I have to run ..
I know, what a shocker. But I have to fold our live coverage of the 47th national conference in order to get to my plane. The conference was meant to wrap at 5pm, but the chaos around the party rules debate made that impossible. These folks may be talking for some time.
Let’s sum up.
- I think we can assume that Labor will adopt the marriage equality stance that is now being put to the conference by Bill Shorten and Tanya Plibersek – a conscience vote for two terms, and a binding vote in a third term. But given the day, perhaps keep an eye on your favourite social media site to be certain.
- That marriage equality debate is underway as we speak.
- The rest of the day was a series of boilovers. The first was on Palestine. A decision by a small bloc of the right in Queensland to vote with the left on the recognition of Palestine undercut a carefully calibrated deal on a platform amendment struck between the NSW right and the Victorian right.
- The end result was the Labor conference passed its strongest ever motion on the recognition of Palestine.
- The sum total of the other party rules debate was a tiny sliver of democratisation happened ( and when I say tiny I mean tiny) – and there was progress on affirmative action that will see more Indigenous representatives and women in parliament.
That was Sunday. I want to thank the co-owner of Politics Live, Gabi Chan, for her work over the last three days. We’ve been delighted to cooperate in person rather than play a tag team on his project. We’ve worked over every element of this weekend that seemed possible, and it’s been our great pleasure to bring it all to you.
I want to thank you, the readers. Thanks for reading over your weekend.
You rock.
See you in this form when parliament resumes on 10 August.
Updated
Standing ovation for @LindaWhiteASU as she moves that @AustralianLabor adopt 50/50 affirmative action. #ALPConf2015 pic.twitter.com/kVDD7jf3mW
— justin barbour (@justinbarbour) July 26, 2015
The delegate responsible for the backroom negotiations on the affirmative action target, and the compliance mechanism to enforce it, was this woman pictured above, Linda White.
Updated
Women at the national conference are on their feet, clapping and cheering.
The conference just elected to do nothing on Senate pre-selections because it couldn’t reach a consensus about what to do.
We have rolled on to affirmative action. Delegate White (Linda White, Victoria) says the 50% target for women’s representation will be accompanied by sanctions in the event the target is not met.
Binding vote on same sex marriage ... in two terms
I’m sorry things are so chaotic this afternoon. Let’s take stock quickly to make sure I’m being clear.
- Coming up in this rules debate – Bill Shorten will move a motion seconded by Tanya Plibersek that will allow Labor MPs a conscience vote on marriage equality for two terms, and then enforce a binding vote in a third term.
- I’d point out that’s some act of loyalty by senior left players, because Bill Shorten was only negotiating with the left this afternoon because he wasn’t sure his position had the numbers to carry the conference.
- On other issues, the conference has just deferred a discussion about grass roots participating in House of Representatives pre-selections because of a dispute between delegates.
- We are now on Senate preselections.
While the same-sex marriage story was breaking, the conference produced a statutory majority for the right’s proposal on the election of conference delegates. An unspecified number of national conference delegates elected by members will now come to these events. Reformers on the left will be disappointed with that result, but given what a mess this afternoon has been, they’ll take the bird in the hand.
Updated
Compromise on same-sex marriage is the motion will allow a conscience vote for two terms and a binding vote after a third term.
Moved by Shorten, seconded by Plibersek.
Updated
Compromise apparently coming on same-sex marriage: still no detail
Delegate Albanese (Anthony Albanese, NSW) is at the microphone speaking in favour of democratisation. As he’s speaking, someone has told me that a compromise is coming on same-sex marriage.
It will be moved by Bill Shorten and seconded by Tanya Plibersek.
Updated
This is the motion on selection of conference delegates put by the right faction.
- State branch delegates to national conference (including proxy delegates) must be elected in accordance with the rules of that state branch, subject to clause 15.(b) A proportion of those delegates must be directly elected by local branch members, and include delegates from outside metropolitan areas.
This is the motion put by the left faction.
- The delegates from each state must include a number of delegates directly elected by all eligible financial members of the state branch that is at least equal to the number of House of Representative electorates in that state as at the previous 31 December. (c) For Victoria and Western Australia, paragraph (b) only applies if a resolution of state conference to implement paragraph (b) is passed by three-quarters of those present and voting.
In other words, we have competing motions.
The right’s motion doesn’t specify precisely what proportion of members will be elected to conference; the left’s motion specifies 150 – except for Western Australia and Victoria.
