Bring Back The Labor Herald

August 21, 2019
Written by: Trish Corry
36 Replies

The Election

Various debates have ensued about why Labor did not win the federal election. There are many good points to listen to and many not so good points to reject. Many people have put a lot of time and effort into formal responses. Some I have read online and some Labor friends have sent me their thoughts and submissions direct.

So much feedback shows there are many people passionate about Labor and despite the rhetoric of the right wing media and many Greens supporters sticking it to Labor on Twitter; at our core, we are a bunch of very passionate people who care deeply about workers rights, equality and fairness.

The other huge point I want to make and counter is the election isn’t a personal blow for us. The feedback I have read or listened to reflects a passion for other people and how losing the election will impact on other people. As a whole, we don’t worry about how the election impacts on us as individuals, but the workers, the poor and the disadvantaged. In a nutshell, that is who Labor is. We are greater than the sum of all our parts.

Negative Messaging

However, at the crux of all of these debates is “Labor’s intent” or “What Labor stood for” or “What Labor does or doesn’t believe in”. In short, a whole range of misinformation ensued from the right-wing parties. However, many on “the left” drove this. That is the Greens and their supporters, left-leaning swinging voters and “Left-Leaning Independent voters” (or so they think IND are left!). This is not a new problem. There are many news articles, social media posts, tweets, blogs, “independent’ news, all misrepresenting Labor and really pushing negative rhetoric about Labor.

Over the years this has culminated like an insidious contagion. For many non-politically aligned people, this resonates as Labor cannot be trusted. This suits the Liberals to a T. In Queensland when people believe they can’t trust Labor and don’t really vote LNP, they vote PHON. All this does is harm a progressive Industrial Relations agenda and that is all politics boils down to.

The problem is Labor did nothing to stop it. They are still doing nothing to stop it. I don’t know about you, but I find this incredibly frustrating. Especially when there is an abundance of tools to do so in modern society.

The Problem

There are a lot of people on social media and blogs who are forever countering claims by the Media, right-wing politicians and in particular, sadly, increasingly so, by the other “left” party the Greens. These claims often misrepresent Labor. Decisions by Labor are often taken out of context. This has become increasingly worse since the election.

Labor should have a clear and concise messaging strategy. Do not just attack the LNP. Take note of the narratives going on, on social media as well, and counter what is being said. They need to pay equal attention to negative messaging about Labor from Liberals, Nats, LNP, PHON, Greens and Independents. They need to observe general conversations and respond to these in a concise way that is easily shared.

There are some really great MP’s like Murray Watt and Martin Pakula and Peter Khalil who do engage with people on Twitter. Doing so clarifies issues and they do this very well. However, there needs to be more than this. Twitter and Facebook are not set and forget advertising platforms.

A Working Class Voice

The Australian Labor Party is the party of the working class. The Labor party was borne of the working class. History cannot be changed. Unions have direct representation in the Labor party and put forward ideas and debate directly to the Labor policy platform. Unions support candidates.

Regardless of income, regardless of sector, regardless of collar colour, we are ALL working class if we have an employer, including the new contractors who contract to an employer, where they should be employees instead. We are ALL working class and at the mercy of employers when the Liberals implement laws to unfairly dismiss us, to casualise us, contract our labour or to replace us with foreign labour. We are ALL working class when we have to deal with an unfair, poverty-based, punitive Social Security system.

Mainstream Media

However, there is no working-class friendly voice in the mainstream media. Almost all newspapers are owned by the Murdoch Press in Queensland. Newspapers, Talkback radio, Television shows do not tell any stories from a working-class perspective. They highlight the right-wing perspective. Where a worker perspective is written, it always ends with the last word from the LNP. At best, we get a panel member and then three right-wing panel members for “balance”. The Guardian could be described as ‘left friendly’ but as a whole, it is friendly to the environmental left, not the working-class left, nor Labor.

There are some very good Independent News sites, such as the Monthly and Saturday Paper, however, these are subscriber based and many do not see these articles.

The stories of these people are missing like a huge black hole in mainstream media.

Social Media

Social media is rife with misinformation about Labor. The right-wing cluster uses Facebook as the medium to spread misinformation and fear-mongering about Labor. The Greens and their supporters and some Independents use Twitter and blogs (including “Independent News sites”) to spread and try to really reinforce the message that “Labor has lost their way.” There are right-wing bloggers or “Independent journalists” with significant followings also spread this message.

The right-wing says that Labor is beholden to the Unions as if that is a negative thing.

The Greens say that Labor rejects the unions, are distancing themselves from the unions and that the Greens are the original Unionists.

Independents say not to trust major parties, knowing they will support the Liberals in power anyway.

There is a growing stigma on social media about partisan politics. There are very vocal Independent supporters, ‘left-leaning I don’t support any party’ supporters and many greens supporters with significant followings online. They really hammer that it is shameful to politically align yourself with Labor. Those on “the left’ who say it is shameful to support the party of the workers, see Marx rolling in his grave.

Regardless, the Greens, Independents, Liberals, Nationals, LNP and PHON are all singing the same chorus to really try to reinforce to voters that “Labor cannot be trusted and Labor does not care about YOU!” That is the central narrative from all of them.

Political Agendas

Absolutely everything about politics boils down to Worker vs Capital. The “Capitalist Class” (Liberals) want to achieve an agenda where the “Working Class” (Labor) is used as the cheapest disposable commodity that money can buy (or engage it for free), or if many can’t buy it, they will make a law to make it so.

The current Liberal agenda for Social Security of poverty payments and RoboDebt, is an agenda where desperate people will start fighting to work for very low wages, in any conditions and unions will be positioned as a group who are stopping them from getting food on the table.

Everything else is white noise. Everything else is a distraction.

One Nation V Labor

The agenda of PHON – a close ally of the Liberals, is to make as much noise about social issues in a negative way as much as they can. They intentionally are perpetrators of racist debate and other negative messaging around social issues, to take the focus off what the Liberals are doing and intend to do with Industrial Relations and Work Rights.

PHON also creates outrage by saying that Labor doesn’t stand up for ‘battlers’ when Labor’s entire agenda is to do so. Whereby Hanson supports the Liberals and does everything to harm the working class and the poor. Pauline has the advantage of the concentrated attention of followers who do not seek out to read views from other parties. Pauline Hanson has been able to achieve this as she has successfully ingrained the distrust of “the left.” More on that at the end of the article.

Labor needs to address negative social issues sharply and shift the focus back to a Labor agenda. Labor needs to be forceful in explaining how voting for Pauline Hanson works against the workers and the poor. Not by attacking her, but by highlighting what she supports by supporting the Liberals and not Labor.

PHON’s Agenda

PHON seeks to not take Liberal or LNP seats as they have deals to support each other. They have an agenda to deplete Labor seats to weaken the stance against the right. Usually, this is by attracting voters who PHON does not assist by siding with the Liberals and Labor definitely would.

Labor needs to challenge media creating “them or us outrage” and directly respond to journalists Labor’s response to this and direct the issue back to Labor’s agenda. Labor should call out the reason for the outrage. Liberals benefit from this outrage. This takes the focus off the Liberals. In particular, their Industrial Relations, Social Security and Economic management. Labor should still give voice and support to the group being attacked.

To do this, Labor needs to go on as many right-wing talkback shows as possible.

Greens v Labor

The Greens’ agenda is more complex. The Greens see themselves as having the absolute right to hold the place of Labor in Parliament, without having to do any of the hard work, or achieve progress by way of concession and often painful decisions as Labor has over 100 years.

Labor has had to over many years, often give away some of their agenda. This is to achieve progress little by little via compromise. I guarantee the poorest amongst us understand this because that is a way of life. A small gain is better than nothing at all. However, those who have never lived this, not so much.

This has been the way of the unions too. Work rights didn’t come wrapped up in a pink bow and handed to workers. Union workers have died, gone to jail and have been injured to make even the smallest gain in Industrial relations over time. All because of laws created by the Liberal Party.

The Australian Greens

The Greens want what Labor has achieved through hard work handed to them in that little box tied with a pink bow. They think they can just untie the pink bow and they can claim all the hard work Labor has fought for and claim that they did it. They sell that they can achieve everything without concession or compromise. Greens insist everything is easy and Labor just hates us.

The Greens primarily attack Labor because they want to secure Labor seats. Some Greens believe that one day they will deplete Labor enough to be the major opposition and some Greens have voiced how they want to secure the balance of power. The Greens are not fussed if the right holds power, as long as they have ‘balance of power.’ The Greens agenda is to, like PHON, suffocate Labor’s agenda, but not with creating outrage about Racism, but by creating outrage through climate change.

