Recent elections in Australia, the US and the UK have seen left-leaning parties lose votes among non-university educated whites. One way to win them back might be to disassociate from ‘elite’ opinion.
Labor has long been seen as the party of bold policy platforms, while the Coalition has played more of a consolidating role. The next election will determine if those characterisations still hold.
Branch stacking raises broader questions about the health of our political parties. There are alternative forms of representation that could bring ordinary Australians into the political system again.
Branch stacking has been a problem for a long time in Australia, and changing it will take a genuine will to make party processes more open and accountable.
Adam Bandt on Greens’ hopes for future power sharing
The Conversation, CC BY40,6 MB(download)
Adam Bandt expresses his disappointment with Labor's coal rhetoric. He says they have a decision to make: work with the Greens, or determine whether they have more in common with the Liberals.
Anthony Albanese has also criticised the government for attacking freedom of the press and the right to protest.
AAP/Mick Tsikas
Across Western nations, the centre-left remains in opposition, with grim prospects for government. Whether this is a blip or its last gasp remains to be seen.
Unless Labor improves markedly with the lower-educated, they risk losing the seat count while winning the popular vote at the next election.
AAP/Dan Peled
The government’s proposed income tax cut plan has put Labor into a bind and Pauline Hanson into a hissy fit.
Setka has form in attracting negative media attention as Victorian state secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining, Maritime and Energy Union.
AAP/Daniel Pockett
The opposition leader will move to have Setka expelled from the ALP after Setka reportedly told a union meeting that Batty’s work had led to men having fewer rights.
Kristina Keneally will face off against Peter Dutton.
Ben Rushton/Mick Tsikas/AAP
The new Labor leader is from the party’s left wing, which the government and some media will try to exploit. But Anthony Albanese’s way through this is with policies and leadership.