The carve outs on the left motion reflect the fact that the WA left and the Victorian left don’t support the national left position.
Let’s see who wins.
Updated
The conference has just waved through the changes to the constitution required to enforce Kevin Rudd’s federal leadership procedures: the 50% grassroots ballot, caucus sets the rules for caucus, and the national executive sets the procedures for the rank-and-file ballot.
Now we are on to national conference delegates.
Mark Butler says to the delegate who has just lobbed at the microphone:
What are you doing?
(Sums it up really.)
Updated
The left motion on same-sex marriage that Gabi Chan reported on earlier today has lobbed. It says what we expected: conscience vote up until the election, binding vote afterwards. But whether that comes to the floor, or whether something else comes to the floor, remains, for now, moot.
Updated
The shadow treasurer, Chris Bowen, is backing Luke Foley on the socialist objective. Bowen says the objective of modern Labor has to be about equity, about multiculturalism, about safety at work. The Foley/Sheldon motion says every party member should be consulted on our objective going forward, Bowen says.
Despite all the theatre in the room, the motion was just carried.
Updated
Comrade Foley, I could not disagree with you more.
That’s the left’s Kim Carr, sailing forth in the socialist objective debate.
Society must intervene in market relationships.
Luke Foley is being booed as he wraps up his speech.
Foley: “As leader of Labor’s largest and most successful state branch...” Heckler: “Not lately”. #ALPConf2015
— Josh Taylor (@joshgnosis) July 26, 2015
That tweet gives you the tone.
Indigenous representation is carried.
Now to the socialist objective. This amendment is moved by delegate Foley (Luke Foley, NSW) and seconded by delegate Sheldon (Tony Sheldon, NSW.)
Foley is at the microphone. It sounds like he’s getting a belting from some of the delegates.
This is the motion being debated.
The party’s principles and objectives were last reviewed properly at a special national conference in 1981. Australia and the world have changed substantially since that time.
The 1981 debate was preceded by a comprehensive and substantial consultation process.
This conference resolves to commence a review of our socialist objective, with a view to replacing the existing language with the most appropriate and modern set of principles and objectives for the Australian Labor party.
This review shall be led by a broadly representative panel, appointed by national executive at its first ordinary meeting after this conference. Terms of reference are to be finalised by national executive but are to include:
- an obligation to seek input from all members and affiliated unions of the party;
- an obligation to undertake a process of active discussion and consultation;
- an obligation to circulate draft proposals and identify those proposals that are most likely to be adopted by consensus.
Updated
Mark Butler, sitting in the chair, has just shortened the speaking times for the debate to get through the big dump of proposals in rules.
This coming amendment is expected to get through without contest. This is about increasing Indigenous representation in the parliament.
Moved by delegate Bourke (Chris Bourke, ACT). Seconded by delegate Wall (Elise Wall).
This is the amendment.
That this conference: the ALP is committed to increasing the representation of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders in public office positions the party holds. To achieve this, national conference empowers state and territory branches to make affirmative action rules, in consultation with their state or territory Indigenous Labor network, for the preselection of public office holders that require a minimum of relevant positions to be held by Aboriginals or Torres Strait Islanders. The minimum level that can be set by such affirmative action rules is 5%. To support state and territory branches in the implementation of this strategy national conference requires state and territory branches to:
- Ensure that application and renewal forms ask prospective and existing ALP members whether they are Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander;
- Maintain a contact list of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members that can be provided their Indigenous Labor network.
Updated
ALP members no longer have to be members of a union
The conference just carried an amendment that says ALP members no longer have to be members of a union.
From the dump of amendments that’s just hit, this will be a complete slugfest.
Updated
The NSW state secretary, Jamie Clements, opens the chapter by working through what’s been agreed on the rules debate. He’s now moving to the contested parts, which he nominates as the selection of national conference delegates.
Clements says the right will move a proposal that will see 150 delegates elected by federal electoral committees. He says the right’s position is the same as the left’s except the left wants to carve out Victoria.
They want to carve out Victoria. Do not let any state off the hook.
Updated
Mark Butler, Tanya Plibersek and Penny Wong are back in the conference centre. The filibuster has just wound up.
Mark Butler:
Well delegates, we’ve left the fun bit until last.
Ain’t that the truth. Here comes the rules debate folks.
Updated
For a few more words on the chapter, we are going to hear from delegate Burney ...