Labor has very effective policies on both of these issues. Labor needs to sharply counter the outrage and in a direct and personal way possible, by speaking directly to people using the media available today.

Other Campaigns and the Federal Election

In the Federal election, we saw the political practice of creating outrage from both sides of the political spectrum. For me, it is a huge lesson to be learnt. It did not matter what Labor said in regional Queensland. “Stop Adani” suffocated everything. Adam Bandt announcing the Greens would force Shorten to close all mines in ten years, three weeks before election day, was frankly, idiotic and all that was heard.

This created mass fear because mining in QLD affects almost everything north of Gympie. Absolutely everything. Jobs, supply businesses, small businesses, population and what services we will get, including schools and hospitals, what funding we will get, house prices, etc., etc., etc., It is not a simple problem with a simple solution.

All LNP, PHON and Palmer had to do was take that fear and build messages around it. They tied Labor to the Greens about job losses and added some more negative scary lies about taxes. They would have been rolling on the floor laughing in their campaign meetings. What gold on a silver platter that was!

Immediate Demand and Culture of Fear

The PHON and Greens, in particular, have embraced the current culture of ‘immediate demand.’ People want everything now. Both parties insist that everything is easy to get now. Even if you don’t have the numbers in parliament. They have also embraced the culture of fear campaigning.

PHON strongly campaigns that we will all have our rights taken away from us by Labor and this affects our lives and it is urgent to get rid of Labor.

The Greens campaign that we will literally die because of Labor’s inaction on climate change and this affects our very existence and it is urgent to get rid of Labor.

Whilst the worker hating Liberals are lapping up all the power. Both of these parties and their messages against the workers’ party enable that to happen. Both of these parties’ campaign tactics result in preventing a progressive and fair industrial relations agenda. They prevent progressive and fair Social Security and a progressive and fair system of equality for all. Regardless of their ‘academic’ or ‘conceptual’ arguments about what they stand for. That is the result.

All voters are not engaged in politics. The constant negative messaging about Labor does and has had an impact at the ballot box. Labor needs to counter this on a daily basis.

Bring Back The Labor Herald

In the times of modern media, it is essential to bring back the Labor Herald, as just one medium to communicate the Labor message.

Labor needs to dedicate itself to posting frank discussion pieces on the Labor Herald. This is to counter negative Labor messaging in the mainstream media or social media. Regardless if this is from either the right-wing cluster or by the Greens. This does not have to be time-intensive. With the number of Labor MPs, state and federal as well as Senators, the workload could be easily shared around.

These pieces should not be clinical political speak pieces, but story-driven emotive pieces that speak to the people. They should explain very clearly the complexities in parliament and why Labor makes certain decisions.

Many people are simply not aware of the complexities of power in parliament. Due to the negative narrative, particularly by the Greens, people are truly believing Labor could have prevented X when there is absolutely no way to do so.

These pieces should directly address why certain amendments were made and what was the alternative option. If the alternative option was to leave a raw bill for two racists, a Christian conservative, two Liberal friendly ‘centrists’ and a Nationalist to negotiate on, then say so and explain what Labor’s concerns were.

In short, speak to us. Otherwise, Labor through silence enables negative messaging to flourish.

Other Social Media Tools

Every day there is negativity about Labor online. If Labor wants to win office, it is essential that every social media tool and traditional media tool possible is used.

By resurrecting the Labor Herald, Labor supporters can easily share articles on social media, including other blogs. This would counter the negative messaging from the right-wing cluster and the Greens.

Labor could expose tricks and deception. Particularly as used by the Greens, by highlighting the rules of parliament. At times, the Greens try to say Labor doesn’t support X. However, they have literally pulled a stunt to wedge Labor. An example is creating a motion in the wrong bill.

Facebook & Twitter

People who are distrusting of Labor and are looking to PHON and the Greens will not care to take in the views or ‘Like” a Labor Facebook Page or join a Labor Facebook Group.

Labor needs to copy the right-wing cluster and make a range of issue-based Facebook pages and Groups. Labor should address these issues from a Labor perspective. Direct communication by Labor could occur with this group. PHON attracts a high concentration of this group. They do not seek out other party Facebook groups or pages.

The over 40’s group predominantly use Facebook. Many of these people play games on Facebook. I am one of them. I had an onslaught of LNP and Palmer ads during Facebook games and online game apps. This is all messaging.

Labor politicians need to directly engage with people online on Facebook and Twitter. Many times, these are regular people who simply have questions they want answered. The mainstream media depicting everyone as an online troll is simply not true. Treat this no different to face to face engagement.

Message of the Day

Labor could produce a message of the day via a short video. It would take a few minutes to do a live feed video from a car, an office or home. Labor should take note of the daily concerns and negative messaging on Twitter and Facebook. They should use short videos every day to counter these negative messages and reinforce the Labor message.

Traditional Media

In regional Towns, traditional newspapers are still a respected source of news. Labor needs to send regular articles to newspapers. Also, letters to the Editor on at least a weekly basis. Labor should counter negative messaging and reinforce the Labor message. Once again, using frank language and not political speak. Take note as to why Hanson is so successful.

We Can Do This

I think we can all agree that there are a number of factors that contributed to the Labor loss. However, I am a person who sees narrative and the impact narrative has on society and politics. This article and proposed solutions are driven by that.

The Liberals will put the country in such a bad state by the end of this term. We should see people return to Labor in droves. However, that is not what I want to see.

I want people to return to Labor in droves because they fully support Labor. That is Labor, a positive, progressive party, who places the worker and disadvantaged at its core.

I want people to return to Labor in droves because negative messaging by the right-wing and Greens has not flourished. I want people constantly talking about the Labor agenda and why we need it.

We can do this! Let’s resurrect the Labor Herald.

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36 comments

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Wat TylerAugust 21, 2019 at 4:55 pm

First we should bring back the Labor Party…

AndreasAugust 21, 2019 at 5:16 pm

Labor’s Me-Tooism as evidenced by today’s quiet acceptance of Morrison’s decision to send another batch of AUS servicemen and women into a potential war at the behest of the USA disqualifies your Labor Party for any thinking person.

Baby JewelsAugust 21, 2019 at 5:55 pm

It’s all the Greens’ fault that Labor lost! 😀 Keep trying Trish! Gawd.

AlpoAugust 21, 2019 at 5:56 pm

Andreas, you sound like a Greens supporter who doesn’t understands the duties of Government, which is understandable, as you guys are completely ignorant on the matter. Making sure that the Strait of Hormuz is free to navigate is not equivalent to invading Iraq, mate! There is no Me-Tooism here, just responsibility.

Wat Tyler, the ALP never went away, but a more Social Democratic version has already been brought back since 2008. Don’t blame Labor if you are still asleep!

To Trish, good article and it is about time that Labor has a stronger and more visible presence in the Media. For those who don’t know, you may subscribe to the regular email information from the Parliamentary ALP via Tony Burke’s 5&5:

https://www.tonyburke.com.au/5and5signup

Baby JewelsAugust 21, 2019 at 5:57 pm

Wat Tyler – couldn’t agree more. No sign of it any more.

AlpoAugust 21, 2019 at 6:07 pm

Baby Jewels, Grow up!… I am sick and tired of having to waste my time across the internet replying to the anti-ALP crap written by Greens supporters. I prefer to use my time fighting the Tories!
At the last federal election the Greens went absolutely nowhere, they went nowhere at previous state elections too (Qld, Vic) and they were trashed by the ALP at the Batman by-election…. Still, they are determined to undermine the Palaszczuk ALP government in Queensland. By doing so, they are playing the game of the LNP, which is homing in on both Palaszczuk and Trad with the hope of destabilising the ALP and win the next state election. If the LNP wins Qld back, it will be a disaster for conservation and the environment, which are allegedly issues that concern the Greens. Therefore: Are the Greens stupid? Or are they mates of the LNP?….

Henry RodriguesAugust 21, 2019 at 6:08 pm

Thank you Trish for the very comprehensive, well argued and detailed plan of action. Labor needs to get on the front foot pushing their agenda forcefully and consistently. The Labor Herald will be a great way to disseminate their views and reach out at first, to all those loyal labor voters, the workers, the marginalised and elderly, who might be feeling demoralised and abandoned.
PHON are there as stalking horses for the Coalition, something like distractors . The Greens are just after staking some claim to be a responsible alternative to Labor but are just wedges, who are being manipulated by the media and the right, by stoking their egos, especially their leaders and their supporters in the inner city suburbs. I would never trust them and it goes without saying, ever vote for them.
The mainstream media, TV and print, as well as our ABC and SBS, have taken some kind of oath to keep Labor out of government but as long as there are labor voters out there who still believe in Ben Chifley’s vision and recall the subsequent labor governments who achieved so many great and long lasting economic and social reforms, we will succeed once again.

