Labor Right

{{short description|Political faction within the Australian Labor Party}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}

{{distinguish|Labor rights}}

{{Infobox political party

| colorcode = {{Australian politics/party colours|labor right}}

| name = Labor Right

| native_name = Labor Unity/Unity

| abbreviation = {{hlist|LR|LU}}

| logo = Eureka Flag.svg

| logo_size = 200px

| caption = {{nowrap|Eureka Flag used by Labor Right branches{{cite web |title=NSW CENTRE UNITY |url=https://www.centreunity.org.au/ |website=centreunity.org.au |access-date=30 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906200815/https://www.centreunity.org.au/ |archive-date=6 September 2024}}{{cite web |title=Queensland Labor Unity |url=https://www.qldlaborunity.com/ |website=qldlaborunity.com |access-date=30 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906191929/https://www.qldlaborunity.com/ |archive-date=6 September 2024}}}}

| leader1_title = National Convenors

| leader1_name = {{ubl|class=nowrap|

|Matt Thistlethwaite

|Don Farrell

|Raff Ciccone{{cite web |last1=Massola |first1=James |title=The power behind the PM – who are Labor's powerbrokers in government? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-power-behind-the-pm-who-are-labor-s-powerbrokers-in-government-20220624-p5awc2.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=25 June 2022 |access-date=17 December 2022}}

}}

| leader2_title =

| leader2_name =

| leader3_title =

| leader3_name =

| ideology = {{ubl|class=nowrap

| Third Way{{cite book|author=Jingjing Huo|title=Third Way Reforms: Social Democracy After the Golden Age|year=2009|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-51843-7|page=79}}

|Social conservatism{{refn|{{cite web | url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/labor-shoppies-still-powerful-senator/dm6tnjq1t | title=Labor 'Shoppies' still powerful: Senator}}{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/religionandethicsreport/what27s-happened-to-the-conservative-wing-of-the-australian-la/5012014 |title=What's happened to the conservative wing of the Australian Labor Party? |work=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=9 October 2013 }}{{cite web|title=Kimberley Kitching caters for Labor's conservative core |newspaper=The Australian |first=Greg |last=Brown |date=8 October 2018|url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/kitching-caters-for-labors-conservative-core/news-story/ea0737a7aeb075f37dc59582cc10a16c?amp&nk=4fc133993a03a748f19e678ddd98cbe1-1735257846}}{{Cite web |last=Massola |first=James |date=2021-02-14 |title=What are Labor's factions and who's who in the Left and Right? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/what-are-labor-s-factions-and-who-s-who-in-the-left-and-right-20210210-p5718j.html |access-date= |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}}}

}}

| foundation =

| headquarters =

| youth_wing =

| national = Australian Labor

| colours = {{colour box|{{Australian politics/party colours|labor right}}}} Red

| membership =

| membership_year =

| international =

| seats1_title = Seats in the House of Representatives

| seats1 = {{Composition bar|42|151|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|labor right}}}}

| seats2_title = Seats in the Senate

| seats2 = {{Composition bar|11|76|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|labor right}}}}

| seats3_title = Federal Caucus

| seats3 = {{Composition bar|53|103|hex={{Australian politics/party colours|labor right}}}}

| website =

| country = Australia

}}

{{Labour politics in Australia}}

The Labor Right (LR), also known as Labor Forum, Labor Unity or simply Unity, is one of the two major political factions within the Australian Labor Party (ALP). It is nationally characterised by liberal economic policies, and competes with the Labor Left faction, which leans toward democratic socialism.{{Cite web |last=Massola |first=James |date=2021-02-14 |title=What are Labor’s factions and who’s who in the Left and Right? |url=https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/what-are-labor-s-factions-and-who-s-who-in-the-left-and-right-20210210-p5718j.html |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}

Labor Right is composed of autonomous groups in each state and territory of Australia. The groups within the Labor Right come together as a broad alliance at the national level.{{Cite journal |last=Hogan |first=Michael |date=2009 |title=Template for a Labor Faction: The Industrial Section and the Industrial Vigilance Council of the NSW Labor Party, 1916-19 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/27713745 |journal=Labour History |issue=96 |pages=79–100 |jstor=27713745 |issn=0023-6942}} The faction includes members with a range of political perspectives, including centrism, partial privatisation, Keynesianism, Labourism, and social conservatism.{{Cite web |title=Locking Out the Left: The Emergence of National Factions in Australian Labor |url=https://jacobin.com/2020/07/australian-labor-party-factions |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=jacobin.com |language=en-US}}

State branches

Factional power usually finds expression in the percentage vote of aligned delegates at party conferences. The power of the Labor Right varies from state to state, but it usually relies on certain trade unions, such as the Australian Workers' Union (AWU), Transport Workers Union (TWU), the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union (PPTEU) and the Health Services Union (HSU). These unions send delegates to the conferences, with delegates usually coming from the membership, the administration of the union or local branches covered by their activists.