Updated
Thank you delegate Campbell. The left has also bound its delegates behind “Joan’s law” – the 50% affirmative action rule.
@murpharoo Left has also bound on our 50% Affirmative Action rule. #JoansLaw #AffirmativeAction #ALPConf2015 #LetsGetThisDone
— Nicole Campbell (@Nic4RankandFile) July 26, 2015
Just one of many fights going on behind the scenes this afternoon is about the compliance mechanism for this target. As Tanya Plibersek said yesterday, 50% is just a target if nobody faces any consequences for not meeting it.
Updated
I never knew my grandmother ...
Filibustering continues in the aged care debate.
Updated
If I didn’t know better I’d think we were filibustering now in the aged care debate. Could that have something to do with the fact the rules debate is about to start and no one knows what’s about to happen?
Scrap that. Probably a couple of people know what’s about to happen.
Updated
I’m sorry about the aged care debate, which is important, but there’s some chaos going down behind the scenes about this afternoon’s debate.
Let me try and explain as best as I can:
- I keep hearing that Bill Shorten is attempting to find a compromise on same-sex marriage with the left leadership, but I don’t know what such a compromise would look like.
- The left is binding its delegates this afternoon and may gain some votes from the right. Let me remind you what the left proposal is: the left will support a conscience vote up until the next election, and a binding vote afterwards.
- This morning I was pretty confident there would be defections from the left to help Shorten carry his opposition to the party adopting a binding vote. Now I’m not sure. People are genuinely not sure at this moment in time how this vote this afternoon will go.
- On the other rules debates it looks like a model where 150 national conference delegates will be selected in future by the ALP rank-and-file will get up this afternoon. But it looks highly unlikely that reform of Senate preselections will clear the floor.
Meanwhile a delegate in the aged care debate has just made this declaration.
When I’m dead, I’ll have died.
Updated
Now might be a good time to remind readers that the rules debate this afternoon requires a statutory majority of 199 votes for the various proposals. One of those quaint Labor rules.
Some feedback out of the caucus briefings. At lunchtime Murph pointed you towards some emerging guidance that the NUW delegates (a right bloc) would be voting with the left on same-sex marriage this afternoon. There’s some bartering going on about this afternoon’s debate – not clear what it is yet. The left have just agreed to bind their delegates for this afternoon’s vote. We aren’t sure whether the bound left will hold all the delegates, or whether, like yesterday in the turnbacks debate, there will be some defections.
Updated
Just a slight adjustment from an account we gave you earlier. We thought the Labor leader, Bill Shorten, was calling by the left caucus for the lunchtime gathering to chat about same-sex marriage, but he was meeting the left leadership. Or some of it. Not clear why yet. The afternoon session is about to get under way.
Updated
First debate after lunch is chapter six: “New opportunities for an ageing Australia”.
Keep your fluids up.
Updated
I do like a good sock.
While policy debate continues at #ALPconf2015 , Andrew Giles lightens up the mood via sock choice. #auspol pic.twitter.com/QzFUcgIdzl
— John Setka (@CFMEUJohnSetka) July 25, 2015
Andrew Giles is the left-aligned MP who yesterday moved the (unsuccessful) amendment that aimed to prohibit boat turnbacks.
National conference this Sunday lunchtime
Well what an interesting morning.
Let’s take stock.
- The key event this morning was the tussle over Palestine. A platform amendment agreed between the Victorian right and the NSW right emerged and then disappeared because a small sub-factional grouping from the right decided to vote with the left.
- The consequence of that was the national conference passed a resolution committing a future Labor government to discuss joining like-minded nations who have already recognised Palestine and announcing the conditions and timelines for the Australian recognition of a Palestinian state, with the objective of contributing to peace and security in the Middle East.
- That’s the strongest resolution on Palestine to ever pass the national conference.
- Argy bargy continued on the afternoon debates – on party rules and on same sex marriage.
- The left is working through its strategy for this afternoon but we expect a resolution on same sex marriage that would allow a conscience vote up until the election and then a binding vote after that. Delegates from the National Union of Workers (a right aligned union) are likely to vote with the left according to a couple of accounts. Some left delegates would also vote against such a resolution.
- So we don’t quite know the outcome at this point. On party rules, there will be some progress on democratisation this afternoon but not as much as the left wants.
More, so much more, to come.