Andrew SmithAugust 21, 2019 at 7:14 pm

ALP needs to remember that electorates win elections not national polling, and they need to simplify their messages while having clear credible support.

Howard et al. were clever in cleaving off ageing Labor, DLP and/or swing voters through nationalism and immigration rhetoric, backgrounded by pensioners/retiree benefits and the fact that the upper median age citizen live and can vote in their electorate. Many mobile and/or younger voters cannot vote if out of country for sometime as they will fall off electoral rolls, while declining fertility rates and population have created elderly dominated electorates in regions.

Like the US GOP using the ‘southern strategy’ to attract white working class (in fact retired middle class) in the mid west, LNP with help of ON and Palmer are also helping them stitch up the regions (Erdogan, Putin, Orban, Tories etc. have also been successful in leveraging non urban voters as their base vs multiculturalism and ‘immigrant hordes’).

With our ageing citizens (not general population) and dominance of political activist/hollowed out tepid media, including NewsCorp, ALP will need to be on its toes to gain traction and success. Leadership charisma, credibility and relevant concise narratives through new and digital media will be needed, starting at the grass roots.

jaqAugust 21, 2019 at 8:07 pm

Oh Trisha! Again its all the Greens fault….
Labor is no longer the Labor of old. They take as much money from the mining community as the LNP. Shorten and Morrison got together to covertly make changes to the Constitution as it looked likely that many from both sides were about to be outed because of their dual citizenship. People up North in mining areas voted for the LNP, thinking that the ALP was about to stop Adani and they wouldnt get their what ,150 jobs? We are about to go to the aide of a complete batts President, and Labor? Again, not a peep. Oil is being held up by the Iranians trying to make a point , and the impact is being felt by countries like New Zealand , but where are their battle ships? No they prefer trying to make diplomatic moves instead of physical ones. Labor are pathetic. They dont stand for anything anymore, and its no wonder people are leaving their support and looking for those who share their values elsewhere. So Alpo? Stop being sick and tired of replying to “anti Labor crap”, and do us all a favour and be quiet. We are all grown up, we can all make our own choices and come to our own conclusions without being lectured to by a bunch of old rusted on ALP supporters, who really have been duped into believing that Labor are the good guys. They arent. If one day they should become the people many of us hoped they were once, then they’ll get their support. Until then, stop lecturing, because honestly, its boring, and we are all over it, or in your words, “sick and tired of it”.

Trish CorryAugust 21, 2019 at 8:47 pm

Jaq. The problem with the Greens, only endorsed by your comment; is they have no understanding and do not give a stuff about Queensland – in particular regional Queensland. Do you know what would be a progressive way forward? If ignorant rusted on Greens supporters who can never handle any criticism of the Greens because you think they come with a welded on Halo; took the time to educate yourself about the regions and towns you want to destroy by ceasing all mining. As I have argued for years, this is not about Adani, it never was. It was revealed in the election that Stop Adani was only a platform to try to set a precedent to shut down all coal. I had quite a lot of indepth discussions with Greens in the last state election. After mining, they intend to advocate kill off Beef farming. CQ may as well pack up and die if the Greens want to kill off mining and Beef Farming.

The issue is that the Greens, putting their heads in the sand, treating regional people as if they are idiots, or selfish idiots for wanting jobs, and continued to invent and reinvent new excuses, to assuage any guilt there may be about job losses – whether that is countering it with reef jobs, trying to shame people about black lung, using asbestos as an example, or reducing the number of jobs not just Adani, but mining has. Or waving about their conceptual arguments about “a just transition’ a term that they ripped off the ACTU to use, without doing any consultation whatsover with local communities.

Fancy being so arrogant that you believe you can tell people they can’t have jobs, but don’t have the guts to face the people and explain why.

QLD mines more coal than some countries. Australia 301T vs say 1.6T for Spain. Spain was used as an example this week by greens on twitter, why we should shut down coal in Australia. It is the second top export. We have a significant amount of metallurgical coal (that makes steel for the people who think all coal is the same).

The other issue that Greens keep convincing themselves of is that coal is a dying industry. Many examples are used about other countries. Do you know who countries who are not opening up pits are turning to for Coal? Australia.

The reality for people who live in these mining regions, is completely different to the myths and lies promoted by the Greens. It really is so bizarre, when you live in a mining region to see some of these ridiculous arguments.

One Greens yesterday was so angry at me, because he thought Adani was right on the great barrier reef. He thought the Adani coal terminal was the Mine. Please educate yourselves. I wouldn’t want you to get coal dust in your togs.

By convincing yourself that shutting down mining will have zero impact on anyone, any town or the economy and that Labor are just a bunch of Lazy do nothings who simply hate the environment and by using quiet region towns as areas of ridicule; you do nothing but reinforce to regional people that “The Left” hates them. Unfortunately in this instance, The left includes Labor, not just the Greens who are doing all of this.

I have been writing about this for years only to be ridiculed by the same old same old rusted greens on this site for being pathetic, ignorant, stupid, rusted on, etc., etc., etc,. Well the proof is in the pudding. So many people North of Gympie spoke loud and clear. The left who want to completely destroy our regions can get stuffed!

Labor needs to completely disassociate themselves from the Greens. And every single Greens activist who attacks Labor – the LNP are laughing here saying how much they absolutely love you. And that is FACT. Canavan and Landry can’t stop smiling.

It would do you good to actually listen to Alpo. I know that you won’t listen to me.

Lambert SimnelAugust 21, 2019 at 9:01 pm

WatTyler, well spoken.

I’ll never trust another ALP politician after watching Craig Emerson desperately trying to justify Trump’s consent manufactured election and Morrison’s spineless warmongering collusion with him in the Middle east.

jaqAugust 21, 2019 at 9:18 pm

Oh again Trish, blah blah blah….the Greens are the only ones who ARE ALARMED as MANY OF US ARE- and I dont mean the poor uneducated mining people who are not interested to being re educated and transitioned into new technology and wait like baby birds with their mouths open to be fed, I MEAN THE MILLIONS OF AUSTRALIANS concerned with climate change. MILLIONS who did not support Adani, or the other mines that are bound to spring up now that the QLD ALP have shown what a bunch of turncoats they are. CLIMATE CHANGE is real and yet there was the ALP hamstrung by the CFMEU. They didnt know what they believed in, and in the end, neither did we.
Labor have already disassociated from the Greens, about the STUPIDEST THING Shorten DID when so many Labor supporters were hoping that together they could turn on the LNP. But no. Shorten wanted to be King. And Oh, the tightly held, unanimously, closely affiliated party, they led us to believe, who spoke with one voice, what happened when he was gone? They all turned to shit. And next Albo is taking happy snaps with Morrison.
Listen to Alpo? No thanks. I suggest YOU get a little group together and perhaps talk to Labor about being a REAL Party for the people, because from where many of us are sitting, they are even more fake than our “Christian” PM, and stop the diatribes.

Matters NotAugust 21, 2019 at 10:22 pm

RE:

There is a case to bring back the Labor Herald.

Indeed there is! But there’s also some potential downsides which should not be underestimated. Take the myth that Labor represents (and speaks) with a united voice – somehow free from ideological divisions. It isn’t! Nor is the LNP. And for that matter – nor are The Greens, PHON, or any political party one cares to nominate. All political Parties are coalitions. Functional, working ones become evidence that settlements have been reached.

Nevertheless, settlements tend to be somewhat temporary. Having a Labor Herald – widely read – is likely to rip the scab off old wounds – exposing significant ideological differences as is evidenced by the factions who barely speak to each other – and then only between clenched teeth. In short, settlements may fracture. Bloody political warfare and all that may be the result.

But perhaps exposing some truths might be the better solution in the longer term.

Trish CorryAugust 21, 2019 at 11:21 pm

“the Greens are the only ones who ARE ALARMED as MANY OF US ARE- and I dont mean the poor uneducated mining people who are not interested to being re educated and transitioned into new technology and wait like baby birds with their mouths open to be fed”

Is anyone surprised regional people voted against “the left” when every social media site is full of this type of vile, derogatory, stigmatising othering of regional people by Greens, who hijack every Facebook post especially in elections, in droves, for the last four years?

We need the Labor Herald so people understand that Labor is not aligned with such hateful people.

We can’t have another term of Morrison because of this. So much damage needs to be fixed. I do blame Labor for treating Greens and their activism as insignificant and not building a balanced narrative that strongly reinforced respect for workers and regions amidst all this.

You can help LNP and PHON Win QLD now Jaq if you want another trophy.

Trish CorryAugust 21, 2019 at 11:27 pm

You know everyone works well with each other in Labor right Matters Not? Factions only matter in policy development, voting and conference.

