It was bound to happen and I’m glad it did.
After weekly emails from Labor – that were generally pointless or simply wanted me to sign a petition – I am pleased to announce that something constructive found its way into my inbox.
Instead of garbling on about nothing or inviting me/email recipients to send stern words to the government about whatever horrible policy they were trying to thrust upon us . . . Labor wants my opinion about the policies important to me.
I don’t know how many people received said email but I do hope that a hell of a lot of people are on their mailing lists. I want a hell of a lot of people telling Labor what is important to them.
Now to the email:
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We want to make sure our community is heard. We have so many supporters who are passionate about so many different issues.
That’s why we’d like to hold a series of Facebook QandAs with Labor Shadow Ministers so that you can ask your questions about Labor’s plans and policies directly from the source.
So what issue are you most passionate about?
The Budget
The Economy
Education
Environment and Climate Change
Foreign Affairs
Health
Higher Education
Immigration and Asylum policy
Infrastructure
Innovation and Start-ups
National Security
The NBN
NDIS
Regional Australia
Social Security, Pensions and Welfare
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Are Labor actually about to start implementing some policies? Are they actually trying to shake off the Liberal-Lite label? Are they actually trying to move forward again now that Tony Abbott and his wedge-style of politics have been swept away?
If ‘yes’ to all of the above, then “thank you, Labor”.
For two years I’ve been dumbfounded as to why the issues important to me have been ignored. There must be tens of thousands of Labor supporters who feel the same way, but at last Labor wants to hear from us.
As I’ve been the first to complain over these two years I will be making sure I am one of the first to tick some of the boxes. Please join me. We are about to be listened to.
Thanks. I have already replied. I want Labor to sort out their Immigration/ asylum seeker policy, as this is dragging the party down
Might be worth them declaring their interest in mining-companies, certainly don’t seem to listening to their electorate in Queensland….
It’s time alright they started to listen to the members – but the problem is the party factional apparatchiks in control of the party don’t even listen to LOTO Shorten or President Butler, let alone respond to members priorities, even when clearly stated.
We must have change – and soon, if the party is not to be irretrievably infiltrated by neocon corporate influence.
The path for that infiltration is clear – unaccountable, un-elected union faction leaders have firm control of party governance – any democratisation of the party to R&F is a diminution of factional control, necessary democratising rule changes therefore are always opposed/voted down/deferred indefinitely at conference.
ALP internal democracy is corrupted via slack/deficient rules, those very same rules jealously guarded from reform by the ruling factions; that (you guessed it?) gain and retain their undemocratic throttle-hold on power through application of those very same deficient rules.
John Faulkner summed it up at 2014 NSW Conference here:
They voted down or emasculated his many reform attempts too.
Ye
I selected “Environment and Climate Change” because I really want to know Labor’s policy on Coal Seam Gas (CSG) and Coal Mining. Both are destructive to productive farming land and to the environment by contaminating waterways and underground aquifers.
Anyone interested in supporting “No new coal mines”, a petition that Dr Richard Denniss of The Australia Institute will take to the Paris Conference in December, please sign.
http://www.nonewcoalmines.org.au/take_action
Big tick? Nup! A big kick along with the liberals.
Tom Tarrant:
They’re not listening to their constituents on dead end coal matters in NSW, either.
Unions and big business are in bed together. It’s a two party system, you have to vote for one of us! Hahahaha
I know it’s not the most important issue facing the country and 90% of people wouldn’t care about it, but, give me some decent internet. Please.
Can hardly use the computer these days because the internet speeds in this part of he world are non-existent. Thank Christ I don’t run a business that relies on the internet.
Michael Taylor, the Internet, NBN, is the most important issue. Ubiquitous and reliable Internet tackles aged care, medicine, dentistry, transport, agriculture, education, congestion of cities, decentralisation, and more. It is revolutionary. It is not just to watch cat videos and is the greatest loss to the country of the Abbott period.
I want to know why state Labor screws over injured workers as badly or worse than Liberal state governments. They have been unforgiveable scumbags here in South Australia. Totally crooked, crooked nasty ruling class type doctors as ‘independent’. The insuring agent wastes money on purpose, it bullies, it lies. the whole rehabilitation system is populated by utter scumbags and in a year or so my family gets left with no income. Chronic pain is worth no points in disability assessment for them or Social Security.
Refugees, anthropogenic global warming, education (including racism and ignorance in all forms),violence in Australian society (all kinds, places and forms), poverty and associated disadvantage (including ‘welfare card’ discrimination),indigenous rights,ecosystem collapse, corruption, etc.
In fact I don’t see myself agreeing with the Labor Party about much….
@JohnB – My Grandma was an almost lifetime member of the Labor Party but told me she had quit over branch stacking and issues with privatisation. She held various local branch office positions.
Are you the JohnB from twitter ? If so, we used to talk sometimes ’til they took my account away because I couldn’t provide a mobile number cos I no longer have one….
I’m delighted at this news. All that we need to happen now is vote Labor in.
http://www.smh.com.au/business/nbn-would-go-back-to-fibre-optic-under-australian-labor-party-says-jason-clare-20151013-gk8fih.html
No. They are only pretending. The pretend survey is an old trick.
The first thing they wil do in government is continue the same neolib poicies as the other lot.
I have made many postings, as have others on the ALP’s social media page, but as far as I can see the ALP are not in the least interested in what the rank and file have to say.