Dear friends and comrades;
As the publisher of the ALP Socialist Left Forum blog, and moderator of the associated Facebook group, I believe that this election for the ALP Leadership should be largely about the policy direction the winner will provide for the party. And also it should involve further projected reform of the Party to make it more democratic.
The following questions address those issues of leadership on organisational and policy reform.
At our associated Facebook group we now have almost 600 members. So I’m hoping the ALP Leadership Candidates will see it as being in their interest to answer the following questions for us!
Over the coming week I will attempt to contact the candidates again.
There is the argument that the candidates might not want to pre-empt the Conference on Policy - but I believe everyone can appreciate that the party leader - whoever that might be - also provides policy leadership within the scope of the Platform. The opinions of the Leader will no doubt have weight at Conference as well. Hence it is important for us to know the policy leadership the candidates will provide, even though officially it is for Conference to determine the broad policy framework via the National Platform. And in my opinion the grassroots need to be empowered via a more democratic process in determining that Platform.
The candidates may have reasons for not wanting to answer all the questions; But I am still hoping we receive a response of some depth. And if the answers are not comprehensive, I'm hoping we'll be advised of the rationale behind that decision.
If this process is to have the greatest credibility and depth ALP members must know what and who they are voting for. These questions seek to serve that purpose.
The Questions:
i)
Australia
does not have a presidential system of government. But nonetheless the Party
leadership is a position from which a progressive policy agenda can by
promoted. What concrete policy agenda
would you pursue if you have the opportunity to promote it as Federal ALP
leader?
ii)
More
specifically - to demonstrate your vision for Australia, what concrete agenda
would you like to promote as leader in the following policy fields?:
·
tax
reform for equity and social wage expansion; including closing down tax loopholes for big corporations and the wealthy
·
superannuation
concessions – should they be wound back further for the rich? (say, the top 10%?)
·
welfare
reform (including disability pensions,
the aged pension, Sole Parents, Newstart, and the student allowance)
·
public
infrastructure (including transport, communications, social housing)
·
industrial
relations – what kind of industrial liberties; and what kind of protections?
·
Industry
policy – what role for government?
·
Health
Services reform: including mental health, and disability services – and how to
fund the NDIS over the long term?; And
how to expand public dental – especially for the disadvantaged?
·
Aged
Care reform (specifically including the
conditions and career paths for aged care workers; what kind of staff to
resident ratios – if any?; what role – if any – for user charges?; how to
improve the quality of service?; What about national aged care insurance?)
·
Education
(of all levels; and including participation rates; the nature and form of
student financial contributions – including equity considerations; and reform
of curriculum to promote political literacy and active citizenship)
·
The
Environment: what kind of policy to reduce emissions?; how ambitious?; and how
to incorporate equity concerns?
·
Refugees
policy and Foreign Aid
·
Promoting
media diversification and the cause of robust pluralism more generally
·
The
public sector: What role should the public sector play?; and what specific
changes would you like to see made in the Australian mixed economy?
·
Economic
Democracy – Is there any role for a policy for economic democracy from the ALP
today – and what specific measures could we take in government to pursue that
principle?
iii)
Ideology and Values: What we don’t hear much of in the
ALP today is debate about ideology. What
kind of political ideology would you bring to the leadership; and what kind of
ideology – or mix of ideologies – do you think should hold sway in the ALP?
iv)
Party Reform and Enhancing Internal
Party Democracy:
What further internal Party reforms would you like to see in order to enhance
internal Party democracy – and why? How
can we use Party Reform to mobilise the grassroots? What about direct election of National
Conference delegates and an increase in the size of the National Conference?
v)
What
is your plan for re-taking federal government for Labor in 2016; and how would
you hold Tony Abbott and the Liberals accountable – and limiting the damage
- in the interim? What kind of role do the different elements of
the Party have to play in this process?
(shadow cabinet, caucus, Conference, branches, affiliates, individual
members)
vi)
What
personal qualities would you bring to the leadership that you think would be of
benefit in striving to re-take government in 2016?
vii)
What
role do you see Australia as having in world affairs; including the nature of
our engagement with our region, and with important powers such as the United
States and China?