The “expertise” from outside about inside Labor never ceases to amaze me.

There is a very strong culture of solidarity in Labor.

I’m not sure how you have bent so far in your brain to twist up a conclusion that a Labor medium promoting Labor policy, positions and decisions would create internal warfare! Bizarre.

Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 6:28 am

“Labor is in danger of losing credibility with the millions of Australians who supported our vision for a fairer, more inclusive society if we abandon the principles of a progressive tax system, ending unsustainable tax concessions and addressing inequality. ” – Doug Cameron

Trish, you never mention climate change yet it is the thing that most Australians see as the greatest challenge facing the world.

When we found out that asbestos kills people, we banned it. We know that burning fossil fuels is cooking the planet. We don’t have to stop entirely but we DO have to take urgent action to reduce emissions and the energy industry is the easiest place to start but that alone will not be enough.

We should not open any new coal mines. Even for employment’s sake – the experts say that it would just take jobs from existing mines.

Mark Butler restated his view that there was no justification for the Adani mine going ahead.

“I’ve personally said that I think that opening up a new coal basin in the Galilee Basin in Queensland is not in the national interest, because I think the business case that was presented for opening up this basin 10 years ago was dissolved, it has disappeared,” he said.

Both Snowy-Hydro 2.0 and the Tasmanian “Battery of the nation” will be commercially unviable until coal-fired power generation is being phased out.

Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 7:47 am

We need new thinking about jobs. I think it was Keith who made what I thought was a great suggestion. Regional communities install solar panels on all their roofs and provide their excess energy to local manufacturers in return for local employment. I also think there is huge potential for small-scale pumped hydro to act as storage to service nearby communities meaning less transmission lines.

If we broke our reliance on oil, then we wouldn’t have to fight over the Straits of Hormuz. Electric vehicles would be a good start. Building the infrastructure for them would be another job source.

We also have to do better in agriculture. The CSIRO have designed feed that reduces methane emissions from cattle and crops that require less water for example but, unless we tackle climate change, any farming is going to be plagued by increasingly difficult conditions – droughts, intense floods, bushfires, diseases.

We must look to the future and adjust. I don’t think it is wise to pretend that our kids will have careers in coal-mining.

I also think you have misrepresented Greens policy which I understand to be no NEW coal mines and phasing out the export of thermal coal by 2030. As far as I am aware, the Galilee Basin is thermal coal, not metallurgical.

Trish CorryAugust 22, 2019 at 8:58 am

Congratulations Kaye. Climate change activism and Stop Adani killed us in QLD. It also drowned out so many important policy discussions that were pushed aside. Looks like you are doing great to elect Morrison again.

As I said, unless ignorant people who make these academic arguments about jobs, stop being too far up themselves to learn about the regions they want to destroy, and stop using derogatory language about these areas and the people and workers, every miner and every person a mine affects in Australia will reject “The Left” and we will continue to have a Govt who deny climate change even exists. Bravo.

You didn’t mention NSW. Huge loss of Left votes in mining areas there too.

Maybe if people like you and Jaq and a million Greens got off your high horses instead of abusing me when I published articles about the sickening privilege of Stop Adani, we wouldn’t be having this convo now.

Hell I even was abused over writing about a just transition before the Greens started saying they had one. Now that term is repeated like the holy grail of panaceas except it has no substance.

Can’t say I didn’t try to warn people. I even warned about Stop Adani suffocating everything last QLD election – more abuse. If the LNP had the sense in that election to run the same scare campaign we would have been stuffed. We only just won.

It certainly worked this election.

Just keep doing what you are doing and you may as well stick a Morrison corflute in your yard. It’s not like anyone concerned about climate change attacks the Liberals over climate action anyway.

I wrote about that it was never about stop Adani but stopping all mining. More abuse. Well that was bang on wasn’t it? Three weeks before the election Adam Bandt, announces he will force Shorten to shut down all mines in ten years.

That does not just affect mining jobs. So if you want action on climate change, understand why these people reacted with mass fear and maybe start addressing other sources of emissions. Until then, nine of you are remotely serious and are on some ego trip bandwagon.

It’s a complex multi Billion dollar industry, no one is feeling anything remotely like a downturn so to people on the ground you just sound like you (the movement) want to lord superiority over everyone with really bad consequences like poverty.

Yeh, I got abused for writing about that too.

Gees, massive evidence is there after the election that supports everything I wrote about and apparently the experts here all think I’m still wrong. Enjoy Morrison. Enjoy unfair dismissal. Enjoy cuts. Enjoy poverty. Enjoy no action on climate change.

Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 9:45 am

Wow. Perhaps you could point out where I abused you Trish. Having a constructive discussion with you is impossible.

To accuse me of trying to get the Coalition elected is just silly.

I would suggest that it might be advantageous for Labor to do some listening to what concerns people and to the ideas that they bring up rather than telling us that anything other than unquestioning praise is traitorous.

And you might want to reread what you have written and see how disparaging it ALWAYS is.

As I have said before, ignoring climate change is not an option.

Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 10:18 am

Could you please show me where Bandt announced he will force Shorten to shut down all mines in ten years because that is certainly not Greens policy which is, as I stated before, no new mines and to phase out thermal exports by 2030.

They also had a plan to impose quotas in the interim so exports scale down between now and the proposed cut-off with export permits auctioned annually, with the revenue raised supporting a transition fund for displaced coal workers to assist with structural adjustment.

JaqAugust 22, 2019 at 10:20 am

Ah Kaye, it’s pointless to have a reasoned debate with Trish. I dont think she understands that if drastic steps arent taken now, there will be no farming because there wont be any decent land to farm on. Greens are the only people whove been talking about energy transition, and alternative farming practises.
And Trish, honestly? If you dont support Labor, you’re supporting the LNP? From where I’m standing, you’re the person who sounds most like an LNP member here.

Stephen TardrewAugust 22, 2019 at 10:37 am

Your treatment of Kaye is appalling Trish if anyone is reasoned and decent it is her.

Yeah right the feeble morally divisive compromisers scared of losing their elitist roles by telling the truth.

We warned you before the last election Trish yet you keep on with your fatuous self-justifications.

Have you noticed capitalism has failed and the world is going to shit while you waffle on about your cowardly elitist ineffectiveness.

You failed then and you are failing now yet you continually vilify true progressives with the intellectual rigour and facts to challenge you.

All politicians should be charged with criminal negligence due to a lack of moral fortitude.

You are politicians not revolutionaries.

Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 11:10 am

Just to be clear here, I spent the election in the Wide Bay electorate in Queensland. I helped put up the Labor corflutes and sat for a while with a young woman who stayed there until midnight to make sure it wasn’t ripped down. On election day, I brought food and drink to the volunteers handing out how to vote cards for the Labor Party at the Tin Can Bay booth. I am a Labor supporter but will never be a Labor member because I reserve the right to disagree. When I do disagree, I try to make suggestions, or pass on those made by people much smarter than me.

If that makes me the enemy then no wonder Labor is having problems.

If we want to talk about why, we could start with how the party dumped Rudd which may have been necessary but was handled appallingly. To then dump Gillard, who could have out-campaigned Abbott with vastly superior policies and a record of achievement had her own party backed her, was political suicide. Then we have Labor’s inability to get their message through. Whoever they pay to advise them on such things should get the sack because their policies were/are much much better than anything on offer from the Coalition. Having lost the unlosable election, Labor now seems intent on not being the party to say no. Albo keeps telling us how well he gets on with people instead of going on the attack.

So perhaps you should stop blaming everyone else and start looking at what Labor has done wrong.

paul walterAugust 22, 2019 at 11:21 am

With Kaye Lee and find Corry’s comments re Greens killing Labor on coal in Qld offensive.
Trish needs to break out of her denialism re science and logic.

What “killed” Labor in QLD as elsewhere, was whole quarry loads of disinformation (backed by some who post here) fed by the likes of Palmer and Murdoch, plus laziness leading to contempt prior to investigation from many voters combined with a perception of untrustworthiness through failure to stand up for principles from the “pragmatic” (expediency drive) ALP itself.

Science first, THEN Palmer, Rinehart etc’s greed, eh?

Matters NotAugust 22, 2019 at 6:04 pm

TC re:

Factions only matter in policy development , voting and conference.

Seriously, what else of importance is there? What could be of more importance than deciding policy on refugees, education, health etc?

Yes I know – it’s the factions which determine who gets into the Shadow Ministry. Not talent! Just ask Andrew Leigh, the former Professor of Economics at ANU, who couldn’t get a spot under Albo. Then there’s pre-selections and the like.

