The Australian Labor Party and the Trade Unions
The Australian Labor Party and the Trade Unions
‘Til Death Do Us Part’?
This chapter examines the paradox presented by the Australian Labor Party (ALP). The party was created by the labour movement and unions affiliated to it have traditionally dominated the party machine. They retain a prominent role in the party’s formal decision-making processes as well as in its more informal structures. In particular, through their position in the party’s system of highly organized factions, they have been able to have a significant behind-the-scenes role, particularly in areas such as the selection of candidates for elected office, in the allocation of ministerial portfolios, and in leadership contests. The affiliated unions have retained this role in spite of pressures to ‘delink’. Yet, this central role has done little to impede the gradual adoption by the party of a more economically liberal, catch-all strategy aimed at attracting the median voter.
Keywords: Australia, unions, Australian Labor Party, ALP, factions, leadership
Oxford Scholarship Online requires a subscription or purchase to access the full text of books within the service. Public users can however freely search the site and view the abstracts and keywords for each book and chapter.
Please, subscribe or login to access full text content.
If you think you should have access to this title, please contact your librarian.
To troubleshoot, please check our FAQs , and if you can't find the answer there, please contact us .
