ABC Darwin transcript Aug 25 2010

Annie Gastin: We might see a little less power from the faceless men, next time round you reckon?

Stephen Mayne: Well you would think so. We have the world's most powerful union movement they've got a gerrymander control over the Labor party, where they are guaranteed through the constitution to have 50% of the votes at all party forums.

So you do end up with this strange situation where 6 or 8 union bosses from around the country, most of whom finish up in the parliament themselves, guys like Bill Shorten, end up being able to totally kneecap leaders and control things, and control the debate and do the preference deals.

It is a case of too much power being put in the hands of these power hungry, string pulling, factional aperachics, who over time become very jaded and cynical in their tactics, and lose their idealism for policy and these sorts of things.

So anything which breaks down their power, and opens up political parties to mass membership again, not just very narrow membership bases, would help politics. Hopefully the rise of the independents and the breakdown of the rigid party discipline we've seen, might actually open up politics a bit and distribute some of that power more widely in the community.

Copyright © 2024 The Mayne Report. All rights reserved

• share
  Share
  • 
    Facebook
  • 
    Twitter
  • email
    Email
  • print
    Print
  • link
    Copy Link
  • cancel
    Cancel