But no doubt – everyone works well with each other in Labor – particularly when it matters not . And the reason why the Labor Herald was discontinued? Presumably, the Branches were consulted? Like they were on the election manifesto? Or are the Branches just there to provide the troops for the polling day?

Surely, if Labor is to be serious, reform is needed.

Baby JewelsAugust 22, 2019 at 6:36 pm

There is only one thing as bad as a one-eyed, rusted on Liberal supporter and that’s a one-eyed, rusted on Labor supporter. There’s nothing to discuss because it’s all black and white to them.

Baby JewelsAugust 22, 2019 at 6:40 pm

Alpo, Queensland Labor is destabalising THEMSELVES. It has NOTHING to do with The Greens. Just like the Liberals blaming Labor for everything, Labor rusted ons like you blame The Greens for everything. It’s ridiculous. And dishonest.

Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 7:30 pm

I am yet to work out why Richard Marles is deputy leader.

I agree about the dumping of Andrew Leigh. I think he is excellent. He paid the price for being unaligned which stinks. They seem to be throwing away policies he helped develop even though they know it is what must be done eg franking credit refunds and confining negative gearing to new properties.

Lambert SimpletonAugust 22, 2019 at 11:07 pm

Once in a while something turns up in a newspaper or somewhere on msm that is actually intriguing.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/22/security-blunder-as-queensland-premiers-office-publishes-name-of-asio-agent?CMP=share_btn_tw

At worst, are we wrong to consider a scenario whereby the actual ability of an ALP government to do anything constructive is straight jacketed?.

Were all the spooks infesting the government offices there to ensure that the Palaszczuk government followed the “correct” or “advised/suggested” method of dealing with anti Adani protesters?

Lambert SimpletonAugust 23, 2019 at 12:06 am

There are times, however, when the mentality of Labor governments really worries me.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/22/protesters-defend-sacred-800-year-old-djap-wurrung-trees-as-police-deadline-looms

Cant see a reconstituted Labor Herald explaining away this effort.

Paul DavisAugust 23, 2019 at 12:33 pm

Kaye Lee said “If we want to talk about why, we could start with how the party dumped Rudd which may have been necessary but was handled appallingly. To then dump Gillard, who could have out-campaigned Abbott with vastly superior policies and a record of achievement had her own party backed her, was political suicide. Then we have Labor’s inability to get their message through. Whoever they pay to advise them on such things should get the sack because their policies were/are much much better than anything on offer from the Coalition. Having lost the unlosable election, Labor now seems intent on not being the party to say no. Albo keeps telling us how well he gets on with people instead of going on the attack.

So perhaps you should stop blaming everyone else and start looking at what Labor has done wrong.”

I think the above is correct. Regarding Labor’s present mindset, it appears that they are prepared to abandon all policy to regain popular appeal as the LNP disaster derails, in order to get into power. But their current ‘bitch and switch’ mode isn’t helping in this regard. Without a charismatic frontperson to charm and seduce the electorate, you would assume they will need attractive policies. Maybe they think they can outbid the fascists in a bribe war election?

Matters NotAugust 24, 2019 at 3:29 pm

RE:

everyone works well with each other in Labor

But not always apparently.

WA Labor’s state conference has been engulfed by chaotic scenes, with a large number of delegates walking out, and the party’s president left on the verge of tears. … members of the right faction say the walkout was prompted entirely by the conduct of the left in trying to disqualify a delegate from the Maritime Union of Australia,

While the Government has the power to ignore motions passed at party conferences, it will have long-term implications for policy and preselections.

And maybe further signs of working well with each other will also be hard to find

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is set to address the conference tomorrow, with fears from some in the party that he will also face a hostile reception given the chaos on the first day of the event.

The Greens can wreck havoc even if there no-where to be seen..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-24/chaos-breaks-out-at-wa-labor-conference/11445260

Matters NotAugust 24, 2019 at 3:39 pm

“there” (above) should be “they’re”. I blame The Greens – nothing to do with the factions.

NediAugust 25, 2019 at 4:53 pm

Greens Vs Labor.

What next? As a Greens voter i will be accused of living in a green chat Bubble ghetto as a android user who is poor, votes green on Newstart has less sex but better quality and dont have as much sex as iphone users who vote major parties

But seriously

As a Greens Voter its the Greens who have stop Polland being invaded by blocking unfair cruel welfare policy that as you say would effect us all which you will all taste in the depression at our door.
both major parties act like i owe them a living. Both are self serving control freaks who think i should be thankful for their breadcrumbs they throw to the Greens because they have a ye olde monopoly and know better. What did the greens inherit from labor. Not much
Gillard didnt get rid of Work for the dole
or 360 hours of stolen wages free slave labor that people like myself have had to do since 2011. Even the bad old soviet union didnt do this in peace times to citizen’s
Canberra is a dull wicked punative vile, spectre of evil, a snake pit of self serving suits who gleefully opress Australians. wgile telling themselves little fake narratives and justifications for how selfless abd wondeful they are whule they grab as much as they can get. And its a conga line of these drab weary creatures on the take who cross the line once to often with people like me. Go to Hell the whole lot of you cursed creatures.

NediAugust 25, 2019 at 5:13 pm

Labor Vs Green. What Next as a greens voter?im going to be accused of living in a green chat bubble because poor people on Newstart use sub $400 android chinnese phones because their too poor to afford an iphone and dont get sex as often but have better sex than people who use iphone and vote Labor while people with iphone get nore sex and users are wealthier bexause they have union representatives unlike greens voters on Newstart who are used as slave for the dole for 360 hours a year, get no super or sick leave. Are abused and ridiculed for being volunteers the minute they say they are getting newstart by people who never do the same but are for self gain
while those on newstart have no real union power other than NGO non profit advocate run by volunteers Unenployed worker union.

Greens Vs Labor. As a Greens Voter its the Greens who have stop Polland being invaded by blocking unfair cruel welfare policy that as you say would effect us all which you will all taste in the depression at our door.
both major parties act like i owe them a living. Both are self serving control freaks who think i should be thankful for their breadcrumbs they throw to the Greens because they have a ye olde monopoly and know better. What did the greens inherit from labor. Not much
Gillard didnt get rid of Work for the dole
or 360 hours of stolen wages free slave labor that people like myself have had to do since 2011. Even the bad old soviet union didnt do this in peace times to citizen’s
Canberra is a dull wicked punative vile, spectre of evil, a snake pit of self serving suits who gleefully opress Australians. wgile telling themselves little fake narratives and justifications for how selfless abd wondeful they are whule they grab as much as they can get. And its a conga line of these drab weary creatures on the take who cross the line once to often with people like me. Go to Hell.

NediAugust 25, 2019 at 5:37 pm

The Age will publish my letters but this site won’t. Your a joke and a looser trish
just like the Labor LNP deal joined at the Hip

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Wat TylerAugust 21, 2019 at 4:55 pm

First we should bring back the Labor Party…
AndreasAugust 21, 2019 at 5:16 pm

Labor’s Me-Tooism as evidenced by today’s quiet acceptance of Morrison’s decision to send another batch of AUS servicemen and women into a potential war at the behest of the USA disqualifies your Labor Party for any thinking person.
Baby JewelsAugust 21, 2019 at 5:55 pm

It’s all the Greens’ fault that Labor lost! 😀 Keep trying Trish! Gawd.
AlpoAugust 21, 2019 at 5:56 pm

Andreas, you sound like a Greens supporter who doesn’t understands the duties of Government, which is understandable, as you guys are completely ignorant on the matter. Making sure that the Strait of Hormuz is free to navigate is not equivalent to invading Iraq, mate! There is no Me-Tooism here, just responsibility.

Wat Tyler, the ALP never went away, but a more Social Democratic version has already been brought back since 2008. Don’t blame Labor if you are still asleep!

