The Death of the Labor Party in Oz

Well maybe it hasn't died, but gone into a near fatal demise, not to be rekindled for at least six years. It’s ironic that on Australia day, the Labor Party has taken another lurch to the right, by electing, unopposed the one guy who is most likely to give the government another term in office. The guy whose political hypocrisy and near sighted limited idea of what Australia is yearning for, is only matched by his colossal ego. Twice he has failed as leader of the opposition, to take govt from the Howard camp. There is absolutely no reason why he could win in a third try. It would be a hard ask of any Labor politician to win govt in the next elections, but for the unpopular Beazley, simply impossible.

The important thing about a democracy is that it needs a strong effective opposition for it to work. The recent Liberal victory in Oz left the Labor party weakened. The unfortunate election of Beazley as Opposition leader not only lost all credibility for the Opposition; it seriously damaged any vestige of democracy left in Australia.