Factional Spat splits labor left right & center

Ahh the good old labor factions.
I wonder who is in charge of the postage this time.


Labor’s Left faction has spectacularly split over the race for the national presidency, after a fiery meeting in Victoria on Tuesday night refused to endorse senior frontbencher Mark Butler, and will defiantly back state minister Jane Garrett for the party’s top organisational post.
On Monday, a caucus of Left members of the party’s national executive resolved by six votes to three, via teleconference, to endorse a candidate for president and then chose Mr Butler over Ms Garrett and former West Australian senator Louise Pratt, without dissent. This decision is being vigorously challenged.
A resolution of the Victorian Socialist Left executive, obtained by The Weekend Australian, lashes the national executive Left caucus as “undemocratic, counterproductive and against the spirit of the national presidency ballot”.
“The national Left’s constitution does not authorise a caucus of Left members of the national executive to act as a decision-making body for the national Left,” the resolution says.

It argues that only by “unanimous agreement” can national executive members aligned to the Left faction make such decisions.
The damaging split also underlines the deep division between Left faction powerbrokers and federal shadow ministers Anthony Albanese from NSW and Kim Carr from Victoria. Mr Albanese is backing Mr Butler, from South Australia, for president but is being fiercely opposed by Senator Carr’s Victorian Left sub-faction.
In a further blow to Mr Butler and Mr Albanese, party sources have told The Weekend Australian that the national Right faction, which has endorsed West Australian barrister Tim Hammond for president, is expected to direct preferences to Ms Garrett.
A meeting of affiliated unions in Victoria next week is expected to lock in behind Ms Garrett, the party’s national vice-president.
The Victorian Socialist Left executive meeting on Tuesday reaffirmed its position that Ms Garrett is to be supported for president.
Party sources said Bill Shorten was furious Mr Butler had nominated for the presidency and had refused to endorse his frontbench colleague.
Instead, the Opposition Leader had let it be known he was backing Mr Hammond.
A postal ballot of more than 40,000 members will take place from May 11 to June 12 to determine who becomes president. Those who come second and third will be elected as vice-presidents.

http://m.theaustralian.com.au/natio...right-and-centre/story-fn59nqld-1227330882187