To Trish, good article and it is about time that Labor has a stronger and more visible presence in the Media. For those who don’t know, you may subscribe to the regular email information from the Parliamentary ALP via Tony Burke’s 5&5:

https://www.tonyburke.com.au/5and5signup
Baby JewelsAugust 21, 2019 at 5:57 pm

Wat Tyler – couldn’t agree more. No sign of it any more.
AlpoAugust 21, 2019 at 6:07 pm

Baby Jewels, Grow up!… I am sick and tired of having to waste my time across the internet replying to the anti-ALP crap written by Greens supporters. I prefer to use my time fighting the Tories!
At the last federal election the Greens went absolutely nowhere, they went nowhere at previous state elections too (Qld, Vic) and they were trashed by the ALP at the Batman by-election…. Still, they are determined to undermine the Palaszczuk ALP government in Queensland. By doing so, they are playing the game of the LNP, which is homing in on both Palaszczuk and Trad with the hope of destabilising the ALP and win the next state election. If the LNP wins Qld back, it will be a disaster for conservation and the environment, which are allegedly issues that concern the Greens. Therefore: Are the Greens stupid? Or are they mates of the LNP?….
Henry RodriguesAugust 21, 2019 at 6:08 pm

Thank you Trish for the very comprehensive, well argued and detailed plan of action. Labor needs to get on the front foot pushing their agenda forcefully and consistently. The Labor Herald will be a great way to disseminate their views and reach out at first, to all those loyal labor voters, the workers, the marginalised and elderly, who might be feeling demoralised and abandoned.
PHON are there as stalking horses for the Coalition, something like distractors . The Greens are just after staking some claim to be a responsible alternative to Labor but are just wedges, who are being manipulated by the media and the right, by stoking their egos, especially their leaders and their supporters in the inner city suburbs. I would never trust them and it goes without saying, ever vote for them.
The mainstream media, TV and print, as well as our ABC and SBS, have taken some kind of oath to keep Labor out of government but as long as there are labor voters out there who still believe in Ben Chifley’s vision and recall the subsequent labor governments who achieved so many great and long lasting economic and social reforms, we will succeed once again.
Andrew SmithAugust 21, 2019 at 7:14 pm

ALP needs to remember that electorates win elections not national polling, and they need to simplify their messages while having clear credible support.

Howard et al. were clever in cleaving off ageing Labor, DLP and/or swing voters through nationalism and immigration rhetoric, backgrounded by pensioners/retiree benefits and the fact that the upper median age citizen live and can vote in their electorate. Many mobile and/or younger voters cannot vote if out of country for sometime as they will fall off electoral rolls, while declining fertility rates and population have created elderly dominated electorates in regions.

Like the US GOP using the ‘southern strategy’ to attract white working class (in fact retired middle class) in the mid west, LNP with help of ON and Palmer are also helping them stitch up the regions (Erdogan, Putin, Orban, Tories etc. have also been successful in leveraging non urban voters as their base vs multiculturalism and ‘immigrant hordes’).

With our ageing citizens (not general population) and dominance of political activist/hollowed out tepid media, including NewsCorp, ALP will need to be on its toes to gain traction and success. Leadership charisma, credibility and relevant concise narratives through new and digital media will be needed, starting at the grass roots.
jaqAugust 21, 2019 at 8:07 pm

Oh Trisha! Again its all the Greens fault….
Labor is no longer the Labor of old. They take as much money from the mining community as the LNP. Shorten and Morrison got together to covertly make changes to the Constitution as it looked likely that many from both sides were about to be outed because of their dual citizenship. People up North in mining areas voted for the LNP, thinking that the ALP was about to stop Adani and they wouldnt get their what ,150 jobs? We are about to go to the aide of a complete batts President, and Labor? Again, not a peep. Oil is being held up by the Iranians trying to make a point , and the impact is being felt by countries like New Zealand , but where are their battle ships? No they prefer trying to make diplomatic moves instead of physical ones. Labor are pathetic. They dont stand for anything anymore, and its no wonder people are leaving their support and looking for those who share their values elsewhere. So Alpo? Stop being sick and tired of replying to “anti Labor crap”, and do us all a favour and be quiet. We are all grown up, we can all make our own choices and come to our own conclusions without being lectured to by a bunch of old rusted on ALP supporters, who really have been duped into believing that Labor are the good guys. They arent. If one day they should become the people many of us hoped they were once, then they’ll get their support. Until then, stop lecturing, because honestly, its boring, and we are all over it, or in your words, “sick and tired of it”.
Trish CorryAugust 21, 2019 at 8:47 pm

Jaq. The problem with the Greens, only endorsed by your comment; is they have no understanding and do not give a stuff about Queensland – in particular regional Queensland. Do you know what would be a progressive way forward? If ignorant rusted on Greens supporters who can never handle any criticism of the Greens because you think they come with a welded on Halo; took the time to educate yourself about the regions and towns you want to destroy by ceasing all mining. As I have argued for years, this is not about Adani, it never was. It was revealed in the election that Stop Adani was only a platform to try to set a precedent to shut down all coal. I had quite a lot of indepth discussions with Greens in the last state election. After mining, they intend to advocate kill off Beef farming. CQ may as well pack up and die if the Greens want to kill off mining and Beef Farming.

The issue is that the Greens, putting their heads in the sand, treating regional people as if they are idiots, or selfish idiots for wanting jobs, and continued to invent and reinvent new excuses, to assuage any guilt there may be about job losses – whether that is countering it with reef jobs, trying to shame people about black lung, using asbestos as an example, or reducing the number of jobs not just Adani, but mining has. Or waving about their conceptual arguments about “a just transition’ a term that they ripped off the ACTU to use, without doing any consultation whatsover with local communities.

Fancy being so arrogant that you believe you can tell people they can’t have jobs, but don’t have the guts to face the people and explain why.

QLD mines more coal than some countries. Australia 301T vs say 1.6T for Spain. Spain was used as an example this week by greens on twitter, why we should shut down coal in Australia. It is the second top export. We have a significant amount of metallurgical coal (that makes steel for the people who think all coal is the same).

The other issue that Greens keep convincing themselves of is that coal is a dying industry. Many examples are used about other countries. Do you know who countries who are not opening up pits are turning to for Coal? Australia.

The reality for people who live in these mining regions, is completely different to the myths and lies promoted by the Greens. It really is so bizarre, when you live in a mining region to see some of these ridiculous arguments.

One Greens yesterday was so angry at me, because he thought Adani was right on the great barrier reef. He thought the Adani coal terminal was the Mine. Please educate yourselves. I wouldn’t want you to get coal dust in your togs.

By convincing yourself that shutting down mining will have zero impact on anyone, any town or the economy and that Labor are just a bunch of Lazy do nothings who simply hate the environment and by using quiet region towns as areas of ridicule; you do nothing but reinforce to regional people that “The Left” hates them. Unfortunately in this instance, The left includes Labor, not just the Greens who are doing all of this.

I have been writing about this for years only to be ridiculed by the same old same old rusted greens on this site for being pathetic, ignorant, stupid, rusted on, etc., etc., etc,. Well the proof is in the pudding. So many people North of Gympie spoke loud and clear. The left who want to completely destroy our regions can get stuffed!

Labor needs to completely disassociate themselves from the Greens. And every single Greens activist who attacks Labor – the LNP are laughing here saying how much they absolutely love you. And that is FACT. Canavan and Landry can’t stop smiling.

It would do you good to actually listen to Alpo. I know that you won’t listen to me.
Lambert SimnelAugust 21, 2019 at 9:01 pm

WatTyler, well spoken.

I’ll never trust another ALP politician after watching Craig Emerson desperately trying to justify Trump’s consent manufactured election and Morrison’s spineless warmongering collusion with him in the Middle east.
jaqAugust 21, 2019 at 9:18 pm

Oh again Trish, blah blah blah….the Greens are the only ones who ARE ALARMED as MANY OF US ARE- and I dont mean the poor uneducated mining people who are not interested to being re educated and transitioned into new technology and wait like baby birds with their mouths open to be fed, I MEAN THE MILLIONS OF AUSTRALIANS concerned with climate change. MILLIONS who did not support Adani, or the other mines that are bound to spring up now that the QLD ALP have shown what a bunch of turncoats they are. CLIMATE CHANGE is real and yet there was the ALP hamstrung by the CFMEU. They didnt know what they believed in, and in the end, neither did we.
Labor have already disassociated from the Greens, about the STUPIDEST THING Shorten DID when so many Labor supporters were hoping that together they could turn on the LNP. But no. Shorten wanted to be King. And Oh, the tightly held, unanimously, closely affiliated party, they led us to believe, who spoke with one voice, what happened when he was gone? They all turned to shit. And next Albo is taking happy snaps with Morrison.
Listen to Alpo? No thanks. I suggest YOU get a little group together and perhaps talk to Labor about being a REAL Party for the people, because from where many of us are sitting, they are even more fake than our “Christian” PM, and stop the diatribes.
Matters NotAugust 21, 2019 at 10:22 pm

RE:

There is a case to bring back the Labor Herald.

Indeed there is! But there’s also some potential downsides which should not be underestimated. Take the myth that Labor represents (and speaks) with a united voice – somehow free from ideological divisions. It isn’t! Nor is the LNP. And for that matter – nor are The Greens, PHON, or any political party one cares to nominate. All political Parties are coalitions. Functional, working ones become evidence that settlements have been reached.

Nevertheless, settlements tend to be somewhat temporary. Having a Labor Herald – widely read – is likely to rip the scab off old wounds – exposing significant ideological differences as is evidenced by the factions who barely speak to each other – and then only between clenched teeth. In short, settlements may fracture. Bloody political warfare and all that may be the result.

