Divided Opposition In Australia

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31669, 3 May 1968, Page 10

Divided Opposition In Australia

When he resigned from the leadership of the Australian Labour Party on April 20, Mr Gough Whitlam expected to be re-elected. He also hoped for a large majority as a vote of confidence. In the event his majority was reduced, his party has been further split, and his authority is diminished. The rift between Mr Whitlam and an Influential Victorian member of the Federal executive, Dr Cairns, is of long standing Dr Cairns opposed Mr Whitlam for the party leadership when Mr Caldwell resigned fifteen months ago. On that occasion he polled 15 votes to Mn Whltlam’s 39 after the distribution of preferences; this week’s poll gave Dr Cairns 32 votes to Mr Whltlam’s 38.

Mr Whltlam’s aim in resigning and demanding a show of confidence in his leadership was to secure Federal action in Victoria, where the party, in his opinion, is dominated by powerful and ruthless Left-wing influences. Dr Cairns has denied that the Victorian executive has any association with communism. When announcing his candidature for the Federal leadership he asserted that Mr Whltlam’s aim was to discredit the Victorian leaders as an excuse for Federal intervention. Mr Whitlam made it clear that he would regard his re-election as a mandate to seek the convening of a special Federal conference of the party at the earliest possible date. The immediate cause of Mr Whltlam’s challenge was the Federal executive’s rejection, about a fortnight ago, of the credentials of Mr R. W. B. Harradine, secretary of the Hobart Trades and Labour Council, as a delegate. The executive barred Mr Harradine when he refused to withdraw a charge that the Victorian party was under Communist domination. To get this charge publicly investigated, Mr Whitlam thought it necessary to by-pass the Federal executive and to put the matter before a full party conference. There he will need the support of at least four of the seven State branches. The Northern Territory now has full State rights in the party organisation. Before the vote which restored him to the leadership, Mr Whitlam was believed to be confident of support from New South Wales, Tasmania, South Australia, the Northern Territory, and possibly Western Australia.

Mr Whitlam has been accused of wanting dictatorial powers within the party and of demanding unquestioning loyalty from the central executive. The strength of the support extended to Dr Cairns shows clearly that many within the party give credence to this view. Dr Cairns has been quick to deny that Mr Whltlam’s re-election gives him a mandate for Federal interference in Victorian party management. At the moment Mr Whitlam certainly seems to have little hope of securing executive support for reforms in the Victorian party. While Left-wing dominance continues there, the “Sydney Morning Herald” has suggested, “ all Mr Whltlam’s debating triumphs and “moral advantages in Canberra will be of little “ account. The end of his struggle for reason, decency, “ and democracy in the Labour Party is nowhere in "right". ■