State-based factions (national sub-factions) which make up Labor Right include:

=New South Wales=

  • Centre Unity

=Queensland=

  • Labor Forum (dominated by the AWU){{cite web |last1=McKenna |first1=Michael |title=Left takes over Queensland Labor in historic shift |url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/left-takes-over-queensland-labor-in-historic-shift/news-story/2416368889d7a258967a957d4bab051b |publisher=The Australian |access-date=30 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030002011/https://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/left-takes-over-queensland-labor-in-historic-shift/news-story/2416368889d7a258967a957d4bab051b?amp&nk=f2fc89badcfab3cb1e988c30d54ec684-1730247621 |archive-date=30 October 2024 |date=31 July 2014}}{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.laborforum.org.au/ |website=laborforum.org.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190124044857/https://www.laborforum.org.au/ |access-date=24 January 2019|archive-date=24 January 2019}}{{cite web |title=Labor Forum is a growing group of ALP members across QLD who believes that a progressive & practical policy agenda is crucial to the future of QLD Labor |url=https://www.facebook.com/LaborForum/ |website=Facebook |publisher=Labor Forum |access-date=30 October 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241030002351/https://www.facebook.com/LaborForum/ |archive-date=30 October 2024}}

=Australian Capital Territory=

  • Centre Coalition{{cite web|url=https://www.crikey.com.au/2010/04/09/contest-in-act-comes-down-to-the-alp-machine-versus-genuine-locals/|title=Contest in ACT comes down to the ALP machine versus genuine locals|date=9 April 2010|website=Crikey}}

=Victoria=

  • Labor Centre Unity (AWU: Consisting of Branch Members, Student Clubs, both federal and state members of parliament aligned with the Victorian branch of the Australian Workers' Union, and representatives from the Plumbing and Pipe Trades Employees Union){{Cite web |title=Young Labor Centre Action |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/YoungLaborCentreAction}}{{Cite web |title=La Trobe ALP Club |website=Facebook |url=https://www.facebook.com/LaTrobeUniversityLabor }}
  • Labor Progressive Unity (The Cons: Consisting largely of Branch Members aligned to and supporters of Labor Deputy Leader Richard Marles and the Transport Workers Union)
  • Labor Unity (The Shoppies: Consisting largely of branch members aligned to and supports of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association)

=Western Australia=

  • WA Labor Unity (AWU, SDA, TWU).
  • Progressive Labor (Consists of AWU, SDA, TWU and CFMEU){{cite web |last1=Butterly |first1=Nick |last2=Delalande |first2=Joanna |title=WA Labor's Progressive faction fractures |url=https://www.pressreader.com/australia/the-west-australian/20190828/281612422065920 |access-date=20 October 2019 |website=PressReader}}{{Cite web |date=2017-04-01 |title=Historic union pact formed to take on the Left |url=https://thewest.com.au/politics/state-politics/wa-unions-join-forces-to-take-on-the-left-ng-b88432030z |access-date=2019-05-26 |website=The West Australian |language=en}} An alliance between WA Labor Unity and the 'Industrial left' unions of WA, formed in 2019 for the purpose of binding at State conferences against some subgroups within WA's Broad left; such as the UWU. Historically, the MUA and CFMEU have voted at State conferences in alignment with the Broad left.

=Northern Territory=

  • Labor Unity

=South Australia=

  • Labor Unity (dominated by the SDA).{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-08-11/sa-liberal-labor-donations-ahead-of-march-2018-election/8792446|title=Liberals' donations double Labor Party's ahead of SA election|date=11 August 2017|publisher=ABC}}

=Tasmania=

  • Labor Unity

Political views

The faction is most famous for its support of Third Way policies such as the economic rationalist policies of the Bob Hawke and Paul Keating governments, including floating the Australian dollar in December 1983, reductions in trade tariffs, taxation reforms such as the introduction of dividend imputation to eliminate double-taxation of dividends and the lowering of the top marginal income tax rate from 60% in 1983 to 47% in 1996, changing from centralised wage-fixing to enterprise bargaining, the privatisation of Qantas and Commonwealth Bank, making the Reserve Bank of Australia independent, and deregulating the banking system.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

