(1993) Labor Unity Statement of Principles
In defining the industrial and political ethos that Labor Unity represents, there is the danger of being too prescriptive, too ideological and too certain about details.
(1993) Jobs the Criteria for Judgment. Optimism Replaced by More Subdued Estimate of Future
The Treasurer knew that last night’s Budget would be judged against three criteria: jobs, jobs, jobs. So what’s the scorecard?
(1992) The Worse Is Over
The worst is over. There is still a lot of structural adjustment occurring, and that will lead to more unemployment in some parts of the economy in the next 12 months. But overall employment will grow.
(1992) Foreword to Laurie Short
I can remember sitting down in 1977 in Laurie Short’s office at 188 George Street, Sydney, and discussing the origins and development of the Trotskyist movement in Australia in the 1930s.
(1992) Is the Left Braindead?: A Sterile Debate
One can define the Left as the non-conservative forces in society; one can also define it more narrowly as the Left traditions within the labour movement. It is apparent that there are various traditions that make up the Left of the labour movement in this country.
(1991) Sunbeams, Cucumbers and Industry Policy
The notion of ‘industry policy’ conjures various ideas, prejudices and doctrines. The debate is charged with rhetoric, polarised and constrained by key-words. We inhabit a world of picking winners and level playing fields.
(1991) Privatising Qantas and Australian Airlines
The 1990 National ALP Conference rhetoric lived up to expectations. However, the mood of most delegates seemed to this participant to be fairly relaxed. Even though some of the words were fiery, the hearts of most delegates were not alight with passion.
(1990) What It Means To Be Labor
Soon after the formation of the Labor Party there was an intense debate about what it means to be Labor. How could it be otherwise? After the Labor Party won 36 seats in the NSW Legislative Assembly elections in June 1891 splits occurred over the issue of caucus solidarity. Questions arose as to the right alliances and tactics to be pursued.
(1988) Introduction to McKell
As a young boy William John McKell watched a procession of men and women marching by the Sydney Town Hall on 26 January 1901. They were celebrating Australia’s birth out of the six federated colonies.
(1987) Which States Get the Federal Ministers? An Exposition, an Analysis, a Recommendation
There is a large irony about the composition of the Third Hawke Labor government. Although it is sometimes said that the NSW ALP dominates the Federal Parliamentary Labor Party, the fact is that NSW enjoys its lowest representation in a Federal Labor ministry since the formation of the Scullin Cabinet in 1929.