SA: Labor review a mirage, says Liberal Party director

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SA: Labor review a mirage, says Liberal Party director

ADELAIDE, Aug 9 AAP - Proposed reforms aimed at reducing trade union influence inthe Australian Labor Party were a mirage, the Liberal Party's federal director LyntonCrosby said today.

Mr Crosby said while the review by ALP elders Bob Hawke and Neville Wran called fora reduction in trade union representation at the ALP's national conferences, that wasoffset by other pro-union measures proposed in the report.

"What we've seen today from the Labor Party is very much a mirage," Mr Crosby toldreporters in Adelaide.

"On the one hand they claim that they're going to have a much more democratic partybecause they're reducing the mandated involvement of trade union bosses from six out of10 to five out of 10 at their national conferences.

"(On the other hand) they're requiring every federal member of parliament from theLabor Party to frequently meet with trade unionists in their electorates.

"They're requiring the trade union movement to get discounted membership of the Labor Party.

"Even their most significant claimed proposal of reducing trade union influence intheir national conferences requires two more committees to consider it before it can evenbe implemented."

Mr Crosby said he expected trade union bosses to be "very happy" at the amount of influencethey would retain if the review's recommendations were implemented.

"The trade union movement will continue to dominate the affairs and dominate the policiesof the Labor Party," he said.

Mr Crosby also criticised the ALP for spending nine months reviewing its own structurerather than developing policy, while, he said, the government was busy working for thegood of the nation.

"It's very much a case of looking inwards at a time when Australians want politicalparties to look outwards," he said.

He cited yesterday's $25 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) contract with China, steadyinterest rates, and reduced unemployment as examples of the government's recent successes.

"On the one hand you've got the Labor Party focusing on itself, trying with a pea andthimble trick to demonstrate to people that somehow the trade union influence on the LaborParty is somehow going to be reduced," he said.

"On the other hand we see the government getting on with the job."

AAP scl/cjh/

KEYWORD: ALP CROSBY