Up stairs down stairs. Murph will do a summary in a minute, but we hear Bill Shorten is making a visit to the lunchtime left caucus to talk about same sex marriage. Interesting times we live in.
The motion condemning Ferguson was carried. Apologies, I’m doing too much multi-tasking and should settle down to ‘now’ rather than lunging forward. I’ll post a lunchtime summary shortly.
Condemning Martin Ferguson – with added Socrates
Here’s the motion condemning Martin Ferguson that I flagged a moment ago. Delegate Crumlin (Paddy Crumlin, NSW), is leading this discussion. Crumlin is the secretary of the Maritime Union of Australia.
Crumlin says it is OK to disagree. But ...
You can’t leave the territory littered with vitriol.
Wake up to yourself, mate.
Crumlin urges delegates to think about Socrates, the dialectic.
Let’s get on with the dialectic.
Bit of respect, Martin.
(I thought the dialectic was Marx, but then I’m ignorant.)
Updated
Rightio, industrial relations. Apologies everyone. A debate now about conditions of fly-in-fly-out workers in the resources sector. Delegate Sheldon (Tony Sheldon, NSW). Carried.
Updated
(Will this woman ever get off Palestine?) I’ve been searching for this picture for about 20 minutes. Here’s some of the corridor-bartering over this morning’s resolution. It was located by my colleague Janine Israel. Onya, Janine.
Updated
There is a resolution coming up in this debate condemning the former resources minister Martin Ferguson for speaking out against Labor policy during the recent NSW election campaign. There was a move on to expel Ferguson from the ALP. That fizzled out. But there’ll be wrist slapping today.
Updated
Ah, I didn’t realise the F-bomber was delegate McDonald (Joe McDonald, Western Australia).
CFMEU's very own Joe McDonald speaks passionately in favour of domestic violence paid leave! #ALPconf15 #auspol pic.twitter.com/Kb6RyV1dET
— John Setka (@CFMEUJohnSetka) July 26, 2015
Updated
Palestine. Sorry, we are moving on (particularly given a CFMEU delegate just lobbed another F-bomb on the stage) but because I’m a detail-oriented person – forgive me – the Old Guard delegation, the folks who voted with the left this morning on the Palestine resolution, comprises six votes at this national conference. Normally that would be neither here nor there. At this conference, that’s the difference between winning and losing on a contested issue.
Updated
We are into the industrial relations debate now which I will tune into shortly. I’ve been in information-gathering mode ahead of this afternoon’s rules debate. The factions have just gone into their lunchtime caucuses.
In terms of party rules, the two big issues are the future selection of national conference delegates and whether rank-and-file members get a say in future Senate preselections.
Indications suggest a proposal that could see 150 conference delegates selected by ordinary party members is likely to emerge from this afternoon’s debate, but it seems highly unlikely the conference will agree to open up Senate preselections. The right faction, and trade union delegates, oppose that reform.
Updated
In a primer I wrote ahead of the conference, I pointed readers in the direction of Labor’s evolving sub factional culture. Have a look at the entry titled discipline and democratisation if you are interested.
Rightio, what happened there with the Palestine debate?
Well ...
- I gather the NSW right and the Victorian right had reached agreement on the platform amendment on Palestine that I shared with you on the live blog earlier this morning.
- There was also a resolution from the left which was cleared through the policy clearing process. Having assumed the platform amendment was locked up by agreement I didn’t share the left resolution with you earlier today.
- The right faction, however, splintered in the course of the morning. A sub-factional group of delegates who call themselves the Old Guard (yes, they do) indicated they would vote on Palestine with the left, rather than the right. The Old Guard are nominally right wingers, but in Queensland, they vote with the left. (Don’t ask, really. I don’t want heads exploding.)
- On the version I’ve been given, the Old Guard made it known late in the piece they would vote with the left on Palestine. There may also have been some bartering around this afternoon’s same-sex marriage vote. I say “may” because I’m not sure about that.
- In any case, the Victorian right dropped off because it objected to the last paragraph in the resolution brought forward by the left. That left the NSW right winger Tony Burke moving the resolution with a delegate from the Queensland left.
If more particulars come to hand I’ll share them.
Updated
So the key change (apart from going from a platform amendment to a resolution, which is a weaker statement) is in the final paragraph.
This was the first version, the platform amendment.
