'Things always worked this way'
You've arrived on campus and you're wondering which progressive club to join. You're a feminist, concerned about the federal government's cuts to education and wondering how you'll be able to move out of home and survive on the pitiful Austudy payments. Apart from that, you're concerned with global environmental problems, and the fact that the backlash against women's rights is growing.
There's a myriad of specialist clubs to choose from. You join the women's collective but you're also interested in getting active around a range of issues. You get handed a leaflet from the Labor Students which says they campaign around a range of social justice issues including the environment, student issues, human rights and anti-racism. Looks promising, you think.
There's even a section dealing with democracy. Under the heading "Be heard", you're told that "Labor Students and the Labor Party are democratic organisations" and that "genuine participation and ensuring your voice is heard is what democracy is all about".
But wait a minute, you think. Haven't I read some statements on this subject by prominent Labor women in the papers recently? In the preselection scramble for retiring NSW Senator Kerry Sibraa's seat, a number of women contenders have publicly criticised Labor's lack of internal democracy.
"There is no democracy in preselection, and we need to democratise our party", protests NSW MLC and aspiring senator Franca Arena, pointing the finger at the ALP administrative committee, which handles preselections between annual state conferences.
Another contender, Marilyn Dodkin, secretary of the ALP's Committee on the Status of Women, has raised concerns about a deal being done to support Belinda Neal, wife of the NSW Labor Party's state secretary John Della Bosca. And Kaye Loder, a former chairperson of the National Women's Consultative Council, who also had her hat in the ring, described both major parties' selection processes as undemocratic in contrast to the Greens and the Democrats. NSW Nurses Association secretary Pat Staunton, Neal's main rival, has also raised concerns.
A week before the administrative committee sat down, five of the six women contenders had been told they had no chance.
Arena is particularly peeved. When news of the Senate vacancy did the rounds of the ALP last year, she rang right-wing numbers man Senator Graham Richardson, seeking support. Apparently Richardson gave her the impression she'd have a good chance. But since then, he and the ALP head office have made it clear that they want the job to go to Neal.
Stacking and factional deals have always been important to Labor's peculiar form of internal "democracy". And most people looking for a career in the party have played along. As Richardson said to Arena, "You know things always worked this way".
The complaints levelled against the Labor Party in this preselection brawl make a joke out of the rhetoric about democracy in the leaflet being handed out by the Labor Students. These days, only the very naive would believe it, and only cynical career-seekers join the ALP with their eyes open.
By Pip Hinman