw over injured workers big time. The Union movement and the rank and file of the ALP were totally opposed to it , but the Carr government passed it anyway with the support of the Liberals, Nationals, One Nationa and shooters party; only the Greens and Democrats opposed it.
Was there a mass resignation from the ALP over this? No (though the NSW Fire Brigade Employees Union disaffiliated from the ALP due to this, at least they have some principles).
What message did this send to the NSW ALP? They can do whatever ythey like, and no matter what you will continue to support them. Thus there is no need for ALP to reform. Until you and others like you Mikey start resigning from the ALP becuase of what they have become, YOU are responsible for what they have become.
She probably had a conscience, but not much of a voice.
Some comments in todays Age:
Denis Allen gives an impassioned, honest and sad description of today's Labor Party. Denis consider joining the Greens, the party that still encompasses ideals and rights.
Eve Addis, Blackburn.
Dear Denise Allen, I have never heard of you before, but I could not agree with you more. Every word you say is true for me. Even Mark Latham was better than the "yes, me too" group we have now. Enough already.
Kath Brown, Ferntree Gully
So, Denise Allen has resigned from the Amateur Liberal Party. Why has it taken her so long?
Robert Pizzari, East Brunswick
Speaks volumes. I might scan that one.
Also, watched start of Question Time last night (or 'this morning' to be more accurate) - the parties made their obligatory comments on the Bali bombings. Liberal, ALP, Greens, Nationals and Democrats.
The thing I noted was the Brown wasn't quite as eloquent as everyone else - he stammered, paused, then I realised - he was the only one with the guts to speak without reading directly from a script laid out to say everything you're supposed to say at times like that. Everyone was reading monotone monologues, without heart. It seemed daunting to adlib such a thing that would require careful planning of each and every word - very brave man.
I was a democrat for years and didn't get involved apart from the numerous friggin leadership ballots.
I joined the ALP after the election last year when I realised the Dems had put Family First ahead of the Greens in every state. To me that smacked of politics before principle.
And in the end I realised that I had always preferred the ALP over the Coalition. Because at the end of the day they still at their heart stand for the little guy, not the special guy, more so than the coalition do at any rate.
So given the realities of politics in Oz being ALP or Coalition I decided to go ALP. Because it's better to be a part of the process than mock from the outside.
My branch apparently is this close to getting a coop doctors surgery up and running in an area that sorely needs it. A model that is readily adaptable elsewhere across Oz. So they don't just faff impotently in the wind. They actually do stuff.
But here in the ACT we have a far closer relationship with the governing party. And ACT labor is among the most progressive of the ALP in Oz. So maybe it's because I'm seeing it at its better than its worst.
But I agree the factions system should be scrapped completely. It is a milstone around the neck of the party.
The reason that Family First got their senate seat in Victoria was because Labor preferenced them ahead of the Greens, even though the Greens outpolled family first by 2:1
I wrote to the ALP after the last election telling them why I didn't vote for them, why they didn't win, and why they aren't going to win until they change (barring a huge Liberal fuckup). Not that I thought they'd care. I think they're losing a lot of support from people who supported what they thought were Labor principles and are now finding that the Greens are the only ones upholding them.
The Dems also put FF ahead of the Greens. Some leftie party they are.
The Libs put DLP, then Christian Democrats, then FF after them. Why is no one talking about that? Oh wait, it's expected...
Mikey, you say:
"Because it's better to be a part of the process than mock from the outside."
The only reason that the Greens, according to what you imply, "mock from the outside" is because people take the attitude that "it's a two party system and as such I support the lesser of two evils"; it is becuase of your suppprt for a useless, rabid, right-wing ALP that ensures it is a two party system. The best thing you can do ti make the ALP Better is resign (and encourage others to resign) and ket the party know why you are resigning; becuase they have become a clone of the Liberals.
As for the Democrats, I'm not a big fan of them (the GST and the WRA) but they have never claimed to be a leftie party; they always say they are a centrist party. However given the fact that the ALP is now a right-wing party (no one has been able to give me any reasonable argument about how the ALP is still a left of centre party), I suppose this makes the centrist Democrats left compared to the ALP.
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