- In order to build towards establishing and recognising a Palestinian state as the outcome of direct peace negotiations, Labor will support practical steps to Palestinian nation building and, ultimately, statehood. A future Labor government will work with the parties, like-minded governments and the UN in establishing agreed timelines for negotiations to achieve this outcome.
This was the second version, the resolution.
- If, however, there is no progress in the next round of the peace process a future Labor government will discuss joining like-minded nations who have already recognised Palestine and announcing the conditions and timelines for the Australian recognition of a Palestinian state, with the objective of contributing to peace and security in the Middle East.
Updated
Brief boilover on Palestine, now limping forward
Very interesting.
The platform amendment that we posted this morning has disappeared from the conference.
It has now become a resolution, which is moved by delegate Burke (Tony Burke, NSW) and seconded by delegate Turner (Wendy Turner, Queensland).
The Victorian right has dropped off altogether. The seconder was supposed to be Mark Dreyfus. Not any more.
The resolution, with some subtle changes in wording, now reads:
The Australian Labor party conference:
Affirms Labor’s support for an enduring and just two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the right of Israel to live in peace within secure borders internationally recognised and agreed by the parties, and reflecting the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to also live in peace and security within their own state.
Deplores the tragic conflict in Gaza and supports an end to rocket attacks by Hamas and the exercise of the maximum possible restraint by Israel in response to these attacks.
Supports a negotiated settlement between the parties to the conflict, based on international frameworks, laws and norms.
Recognises in government Labor retained its commitment to two states for two peoples in the Middle East and specifically:
- Did not block enhanced Palestinian status in the general assembly;
- Restated the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is occupied territory;
- Opposed Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, recognising that a just, peaceful and enduring resolution will involve a territorial settlement based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps;
- Held that the settlements are illegal under international law.
Recognises that any resolution will be based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, a timeframe to end Israeli occupation, demilitarisation of Palestinian territory, agreement on a solution to Palestinian refugee issues, and resolution of the issue of Jerusalem’s final status.
Recognises that settlement building by Israel in the occupied territories that may undermine a two-state solution is a roadblock to peace. Labor calls on Israel to cease all such settlement expansion to support renewed negotiations toward peace.
Rejects the boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
Condemns the comments of the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, during the recent elections where he ruled out a Palestinian state, and further condemns his appeals to race during the campaign.
Recognises a lasting peace will require a future state of Palestine to recognise the right of Israel to exist and the state of Israel to recognise the right of Palestine to exist.
Recognises the special circumstances of the Palestinian people, their desire for respect, and the achievement of their legitimate aspiration to live in independence in a state of their own. This is a cause Labor is committed to.
If, however, there is no progress in the next round of the peace process, a future Labor government will discuss joining like-minded nations who have already recognised Palestine and announcing the conditions and timelines for the Australian recognition of a Palestinian state, with the objective of contributing to peace and security in the Middle East.
Updated
The conference has now moved to a filibuster because what we thought was internal peace in our time about the Palestine proposal has now broken down. Apparently the haggling is happening on the floor – requiring various delegates to tell us their favourite stories. It’s Delegate O’Neill’s turn right now. (Deb O’Neill, NSW).
The left has more or less resolved on the motion for this afternoon’s same sex marriage debate. It will build on the existing platform wording from the last federal conference.
For the record, this is the current resolution from the last (46th) national conference.
Same sex marriage:
Conference resolves that the matter of same sex marriage can be freely debated at any state or federal forum of the Australian Labor Party, but any decision reached is not binding on any member of the Party.
The new motion kicking round the left would amend the existing motion by inserting at the end, an additional sentence namely:
This resolution is rescinded on the day on which the writs for the federal election following the 2015 conference are issued.
The practical effect of this change is Labor has a conscience vote up until the next election, and a binding vote after it.
But this sortie doesn’t look hopeful.
Cross factional approval? Solving Cyprus should be easy: Albanese
Albanese gets a round of applause as he wraps up his contribution on Cyprus.
Anthony Albanese:
Delegates, I’m heartened by your support.
Delegate Butler (Mark Butler, South Australia), ALP president, presiding in the morning session.
Wind up Delegate Albanese.
Albanese to Butler.
I voted for you, so be nice.
(Butler’s candidacy for the national presidency was backed by Albanese.)
Albanese to the floor:
Delegates if I can come to a national conference and be cheered by both right and left wing delegates, solving an international problem should be easy.
Delegate Albanese (Anthony Albanese, NSW) is seconding the solution to the Cyprus problem.
