Socialist Left

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This article is about the Australian party faction, for the Norwegian political party, see Socialist Left Party (Norway)

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The Socialist Left faction of the Australian Labor Party (the Left) is an organised political faction that advocates within the party for traditionally Labor interventionist and socialist economic policies. However, since the party reforms by Gough Whitlam in the 1970s, the Left has also been the principal champion in the party of socially liberal values, such as women's rights, gay rights, reconciliation with Aboriginal Australians and Land Rights. It advocates an independent foreign policy, which would involve thorough discussion between Australia and the United States of the alliance.

[edit] History of the Socialist Left faction

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Historically, the name "Socialist Left" was first adopted by the left-wing of the Victorian branch of the Australian Labor Party, although it followed the creation of the NSW 'Steering Committee'. It is a truncation of the full faction's name, the Combined Unions Socialist Left. The formation occurred after intervention by the Federal Executive of the party into the Victorian branch resulting in the sacking of its elected officers and dissolution of the branch in 1970.

The NSW 'Steering Committee', later to take on the name 'Socialist Left' was initially formed in 1955 in response to the anti-communist campaigns by the 'Groupers' led by B.A. Santamaria. The Industrial Groups of the ALP existed to counter Communist Party of Australia activities within trade unions. In 1955, the majority of the branches and members of the Victorian branch were expelled with similar moves occurring in other states, although to a much lesser extent in New South Wales.

Federal party leader Gough Whitlam sought to use the 1970 intervention to modernise the Victorian branch and increase its chances of electoral success. Whether or not this was a move to decrease the influence of the left-wing Victorian branch has been a point of considerable contention, with subsequent electoral results in Victoria being inconclusive.

The dismissed officers included Secretary Bill Hartley, Assistant Secretary Glyde Butler, President George Crawford and Organiser Bob Hogg. In response to their dismissal, Hartley and Crawford formed the Socialist Left as a rank and file organisation to propagate socialist views within the Australian Labor Party. It published a fortnightly newspaper called "Action" that covered union, community and internal party matters. The faction emerged from intervention as the largest faction with strong discipline and a program of monthly general meetings.

The faction also drew considerable support from the trade union movement, especially from figures such as Ken Carr and Jim Roulston. Incidentally, George Crawford was also a prominent leader in the Plumbers and Gasfitters Employees' Union. The faction's membership included several notable members of state and federal parliament. They include Bill Brown, Jim Cairns, Kim Carr, Moss Cass, Bruce Childs, Joan Coxsedge, George Crawford, Arthur Gietzelt, Gerry Hand, Brian Howe, Dr Harry Jenkins, Joan Kirner, Jean McLean, Andrew Theophanous, and Tom Uren. Founding faction chairman, Bill Hartley was expelled from the Australian Labor Party in 1986, despite being regularly elected to Federal Executive and the National Conference of the ALP, because he was found to have brought the Party into disrepute by reason of his persistent public criticism of Labor Prime Minister Bob Hawke.

The Left is currently the smaller of the two main factions in the federal Caucus, having a total of 38 MPs. Under the current factional agreements, the Labor Leader in the Senate comes from the Left, his Deputy from the Right, the reverse of the situation in the House of Representatives. Key members of the Left include the party's National President for 2007, Senator John Faulkner, the Leader of the Government in the Senate Chris Evans, the Manager of Government Business in the House of Representatives Anthony Albanese, the Minister for Finance and Deregulation Lindsay Tanner and the Minister for Famiies, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs Jenny Macklin. Under the leadership of Kevin Rudd, Victorian Senator Kim Carr has risen to prominence also as powerful left-winger in the Labor caucus, with the Innovation, Industry, Science and Research portfolio.

Federally, the Left is split internally between the "hard left" who promote a more confrontational stance towards the dominant Labor Right faction, and the "soft left" Ferguson group (which includes Deputy Leader Julia Gillard) who are more willing to compromise and work with certain members of the Right.

Members: Kim Carr, Lindsay Tanner, Richard Wynne, Tanya Plibersek, Anthony Albanese, Carmen Lawrence, Duncan Kerr, Kate Lundy, Jenny Macklin, Bronwyn Pike, Lynne Kosky, Anna Bligh, Peter Batchelor, Rod Welford, Carmel Tebbutt, Penny Sharpe, Jay Weatherill, Gavin Jennings, Gavin Marshall, Penny Wong, Patrick Conlon, Martin Ferguson, Julia Gillard, Laurie Ferguson, Daryl Melham, Catherine King, Sid Sidebottom, Steve Gibbons, Jacinta Allan, Rob Hudson, Liz Beattie, Alan Griffin.

[edit] Further reading

• Barcan, Alan, (1960) The socialist left in Australia 1949-1959 Sydney : Australian Political Studies Association (Occasional monograph (Australian Political Studies Association)) no. 2.