But perhaps exposing some truths might be the better solution in the longer term.
Trish CorryAugust 21, 2019 at 11:21 pm

“the Greens are the only ones who ARE ALARMED as MANY OF US ARE- and I dont mean the poor uneducated mining people who are not interested to being re educated and transitioned into new technology and wait like baby birds with their mouths open to be fed”

Is anyone surprised regional people voted against “the left” when every social media site is full of this type of vile, derogatory, stigmatising othering of regional people by Greens, who hijack every Facebook post especially in elections, in droves, for the last four years?

We need the Labor Herald so people understand that Labor is not aligned with such hateful people.

We can’t have another term of Morrison because of this. So much damage needs to be fixed. I do blame Labor for treating Greens and their activism as insignificant and not building a balanced narrative that strongly reinforced respect for workers and regions amidst all this.

You can help LNP and PHON Win QLD now Jaq if you want another trophy.
Trish CorryAugust 21, 2019 at 11:27 pm

You know everyone works well with each other in Labor right Matters Not? Factions only matter in policy development, voting and conference.

The “expertise” from outside about inside Labor never ceases to amaze me.

There is a very strong culture of solidarity in Labor.

I’m not sure how you have bent so far in your brain to twist up a conclusion that a Labor medium promoting Labor policy, positions and decisions would create internal warfare! Bizarre.
Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 6:28 am

“Labor is in danger of losing credibility with the millions of Australians who supported our vision for a fairer, more inclusive society if we abandon the principles of a progressive tax system, ending unsustainable tax concessions and addressing inequality. ” – Doug Cameron

Trish, you never mention climate change yet it is the thing that most Australians see as the greatest challenge facing the world.

When we found out that asbestos kills people, we banned it. We know that burning fossil fuels is cooking the planet. We don’t have to stop entirely but we DO have to take urgent action to reduce emissions and the energy industry is the easiest place to start but that alone will not be enough.

We should not open any new coal mines. Even for employment’s sake – the experts say that it would just take jobs from existing mines.

Mark Butler restated his view that there was no justification for the Adani mine going ahead.

“I’ve personally said that I think that opening up a new coal basin in the Galilee Basin in Queensland is not in the national interest, because I think the business case that was presented for opening up this basin 10 years ago was dissolved, it has disappeared,” he said.

Both Snowy-Hydro 2.0 and the Tasmanian “Battery of the nation” will be commercially unviable until coal-fired power generation is being phased out.
Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 7:47 am

We need new thinking about jobs. I think it was Keith who made what I thought was a great suggestion. Regional communities install solar panels on all their roofs and provide their excess energy to local manufacturers in return for local employment. I also think there is huge potential for small-scale pumped hydro to act as storage to service nearby communities meaning less transmission lines.

If we broke our reliance on oil, then we wouldn’t have to fight over the Straits of Hormuz. Electric vehicles would be a good start. Building the infrastructure for them would be another job source.

We also have to do better in agriculture. The CSIRO have designed feed that reduces methane emissions from cattle and crops that require less water for example but, unless we tackle climate change, any farming is going to be plagued by increasingly difficult conditions – droughts, intense floods, bushfires, diseases.

We must look to the future and adjust. I don’t think it is wise to pretend that our kids will have careers in coal-mining.

I also think you have misrepresented Greens policy which I understand to be no NEW coal mines and phasing out the export of thermal coal by 2030. As far as I am aware, the Galilee Basin is thermal coal, not metallurgical.
Trish CorryAugust 22, 2019 at 8:58 am

Congratulations Kaye. Climate change activism and Stop Adani killed us in QLD. It also drowned out so many important policy discussions that were pushed aside. Looks like you are doing great to elect Morrison again.

As I said, unless ignorant people who make these academic arguments about jobs, stop being too far up themselves to learn about the regions they want to destroy, and stop using derogatory language about these areas and the people and workers, every miner and every person a mine affects in Australia will reject “The Left” and we will continue to have a Govt who deny climate change even exists. Bravo.

You didn’t mention NSW. Huge loss of Left votes in mining areas there too.

Maybe if people like you and Jaq and a million Greens got off your high horses instead of abusing me when I published articles about the sickening privilege of Stop Adani, we wouldn’t be having this convo now.

Hell I even was abused over writing about a just transition before the Greens started saying they had one. Now that term is repeated like the holy grail of panaceas except it has no substance.

Can’t say I didn’t try to warn people. I even warned about Stop Adani suffocating everything last QLD election – more abuse. If the LNP had the sense in that election to run the same scare campaign we would have been stuffed. We only just won.

It certainly worked this election.

Just keep doing what you are doing and you may as well stick a Morrison corflute in your yard. It’s not like anyone concerned about climate change attacks the Liberals over climate action anyway.

I wrote about that it was never about stop Adani but stopping all mining. More abuse. Well that was bang on wasn’t it? Three weeks before the election Adam Bandt, announces he will force Shorten to shut down all mines in ten years.

That does not just affect mining jobs. So if you want action on climate change, understand why these people reacted with mass fear and maybe start addressing other sources of emissions. Until then, nine of you are remotely serious and are on some ego trip bandwagon.

It’s a complex multi Billion dollar industry, no one is feeling anything remotely like a downturn so to people on the ground you just sound like you (the movement) want to lord superiority over everyone with really bad consequences like poverty.

Yeh, I got abused for writing about that too.

Gees, massive evidence is there after the election that supports everything I wrote about and apparently the experts here all think I’m still wrong. Enjoy Morrison. Enjoy unfair dismissal. Enjoy cuts. Enjoy poverty. Enjoy no action on climate change.
Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 9:45 am

Wow. Perhaps you could point out where I abused you Trish. Having a constructive discussion with you is impossible.

To accuse me of trying to get the Coalition elected is just silly.

I would suggest that it might be advantageous for Labor to do some listening to what concerns people and to the ideas that they bring up rather than telling us that anything other than unquestioning praise is traitorous.

And you might want to reread what you have written and see how disparaging it ALWAYS is.

As I have said before, ignoring climate change is not an option.
Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 10:18 am

Could you please show me where Bandt announced he will force Shorten to shut down all mines in ten years because that is certainly not Greens policy which is, as I stated before, no new mines and to phase out thermal exports by 2030.

They also had a plan to impose quotas in the interim so exports scale down between now and the proposed cut-off with export permits auctioned annually, with the revenue raised supporting a transition fund for displaced coal workers to assist with structural adjustment.
JaqAugust 22, 2019 at 10:20 am

Ah Kaye, it’s pointless to have a reasoned debate with Trish. I dont think she understands that if drastic steps arent taken now, there will be no farming because there wont be any decent land to farm on. Greens are the only people whove been talking about energy transition, and alternative farming practises.
And Trish, honestly? If you dont support Labor, you’re supporting the LNP? From where I’m standing, you’re the person who sounds most like an LNP member here.
Stephen TardrewAugust 22, 2019 at 10:37 am

Your treatment of Kaye is appalling Trish if anyone is reasoned and decent it is her.

Yeah right the feeble morally divisive compromisers scared of losing their elitist roles by telling the truth.

We warned you before the last election Trish yet you keep on with your fatuous self-justifications.

Have you noticed capitalism has failed and the world is going to shit while you waffle on about your cowardly elitist ineffectiveness.

You failed then and you are failing now yet you continually vilify true progressives with the intellectual rigour and facts to challenge you.

All politicians should be charged with criminal negligence due to a lack of moral fortitude.

You are politicians not revolutionaries.
Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 11:10 am

Just to be clear here, I spent the election in the Wide Bay electorate in Queensland. I helped put up the Labor corflutes and sat for a while with a young woman who stayed there until midnight to make sure it wasn’t ripped down. On election day, I brought food and drink to the volunteers handing out how to vote cards for the Labor Party at the Tin Can Bay booth. I am a Labor supporter but will never be a Labor member because I reserve the right to disagree. When I do disagree, I try to make suggestions, or pass on those made by people much smarter than me.

If that makes me the enemy then no wonder Labor is having problems.

If we want to talk about why, we could start with how the party dumped Rudd which may have been necessary but was handled appallingly. To then dump Gillard, who could have out-campaigned Abbott with vastly superior policies and a record of achievement had her own party backed her, was political suicide. Then we have Labor’s inability to get their message through. Whoever they pay to advise them on such things should get the sack because their policies were/are much much better than anything on offer from the Coalition. Having lost the unlosable election, Labor now seems intent on not being the party to say no. Albo keeps telling us how well he gets on with people instead of going on the attack.

So perhaps you should stop blaming everyone else and start looking at what Labor has done wrong.
paul walterAugust 22, 2019 at 11:21 am

With Kaye Lee and find Corry’s comments re Greens killing Labor on coal in Qld offensive.
Trish needs to break out of her denialism re science and logic.