We’ve had East Timor, international whaling, and now Delegate Forshaw (Michael Forshaw, NSW) has a resolution seeking a solution to the Cyprus problem.
A resolution now supporting the right of the Sarharwi people to self determination.
Unsurprisingly in this resolution, we are revisiting the strategic miscalculation of the Iraq war and the consequential rise of IS.
Delegate Bowen (Chris Bowen, NSW) is now moving a resolution about Islamic State and about the persecution of religious minorities in the Middle East, including Christians in Iraq.
Hayes is telling conference about his meetings in prison with Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran. He says Labor needs to lobby consistently against the death penalty, whether it’s in Indonesia or whether it’s in the United States.
The resolution affirms Labor’s opposition against the death penalty.
No speakers against the resolution. The below has been carried #ALPConf2015 pic.twitter.com/c2SNGIFKIY
— Labor Herald (@LaborHerald) July 26, 2015
Chris Hayes:
We must in all our endeavours be true to our commitment and encourage other jurisdictions to do the same.
Updated
Have we located the chief government whip?
That’s Mark Butler from the chair, still looking for Chris Hayes to move the death penalty motion. He means opposition whip.
Ah yes, here comes Hayes. Underway now, with his implacable view against capital punishment.
Still on aid cuts in the foreign affairs debate. This is quite cute – the small crowd gathering at the conference to watch Anthony Albanese’s off broadway performance this morning on Insiders.
Busted! #insiders #favouriteshow #ALP2015Conf @AlboMP pic.twitter.com/qXVoXp3stM
— Insiders ABC (@InsidersABC) July 26, 2015
Kristina Keneally, from the Twitters. A little teensy bit cutting.
Trust some of the Left to try to win the moral battle but lose the war. #MarriageEquaility #ALPConf15
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) July 26, 2015
If the ALP binds its members on #MarriageEquaility - in this parliament or the next - the Libs will never grant a conscience vote.
— Kristina Keneally (@KKeneally) July 26, 2015
(Keneally, the former NSW premier, is from the right faction.)
A resolution was supposed to be moved now on the death penalty. The resolution condemns the executions of the Bali 9. It was meant to be moved by Delegate Hayes (Chris Hayes, NSW) but he seems to be absent. Party president Mark Butler, in the chair this morning, moves on. He says the conference will have to come back to it.
Next amendment is about torture. Torture is bad, obviously. Carried. Now we are on to aid cuts are bad. I suspect that will be carried too.
First amendment is ensuring the ALP supports the Chinese-led Asian Development Bank, the AIDB – the regional financial behemoth that the Obama administration has been lobbying key allies to rebuff.
The Abbott government hesitated initially about joining because of US objections, but has now jumped on board as long at the bank operates as a rules based institution – as have most of the other countries lobbied by America to do otherwise.
This amendment is moved by Delegate Thistlethwaite (Matt Thistlethwaite, NSW) and seconded by Delegate McAllister (Jenny McAllister, NSW).
Carried.
We are rolling in the foreign affairs debate now. Chapter eleven – Australia’s place in a changing world – has been moved by the shadow foreign minister Tanya Plibersek and is now being seconded by the shadow defence minister Stephen Conroy.
Just back to Insiders now. Having voted against the leadership position - that is, against the use of turnbacks, Anthony Albanese was all sweetness and light this morning on Insiders.
All friends again, he says. His view is that Labor’s policy should be enhancing funding for regional solutions to ensure boats don’t need to be turned around.
Anthony Albanese:
You can be tough on people smugglers without being weak on humanity...I couldn’t ask someone else to do something I couldn’t see myself doing and if people were in a boat, including families and children, I myself couldn’t turn that around. I would want to make sure they were safe and secure. That was a position I came to. I respect people on the other side of the debate who came to a different position.
Barrie Cassidy asked what will happen when the turnbacks start under a Labor government.
Anthony Albanese:
I don’t believe they will start. That’s the point Barrie. Everyone in Labor wants to make sure that there aren’t turnbacks because there aren’t boats. We want to make sure there is a proper solution. We are the only party that has a comprehensive solution.
Albanese resisted the suggestion there was a leadership split, given Himself, senate leader Penny Wong, and deputy leader Tanya Plibersek voted against Shorten’s preferred position.
We have a real conference where there are debates of different views...there are better outcomes than if a couple of people sit around in a room.
