Published: 19 Oct 2010
MP warns unions that Labor is at risk.
The ALP risks becoming irrelevant if its leadership continues to compromise the party's principles and ideals, West Australian MP and shadow minister Jon Ford told the MUA's National Council in Fremantle today.
Mr Ford, the State Opposition spokesperson for the Fishing, Mines and Petroleum portfolios, was opening the council meeting, the first to be held in WA.
"For far too long the Australian Labor Party has focused on issues that have alienated its membership and the Australian public," he said.
"I have no doubt that many senior members of the ALP at a state and national level find the option of handing over the progressive left agenda to parties like the Greens very attractive. They can go on delivering more of the same, not removing the abhorrent ABCC, dancing around human rights and climate change, arguing the pursuit of the dollar over all else while issues that are of importance to us and our memberships and our communities are relegated to a small number of seats to be discussed, to be given empathy but never implemented."
Mr Ford called on workers to "take back our party. We have to be courageous and not be intimidated, stand our ground and say no more to unacceptable outcomes no matter what embarrassment or political consequence to the ALP. If we do not, we risk irrelevancy in the current Australian political paradigm."
Download the full speech here.