Federal members of the Labor Right

class="wikitable sortable" border="1"
Name

!Parliamentary seat

!Other positions

!State/Territory

!Sub-faction/union

Richard Marles{{cite news |title=The 12 Labor figures who will do the heavy lifting in government |url=https://www.afr.com/politics/federal/the-12-labor-figures-who-will-do-the-heavy-lifting-in-government-20181213-h1937u |access-date=14 March 2020 |publisher=Australian Financial Review}}

|Member for Corio

|Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Defence

|Victoria

|TWU, 'Cons'

Dr Jim Chalmers

|Member for Rankin

|Treasurer

|Queensland

|AWU

Don Farrell{{cite news |last1=Tewksbury |first1=Marc |title=Labor MP Jason Clare dismisses Otis group |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/labor-mp-jason-clare-dismisses-otis-group/video/4d8fad22f94e6b07319c3abb2489c2d0 |access-date=14 March 2020 |publisher=news.com.au}}

|Senator for South Australia

|Special Minister of State
Minister for Trade and Tourism

|South Australia

|SDA

Tony Burke

|Member for Watson

|Leader of the House

Minister for Home Affairs
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
Minister for Cyber Security
Minister for the Arts

| rowspan=2 | New South Wales

|SDA

Chris Bowen

|Member for McMahon

|Minister for Climate Change and Energy

|

Amanda Rishworth

|Member for Kingston

|Minister for Social Services

|South Australia

|SDA

Bill Shorten{{cite news |last1=Probyn |first1=Andrew |title=The strain within Labor's Left and Right bubbles over as the party wrestles over its future |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-01/labor-left-and-right-battle-over-the-partys-future/11659570 |access-date=14 March 2020 |publisher=ABC News}}

|Member for Maribyrnong

|Minister for Government Services
Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme

| rowspan=2 | Victoria

|AWU

Mark Dreyfus {{small|KC}}

|Member for Isaacs

|Attorney–General

|AWU

Jason Clare

|Member for Blaxland

|Minister for Education

| rowspan=2 | New South Wales

|

Michelle Rowland{{Cite news|date=30 May 2019|title=Labor's new-look shadow ministry|work=SBS News|url=https://www.sbs.com.au/news/labor-s-new-look-shadow-ministry|access-date=7 November 2020}}

|Member for Greenway

|Minister for Communications

|

Madeleine King{{cite news |last1=Hondros |first1=Nathan |title=WA Labor MPs named as part of pro-coal, right-wing 'Otis Group' |url=https://www.watoday.com.au/politics/western-australia/wa-labor-mps-named-as-part-of-pro-coal-right-wing-otis-group-20200213-p540h9.html |access-date=14 March 2020 |publisher=WAtoday}}

|Member for Brand

|Minister for Resources
Minister for Northern Australia

|Western Australia

|

Ed Husic

|Member for Chifley

|Minister for Industry and Science

|New South Wales

|CEPU (CWU)

Clare O'Neil

|Member for Hotham

|Minister for Housing
Minister for Homelessness

|Victoria

|AWU

Matt Keogh

|Member for Burt

|Minister for Veterans' Affairs
Minister for Defence Personnel

|Western Australia

|AWU

Anika Wells

|Member for Lilley

|Minister for Aged Care
Minister for Sport

|Queensland

|AWU

Kristy McBain

|Member for Eden-Monaro

| Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories

| rowspan=4 | New South Wales

|

Justine Elliot

|Member for Richmond

|Assistant Minister for Social Services
Assistant Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence

|

Matt Thistlethwaite{{Cite news|date=26 June 2013|title=Shorten stands by Gillard as leader|work=9news.com.au|url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/shorten-stands-by-gillard-as-leader/35243655-3142-4c81-9084-996f5960d91c|access-date=7 November 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Chan|first=Gabrielle|date=2015-07-25|title=Bill Shorten wins freedom to use boat turnbacks, but leadership split on issue|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/jul/25/bill-shorten-wins-freedom-to-use-boat-turnbacks-but-leadership-split-on-issue|access-date=2020-11-07|issn=0261-3077}}

|Member for Kingsford Smith

|Assistant Minister for Immigration

|AWU

Emma McBride

|Member for Dobell

|Assistant Minister for Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
Assistant Minister for Rural and Regional Health

|

Anthony Chisholm

|Senator for Queensland

|Assistant Minister for Education
Assistant Minister for Regional Development

|Queensland

|AWU

Tim Watts{{Cite news|date=15 June 2020|title=Leaked texts show Somyurek's influence among federal Labor ranks|work=skynews.com.au|url=https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6164180576001|access-date=7 November 2020}}{{Cite news|last=Ilanbey|first=Sumeyya|date=28 January 2020|title=Tensions between Labor's Right and Left factions at boiling point|work=theage.com.au|url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/victoria/tensions-between-labor-s-right-and-left-factions-at-boiling-point-20200128-p53vg0.html?ref=rss|access-date=7 November 2020}}

|Member for Gellibrand

|Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs

|Victoria

|'Cons'