He says now the debate has been had, the immigration platform has the endorsement of the entire party and has enhanced Labor’s position at the next election “as a result of this conference”. Albanese rejected reports that he sledged Wong and Plibersek for voting against turnbacks via proxies rather than turning up to vote against on the floor.
That’s a personal decision for them and I certainly respect that decision. I am not a part of the leadership group.
Albanese will also support a conscience vote rather than a binding vote on same sex marriage. He said he is a strong supporter of marriage equality but he believes Labor has to be “respectful to other people because of their faith”.
You can’t call for tolerance and respect for diversity whilst being intolerant.
Bill Shorten addresses the morning session
The Labor leader is making his morning address to the conference. He’s talking about events yesterday, including the protestors who invaded the stage during the boats debate. He suggests the protestors have never voted Labor in their lives. Andrew Giles deserves a bit of a mention, Shorten says – as does Mark Butler, the party president. Shorten says Giles and Butler brought the debate back on track.
Shorten:
It could have gone either way.
(If you weren’t with me yesterday, the left’s Andrew Giles brought the motion to ban turnbacks, and Butler chaired the proceedings.)
Shorten says the conference needs to stand together and work out its differences in its own way. He says Labor trusts the public to understand that the arguments are productive.
The Labor leader talks about Liberal party conferences. Liberal party conferences vote in favour of the right to be a bigot (he’s talking about support for watering down the Racial Discrimination Act). He says Liberals argue about whether or not climate change exists, and whether the moon landing happened.
In the first two days of the conference, Shorten says Labor has exceeded external expectations. He says conservatives are always writing Labor off, but Labor delivers.
Every time questions are asked we find answers.
He’s turning now to marriage equality. He says Labor wants a vote on same sex marriage in this parliament, with a free vote.
I do not believe same sex couples should have to wait for a change of government.
Shorten declines to reference the left push for the binding vote. He’s pretending that’s not happening.
Now democratisation. The grass roots needs more say .. increasing their role in Senate pre-selections. (There’s no detail from Shorten about how much say the grass roots will get. That’s the big fight behind the scenes about the party rules debate. The fight isn’t yet fully resolved.)
Updated
Here is the Palestine platform amendment
If you’ve been sweating on the Palestine platform amendment (ok, that might just be me) – here it is below. I have bolded the relevant paragraphs which reflect the internal tussle between NSW and Victoria that I posted about earlier on. My analysis for what it’s worth? This looks like a pretty elegant compromise between the brawling rights – this amendment is stronger on Palestine than Labor has been in the past, the Shorten camp has had to give quite a bit of ground here, and Sydney has had to cop some compromise too.
Without further ado, the (compromise) resolution to be moved by Delegate Burke (Tony Burke, NSW) and Delegate Dreyfus (Mark Dreyfus, Victoria).
The Australian Labor Party Conference:
AFFIRMS Labor’s support for an enduring and just two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the right of Israel to live in peace within secure borders internationally recognised and agreed by the parties, and reflecting the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to also live in peace and security within their own state.
DEPLORES the tragic conflict in Gaza and supports an end to rocket attacks by Hamas and the exercise of the maximum possible restraint by Israel in response to these attacks.
SUPPORTS a negotiated settlement between the parties to the conflict, based on international frameworks, laws and norms
RECOGNISES in government Labor retained its commitment to two states for two peoples in the Middle East and specifically
- Did not block enhanced Palestinian status in the General Assembly;
- Restated the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is occupied territory;
- Opposed Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land, recognising that a just, peaceful and enduring resolution will involve a territorial settlement based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps;
- Held that the settlements were contrary to international law.
RECOGNISES that any resolution will be based on 1967 borders with agreed land swaps, a timeframe to end Israeli occupation, demilitarization of Palestinian territory, agreement on a solution to Palestinian refugee issues, and resolution of the issue of Jerusalem’s final status.
RECOGNISES that settlement building by Israel in the Occupied Territories that may undermine a two-state solution is a roadblock to peace. Labor CALLS ON Israel to cease all such settlement expansion to support renewed negotiations toward peace.
REJECTS the boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel.
CONDEMNS the comments of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu during the recent elections where he ruled out a Palestinian state and further condemns his appeals to race during the campaign.
RECOGNISES a lasting peace will require a future State of Palestine to recognise the right of Israel to exist and the State of Israel to recognise the right of Palestine to exist.