What “killed” Labor in QLD as elsewhere, was whole quarry loads of disinformation (backed by some who post here) fed by the likes of Palmer and Murdoch, plus laziness leading to contempt prior to investigation from many voters combined with a perception of untrustworthiness through failure to stand up for principles from the “pragmatic” (expediency drive) ALP itself.

Science first, THEN Palmer, Rinehart etc’s greed, eh?
Matters NotAugust 22, 2019 at 6:04 pm

TC re:

Factions only matter in policy development , voting and conference.

Seriously, what else of importance is there? What could be of more importance than deciding policy on refugees, education, health etc?

Yes I know – it’s the factions which determine who gets into the Shadow Ministry. Not talent! Just ask Andrew Leigh, the former Professor of Economics at ANU, who couldn’t get a spot under Albo. Then there’s pre-selections and the like.

But no doubt – everyone works well with each other in Labor – particularly when it matters not . And the reason why the Labor Herald was discontinued? Presumably, the Branches were consulted? Like they were on the election manifesto? Or are the Branches just there to provide the troops for the polling day?

Surely, if Labor is to be serious, reform is needed.
Baby JewelsAugust 22, 2019 at 6:36 pm

There is only one thing as bad as a one-eyed, rusted on Liberal supporter and that’s a one-eyed, rusted on Labor supporter. There’s nothing to discuss because it’s all black and white to them.
Baby JewelsAugust 22, 2019 at 6:40 pm

Alpo, Queensland Labor is destabalising THEMSELVES. It has NOTHING to do with The Greens. Just like the Liberals blaming Labor for everything, Labor rusted ons like you blame The Greens for everything. It’s ridiculous. And dishonest.
Kaye LeeAugust 22, 2019 at 7:30 pm

I am yet to work out why Richard Marles is deputy leader.

I agree about the dumping of Andrew Leigh. I think he is excellent. He paid the price for being unaligned which stinks. They seem to be throwing away policies he helped develop even though they know it is what must be done eg franking credit refunds and confining negative gearing to new properties.
Lambert SimpletonAugust 22, 2019 at 11:07 pm

Once in a while something turns up in a newspaper or somewhere on msm that is actually intriguing.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/22/security-blunder-as-queensland-premiers-office-publishes-name-of-asio-agent?CMP=share_btn_tw

At worst, are we wrong to consider a scenario whereby the actual ability of an ALP government to do anything constructive is straight jacketed?.

Were all the spooks infesting the government offices there to ensure that the Palaszczuk government followed the “correct” or “advised/suggested” method of dealing with anti Adani protesters?
Lambert SimpletonAugust 23, 2019 at 12:06 am

There are times, however, when the mentality of Labor governments really worries me.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/aug/22/protesters-defend-sacred-800-year-old-djap-wurrung-trees-as-police-deadline-looms

Cant see a reconstituted Labor Herald explaining away this effort.
Paul DavisAugust 23, 2019 at 12:33 pm

Kaye Lee said “If we want to talk about why, we could start with how the party dumped Rudd which may have been necessary but was handled appallingly. To then dump Gillard, who could have out-campaigned Abbott with vastly superior policies and a record of achievement had her own party backed her, was political suicide. Then we have Labor’s inability to get their message through. Whoever they pay to advise them on such things should get the sack because their policies were/are much much better than anything on offer from the Coalition. Having lost the unlosable election, Labor now seems intent on not being the party to say no. Albo keeps telling us how well he gets on with people instead of going on the attack.

So perhaps you should stop blaming everyone else and start looking at what Labor has done wrong.”

I think the above is correct. Regarding Labor’s present mindset, it appears that they are prepared to abandon all policy to regain popular appeal as the LNP disaster derails, in order to get into power. But their current ‘bitch and switch’ mode isn’t helping in this regard. Without a charismatic frontperson to charm and seduce the electorate, you would assume they will need attractive policies. Maybe they think they can outbid the fascists in a bribe war election?
Matters NotAugust 24, 2019 at 3:29 pm

RE:

everyone works well with each other in Labor

But not always apparently.

WA Labor’s state conference has been engulfed by chaotic scenes, with a large number of delegates walking out, and the party’s president left on the verge of tears. … members of the right faction say the walkout was prompted entirely by the conduct of the left in trying to disqualify a delegate from the Maritime Union of Australia,

While the Government has the power to ignore motions passed at party conferences, it will have long-term implications for policy and preselections.

And maybe further signs of working well with each other will also be hard to find

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese is set to address the conference tomorrow, with fears from some in the party that he will also face a hostile reception given the chaos on the first day of the event.

The Greens can wreck havoc even if there no-where to be seen..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-08-24/chaos-breaks-out-at-wa-labor-conference/11445260
Matters NotAugust 24, 2019 at 3:39 pm

“there” (above) should be “they’re”. I blame The Greens – nothing to do with the factions.
NediAugust 25, 2019 at 4:53 pm

Greens Vs Labor.

What next? As a Greens voter i will be accused of living in a green chat Bubble ghetto as a android user who is poor, votes green on Newstart has less sex but better quality and dont have as much sex as iphone users who vote major parties

But seriously

As a Greens Voter its the Greens who have stop Polland being invaded by blocking unfair cruel welfare policy that as you say would effect us all which you will all taste in the depression at our door.
both major parties act like i owe them a living. Both are self serving control freaks who think i should be thankful for their breadcrumbs they throw to the Greens because they have a ye olde monopoly and know better. What did the greens inherit from labor. Not much
Gillard didnt get rid of Work for the dole
or 360 hours of stolen wages free slave labor that people like myself have had to do since 2011. Even the bad old soviet union didnt do this in peace times to citizen’s
Canberra is a dull wicked punative vile, spectre of evil, a snake pit of self serving suits who gleefully opress Australians. wgile telling themselves little fake narratives and justifications for how selfless abd wondeful they are whule they grab as much as they can get. And its a conga line of these drab weary creatures on the take who cross the line once to often with people like me. Go to Hell the whole lot of you cursed creatures.
NediAugust 25, 2019 at 5:13 pm

Labor Vs Green. What Next as a greens voter?im going to be accused of living in a green chat bubble because poor people on Newstart use sub $400 android chinnese phones because their too poor to afford an iphone and dont get sex as often but have better sex than people who use iphone and vote Labor while people with iphone get nore sex and users are wealthier bexause they have union representatives unlike greens voters on Newstart who are used as slave for the dole for 360 hours a year, get no super or sick leave. Are abused and ridiculed for being volunteers the minute they say they are getting newstart by people who never do the same but are for self gain
while those on newstart have no real union power other than NGO non profit advocate run by volunteers Unenployed worker union.

Greens Vs Labor. As a Greens Voter its the Greens who have stop Polland being invaded by blocking unfair cruel welfare policy that as you say would effect us all which you will all taste in the depression at our door.
both major parties act like i owe them a living. Both are self serving control freaks who think i should be thankful for their breadcrumbs they throw to the Greens because they have a ye olde monopoly and know better. What did the greens inherit from labor. Not much
Gillard didnt get rid of Work for the dole
or 360 hours of stolen wages free slave labor that people like myself have had to do since 2011. Even the bad old soviet union didnt do this in peace times to citizen’s
Canberra is a dull wicked punative vile, spectre of evil, a snake pit of self serving suits who gleefully opress Australians. wgile telling themselves little fake narratives and justifications for how selfless abd wondeful they are whule they grab as much as they can get. And its a conga line of these drab weary creatures on the take who cross the line once to often with people like me. Go to Hell.
NediAugust 25, 2019 at 5:37 pm

The Age will publish my letters but this site won’t. Your a joke and a looser trish
just like the Labor LNP deal joined at the Hip

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Bring Back The Labor Herald

The Election

Negative Messaging

The Problem

A Working Class Voice

Mainstream Media

Social Media

Political Agendas

One Nation V Labor

PHON’s Agenda

Greens v Labor

The Australian Greens

Other Campaigns and the Federal Election

Immediate Demand and Culture of Fear

Bring Back The Labor Herald

Other Social Media Tools

Facebook & Twitter

Message of the Day

Traditional Media

We Can Do This

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The ABC’s Colonel Blimp

The rise and rise of the right

The Election

Negative Messaging

The Problem

A Working Class Voice

Mainstream Media

Social Media

Political Agendas

One Nation V Labor

PHON’s Agenda

Greens v Labor

The Australian Greens

Other Campaigns and the Federal Election

Immediate Demand and Culture of Fear

Bring Back The Labor Herald

Other Social Media Tools

Facebook & Twitter

Message of the Day

Traditional Media

We Can Do This

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36 comments

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