N.S.W. Labour Party Ousts Five Members

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23042, 5 September 1949, Page 5

N.S.W. Labour Party Ousts Five Members

SYDNEY, Sept. 3

The New South Wales executive of the Australian Labour Party expelled five prominent members of the party for alleged disruptive tactics during the coal strike. The members were Mr. J. Heffernan, chairman of the rebel Labour conference held last Sunday, Mr. T. Morey, convener of the conference, Mr. A. E. Butler, president of the Darlinghurst branch, Mr. C. Reilly, a prominent member of the Waterside Workers’ Federation, and Mr. J. M. Kenny, a member of the Paddington branch. Mr. Heffernan is secretary of the Summerhill branch of the Australian Labour Party and Mr. Morey president of the Paddington branch. The central executive’s action is likely to intensify a faction fight in the Labour Party which began during the coal strike. The Federal and State Governments action in passing emergency legislation ao freeze the union funds, the gaoling of the union leaders and the use of servicemen in the open- cut mines started the faction fight. Some A.L.P. members claimed during the strike that the two Governments had disregarded the constitution of the A.L.P. and alleged that Labour members in the Federal and State Governments had broken important planks in the A.L.P. platform. The rebel Labour conference last Sunday carried resolutions condemning the Government for violation of the platform and the principles of the A.I.P. Executive members said those who attended the rebel conference played into the hands of the Communist Party.