RECOGNISES the special circumstances of the Palestinian people, their desire for respect, and the achievement of their legitimate aspiration to live in independence in a state of their own. This is a cause Labor is committed to.
In order to build towards establishing and recognising a Palestinian state as the outcome of direct peace negotiations, Labor will support practical steps to Palestinian nation building and, ultimately, statehood.
A future Labor Government will work with the parties, like-minded governments and the UN in establishing agreed timelines for negotiations to achieve this outcome.
A formal decision by the left on whether or not to bind delegates on the same sex marriage vote will be made at lunchtime.
Binding vote looking less promising
Back to same sex marriage and the binding vote. Another left person tells me that the left may seek to bind delegates behind today’s binding vote in the next parliament (I do love this binding on binding) – but it won’t work.
If the faction binds its delegates there will be defections and proxies at twenty paces. With that advice, I’m confident but not certain that the binding vote will not succeed this afternoon.
Never say never, but it looks like a repeat of yesterday’s boats debate. Some fighting words, and a loss on the floor.
Sounds like Insiders is humming along. Anthony Albanese on voting against the leader in yesterday’s turnbacks debate.
Very honest Albanese: "I couldn't ask someone else to do something that I couldn't see myself doing.” #ALPConf2015 pic.twitter.com/318NCAo4hv
— BuzzFeedOz Politics (@BuzzFeedOzPol) July 25, 2015
Gabi Chan will bring us some of the interview shortly.
Just some quick background on Palestine before we roll into the foreign affairs debate this morning.
Going into this national conference, the NSW right wanted to move a version of a motion cleared by the NSW Labor conference which calls on a future Labor government “to consult like-minded nations toward recognition of a Palestinian state”. The NSW motion backed the two-state solution – Labor’s longstanding policy position on the Middle East – while noting the lack of current progress; and recognised explicitly that “a Middle East peace will only be won with the establishment of a Palestinian state”. It noted if there was no progress towards meaningful peace, “and Israel continues to build and expand settlements, a future Labor government will consult like-minded nations towards recognition of the Palestinian state.”
That’s what NSW wanted.
It will be interesting to see how far they get. The arm twisting is still going on downstairs.
Updated
As well as the foreign affairs debate and the rules debate and the same-sex marriage debate, the national conference will consider chapter five (“Decent jobs with fair pay and conditions”) and chapter six (“New opportunities for an ageing Australia”).
Updated
Speaking as we did briefly in the opening post about Anthony Albanese, he’s off broadway this morning doing an interview on the ABC’s Insiders program. He’s been pretty chatty over this weekend, so a few eyes in a few backrooms here will be on that particular outing. Not that anyone’s paranoid.
Meanwhile, back on broadway, I’m getting conflicting signals out of the left on same sex marriage. Both the left and right caucus are still meeting at the moment. Some in the left say the binding vote has a good chance of getting up, some are less confident about that. Obviously I will keep you posted.
Top of the morning
Good morning everyone and welcome to Sunday, the final day of the ALP national conference in Melbourne. Many of you will know that yesterday was the show-stopping asylum policy debate.
Bill Shorten prevailed on Saturday in his ambition to keep the Labor platform silent on turnbacks in order to give himself scope to use the deterrence measure in government. But he prevailed at a cost. The strategy split his leadership team, with Penny Wong and Tanya Plibersek voting with the left against the Shorten position via proxies, and Anthony Albanese voting himself with the left. Behind the scenes tears were shed and hands were wrung.
Today the big debates will be about Palestine (what extent a future Labor government should recognise Palestine) – I gather there’s been some significant arm twisting behind the scenes in the past few days. The NSW right supports a form of recognition, but the Victorian right is distinctly cool on the issue. We’ll see the results of the arm twisting in a resolution some time this morning.
Also today: a debate on same sex marriage and on party democratisation. Same sex marriage will see a proposal brought forward that would allow a conscience vote in this parliament but a binding vote in the next. Bill Shorten does not support a binding vote. But current indications are a binding vote in the next parliament could clear the national conference later today – because the left faction is very likely to bind its delegation behind that position.
Last up, there’ll be the rules debate. That’s affirmative action, grass roots ballots for senate pre-selections and national conference delegations, and a bunch of other things. It depends on your passions and policy interests but in my view today will be as interesting as yesterday, it might just lack a few protestors.
The Politics Live comments thread is open for your business, as always, and you can get me on Twitter @murpharoo
