Labor turmoil: a case of needed change and a defence of the past and its people

Now its on again, turmoil and all, as the so-called Dream Team of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard challenges Kim Beazley, the current Leader, for leadership of the ALP prior to a 2007 Federal election.

Miss Eagle wonders about the over-statement of the Rudd-Gillard, Right-Left partnership as a Dream Team. However, Miss Eagle recalls that, after years of corrupt National Party government in Queensland, a major factor undergirding the successful ALP campaign which resulted in the election of Wayne Goss as Premier of Queensland 17 years ago to this very day on 2 December, 1989, was the partnership of right and left with the Australian Workers Union (AWU) and the Australian Metal Workers Union (AMWU).

This partnership shocked people - not least those within the ALP - and spelled the beginning of the end for Peter Beattie in his role as State Secretary of the Queensland ALP and meant some wilderness years for Beattie on his way to the Queensland Parliament, years on the backbench because of his rivalry with Goss, and now his success story as Queensland Premier. On this pragmatic tide, Wayne Swan - currently, Kim Beazley's Shadow Treasurer - became Qld State Secretary of the ALP. This was another rung on the Qld ALP's ladder of success. Without this right-left pragmatism, it is unlikely that Goss would have got to government and, almost certainly, not with the landslide success delivered to him in 1989.

This is something that Big Bill Ludwig, AWU heavyweight and powerbroker-kingpin in Queensland, should remember. Bill should remember in calling his factional Federal MPs to heel that he was unable to successfully call time in 1991 when Keating defeated Bob Hawke. Ludwig stuck doggedly to Hawke when the time for change had clearly come. Bill and his son, Senator Joe Ludwig, ought to remember this. Ludwig Senior and his AWU shearer mates in western Queensland stuck doggedly to Old Guard Labor tickets when Peter Beattie was reforming the ALP in Queensland in the early '80s and issuing reform tickets. Bill's mentality has not altered. Dogged loyalty can be an admirable thing but not to include yourself as a force of change and progress is not.

Bill, let the hounds off the leash in Queensland so that they can make their own decisions.

You would serve the nation well in doing this.

Recycling a rorter - and then back to Queensland?

Miss Eagle will have to pay more attention. This appointment had got past her - but she thinks it is still worth bringing attention to it.

Mike Kaiser, as a university student, was brought into a select clique of young men, including Paul Lucas who is currently Queensland's Minister for Transport and Main Roads. These young men were destined for careers in or relating to the Australian Labor Party (ALP) in Queensland under the guidance and leadership of David Barbagallo, an expert in student politics as well as IT and former Chief of Staff to the Premier of Queensland, Wayne Goss.

Mike did what was asked of him or, to put it in Graham Richardson's vernacular, did 'whatever it takes' within the Labor faction governed by the AWU in Queensland; became State Secretary of the Queensland ALP; and was later elected to the Queensland Parliament from the seat of Woodridge. And then the excreta hit the rotating blade.

The Shepherdson Inquiry revealed Barbagallo and Kaiser's involvement (as well as the involvement of others) in electoral fraud. Peter Beattie wanted his government to be seen as cleaner than clean and so Kaiser resigned his seat. But it wasn't long before it became clear that Kaiser's resignation was window dressing and there appeared to be interest, including from Peter Beattie, in bringing Kaiser back in from the cold. He went off to be Assistant Secretary of the Federal ALP. Now, it seems, he may only be a step or two away from going to the electorate once again. He has moved from the backroom to become Chief of Staff to New South Wales Premier, Maurice Iemma. It is wonderful what the ALP Right can do. But if Mike is to face the electorate again - and, almost certainly, he won't bother if it is merely a marginal seat - what guarantee do the longsuffering voters have that Mike's ethics have improved?