In another thread I said that I believe that having strong political parties is essential to a robust democracy that makes better decisions for the citizens and residents of Australia.
As such I hope this is all true.
As reported here.
BILL Shorten is severing century-old ALP ties with the union movement in a parcel of changes he will today insist are needed for Labor to regain government.
The Opposition Leader will declare himself "a proud union member" but will reveal he has directed ALP national secretary George Wright to eliminate rules making a union ticket compulsory for Labor membership.
"This change makes it plain that in 2014 Labor is not the political arm of anything but the Australian people," Mr Shorten plans to say in a speech today.
"Friends, Tony Abbott did not put Labor in Opposition " the Australian people put us here. And unless we change, it is where we will stay.
"Unless we change, we will be forced to watch on as the Liberals undo and unmake everything that modern Australia is, everything that modern Australia can be."
Mr Shorten wants:
* Greater community involvement in selecting candidates with further limits on the party executive to impose choices. He will refer to the debacle in Western Australia in which the top Senate candidate was a former union official who had admitted he didn?t always vote Labor.
* A "membership based party" of 100,000 members; A "one-click online joining model for new members" to replace the current cumbersome application system by June; "Low cost, uniform national membership fees" to attract young people, people on low incomes, students, apprentices and trainees; Make the ALP national conference more representative of community groups.
The most controversial change will be the cutting of 113 years of compulsory links between party and trade union membership. Mr Shorten believes it is a symbolic tie but union colleagues of the former AWU secretary are certain to disagree.
"As a party we can't remain anchored in the past " we need to rise with the modern tide," Mr Shorten will say.
"I believe it should no longer be compulsory for prospective members of the Labor Party to join a union ...
If he does come out and say things like this.
He'll go way up in my estimation of him.
As such I hope this is all true.
As reported here.
BILL Shorten is severing century-old ALP ties with the union movement in a parcel of changes he will today insist are needed for Labor to regain government.
The Opposition Leader will declare himself "a proud union member" but will reveal he has directed ALP national secretary George Wright to eliminate rules making a union ticket compulsory for Labor membership.
"This change makes it plain that in 2014 Labor is not the political arm of anything but the Australian people," Mr Shorten plans to say in a speech today.
"Friends, Tony Abbott did not put Labor in Opposition " the Australian people put us here. And unless we change, it is where we will stay.
"Unless we change, we will be forced to watch on as the Liberals undo and unmake everything that modern Australia is, everything that modern Australia can be."
Mr Shorten wants:
* Greater community involvement in selecting candidates with further limits on the party executive to impose choices. He will refer to the debacle in Western Australia in which the top Senate candidate was a former union official who had admitted he didn?t always vote Labor.
* A "membership based party" of 100,000 members; A "one-click online joining model for new members" to replace the current cumbersome application system by June; "Low cost, uniform national membership fees" to attract young people, people on low incomes, students, apprentices and trainees; Make the ALP national conference more representative of community groups.
The most controversial change will be the cutting of 113 years of compulsory links between party and trade union membership. Mr Shorten believes it is a symbolic tie but union colleagues of the former AWU secretary are certain to disagree.
"As a party we can't remain anchored in the past " we need to rise with the modern tide," Mr Shorten will say.
"I believe it should no longer be compulsory for prospective members of the Labor Party to join a union ...
If he does come out and say things like this.
He'll go way up in my estimation of him.