Senior Labor figures are attempting to prevent an outbreak of discontent at this weekend’s New South Wales state conference, with delegates expecting the event to pass only what insiders consider the “bare minimum” on recognition motions.
Despite strong pushes from Labor branches and grassroots members for a strong statement on the recognition of Palestine and sanctions on the Israeli government, sources say the party is focused on avoiding a show of disunity.
Delegates expect a relatively uncontroversial motion urging the federal government to recognise Palestine in this term of government to pass.
The move to set a deadline of this term of parliament mirrors motions passed by previous Labor conferences, including the Victorian gathering last year.
Labor’s national party platform does not set a specific deadline, but says it expects recognising Palestine as a state to be an “important priority” for a federal Labor government.
Pro-Palestine insiders have always insisted that this suggested it should occur in a first term.
Similarly, Labor members who are opposed to the Aukus agreement do not expect motions criticising the arrangement will make the conference floor, given the vote’s placement at the end of the conference session.
There were last-minute “significant” forces seeking to change the Palestinian motion, to call for recognition “immediately”.
Pro-Palestinian delegates were concerned over the federal direction to call for Palestinian recognition as part of a peace process, a prospect they said seems increasingly impossible, and were hoping to galvanise support for immediate recognition.
Negotiations were ongoing on Friday evening.
At least a dozen branches have put forward motions calling for no Aukus bases or nuclear waste in NSW and no nuclear-powered submarines to dock at the state’s ports, as well as calls for the agreement to be scrapped, but expectations that the motions will be debated are low.
Mass protests against Israel’s war in Gaza were expected outside the town hall event, with organisers installing an “unprecedented” level of security to prevent a repeat of the scenes at recent Victorian and Queensland Labor events.
Anthony Albanese will speak at the conference on Saturday, and NSW leader, Chris Minns, on Sunday. Security arrangements mean those on the conference floor will have been identified and vetted and Labor members who have registered as observers will be relegated to a separate area to minimise disruptions.
Delegates from all factions have made mention of the “managerial” style nature of the conference, following in the tradition of recent Labor gatherings where the big fights have occurred away from the voting floor to try to avoid reports of disunity.
Youth bail laws by the NSW parliament that were passed earlier this year would be debated among party members for the first time. The laws make it harder for reoffending 14- to 18-year-olds who commit serious break-and-enter or motor vehicle theft offences to get bail.
“There has never been any endorsement from Labor party members for bail laws that will result in more Aboriginal kids being locked up,” the mayor of Inner West council, Darcy Byrne, who has been a vocal opponent of the laws, said.
“There is very significant opposition to the policy and this conference will be the first opportunity for rank-and-file members to speak out about it.”
The cost of living and energy prices were expected to dominate floor discussions, with Albanese and Minns to highlight the “stability” of their governments and caucuses.
Side events, which traditionally feature speakers in alignment with Labor values and policies and which were open to the public, had been cancelled.
“Minimum disruption and minimum publicity is the goal,” one delegate said on Friday.
“It’s all about quelling discontent. At least on the floor. Outside will be a different matter.”