Glenn Sterle

|Senator for Western Australia

|Chair of Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee
Deputy Chair of Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee

|Western Australia

|TWU

Steve Georganas

|Member for Adelaide

|

|South Australia

|

Shayne Neumann

|Member for Blair

|Chair of Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade
Chair of Standing Committee on Procedure

|Queensland

|ASU

Alison Byrnes

|Member for Cunningham

|

|New South Wales

|

Deborah O'Neill

|Senator for New South Wales

|Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services
Deputy Chair of Select Committee on Work and Care
Deputy Chair of Standing Committee of Privileges

|New South Wales

|SDA

Helen Polley

|Senator for Tasmania

|Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement

|Tasmania

|AWU, SDA

Rob Mitchell

|Member for McEwen

|Chair of Committee of Privileges and Members' Interests
Chair of House Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources

|Victoria

|'Cons'

Catryna Bilyk

|Senator for Tasmania

|Chair of the Senate Standing Committee of Senators' Interests

|Tasmania

|ASU, TWU

Peter Khalil

|Member for Wills

|

|Victoria

|AWU

Milton Dick

|Member for Oxley

|Speaker of the House of Representatives
Chair of Joint Committee on the Broadcasting of Parliamentary Proceedings
Chair of Selection Committee
Chair of Standing Committee on Appropriations and Administration

|Queensland

|AWU

Matt Burnell

|Member for Spence

|

|South Australia

|TWU

Meryl Swanson

|Member for Paterson

|Chair of Standing Committee on Agriculture

|New South Wales

|

Luke Gosling

|Member for Solomon

|Chair of Standing Committee on Regional Development, Infrastructure and Transport

|Northern Territory

|SDA

David Smith

|Member for Bean

|Government Whip

|Australian Capital Territory

|Professionals Australia

Raff Ciccone

|Senator for Victoria

|Deputy Government Whip in the Senate
Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee
Deputy Chair of Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References Committee
Deputy Chair of Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills

|Victoria

|SDA “Shoppies”

Dr Daniel Mulino

|Member for Fraser

|Chair of Standing Committee on Economics

|Victoria

|SDA “Shoppies”

Josh Burns

|Member for Macnamara

|Chair of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights

|Victoria

|'Cons'

Marielle Smith

|Senator for South Australia

|Chair of Community Affairs Legislation Committee
Deputy Chair of Community Affairs References Committee

|South Australia

|SDA

Tony Sheldon

|Senator for New South Wales

|Chair of Education and Employment Legislation Committee
Deputy Chair of Education and Employment References Committee

|New South Wales

|TWU

Dr Mike Freelander

|Member for Macarthur

|Chair of Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport

|New South Wales

|

Cassandra Fernando

|Member for Holt

|

|Victoria

|SDA

Jana Stewart

|Senator for Victoria

|

|Victoria

|TWU, 'Cons'

Sam Rae

|Member for Hawke

|

|Victoria

|TWU, 'Cons'

Varun Ghosh

|Senator for West Australia

|

|Western Australia

|SDA

Andrew Charlton

|Member for Parramatta

|

|New South Wales

|

Sally Sitou

|Member for Reid

|

|New South Wales

|

Dan Repacholi

|Member for Hunter

|

|New South Wales

|

Joanne Ryan

|Member for Lalor

|Chief Government Whip

|Victoria

|'Cons'

Michelle Ananda-Rajah

|Member for Higgins

|

|Victoria

|TWU, 'Cons'

Tania Lawrence

|Member for Hasluck

|

|Western Australia

|

Sam Lim

|Member for Tangney

|

|Western Australia

|

Gordon Reid

|Member for Robertson

|

|New South Wales

|

‡ Sterle was formerly a member of the now-defunct Centre Left.

See also

References

{{reflist}}

Further reading

  • {{cite book|title=Mates: Five Champions of the Labor Right |first=Fia |last=Cumming |publisher=Allen & Unwin |year=1991 |place=Sydney |isbn=978-1-86373-021-1}} – Paul Keating, Graham Richardson, Laurie Brereton, Bob Carr and Leo McLeay recount events which shaped the Australian labour movement from the 1960s to the 1980s.
  • {{cite book| title=Whatever It Takes |first=Graham |last=Richardson |year=1994 | publisher=Bantam Books |place=Moorebank, NSW |isbn=978-1-86-359332-8}} – Graham Richardson recounts his career and outlines the philosophy and operation of the NSW and National Labor Right during his time in the ALP.

{{Australian Labor Party}}

Category:Australian Labor Party factions