Thread by @Vic_Rollison

Just because from time to time Labor do things you don’t agree with does not mean Labor are not progressive. Speaking in absolutes like this is so unhelpful to the political debate. It’s simplistic, reductionist, demonstrably false rubbish. A thread👇🏻

My values align with Labor so I joined the party. From the first Labor branch meeting I attended over 10 years ago, I learned just because I share Labor values, doesn’t mean I will agree on every single thing Labor do. Even in 6 person meeting you will find different perspectives

Labor has many internal policy debates because it is a broad church. There are people from all walks of life, different ages, diverse cultures and classes, and different policy interests and priorities. There’s nothing odd about this - it’s healthy to disagree.

Despite our disagreements, what we all agree on matters most - we all want a more equal society. Labor people are always focused on that - we know Labor’s work will never be done and that real progress requires constant effort, patience and compromise.

Of course if I disagreed with more policies than I agreed with, I wouldn’t be a member, nor vote Labor. From over 10 years as a member, there have only been a handful of times I’ve been disappointed with Labor’s position. I accept this is a natural part of political life.

Thing is, the idea that Labor’s position would and should align 100% with my preference every single time is arrogant. Who am I to say it’s my way or I walk? We have democratic forums and a chance to put our views across. These forums aren’t perfect, but what politics is?

I’ve learned how to put my views across, and how to talk to people with different views. I’ve learned that if you want to pass motions and enact policies, you have to be prepared to compromise to get agreement. Same goes for electoral politics.

Show me a political party where everyone agrees all the time and I’ll show you a party that offers a narrow platform not broadly relevant to the Australian public whose members engage in purist group think. Progress does not come from revolution. It comes from incremental change.

I’ve never met a Labor person who wants to be ‘pulled to the left’. The purpose of the Labor Party has always been to win govt so we can get on with implementing policies that make people’s lives better. The challenge is making our values relevant to more people, not fewer.

Just a side note, Labor people learn quickly that yelling and ranting at those we disagree with is the quickest way to lose a debate. No one ever convinced anyone to their view by hurling personal insults at them.

It’s not surprising most tweeps throwing around simplistic accusation ‘Labor aren’t progressive’ are also similarly simplistic about Labor’s asylum seeker policy. Reducing AS policy to ‘let them come’ versus ‘Labor set up concentration camps’ is great example of unhelpful debate.

Most people saying this have not actually appraised Labor’s asylum seeker policy and seen how different it is to Liberals’. Nor have they seen or researched how Labor came to this position through years of debate. Nor have they had reasonable discussions in a considered way.

Fact is, there is no simple way for Labor to manage the arrival of asylum seekers - it’s a wicked problem with no perfect solution. But every time Labor even start to discuss the problem, they (we) are screamed down with accusations of being murderers, not caring, inhumane.

I know hundreds of Labor members and not one of them is inhumane, or any of the other frankly offensive things we are accused of by mostly Greens seeking to score political points. This is not an invitation to commence more of the same on this thread (I note this won’t stop it).

I think what frustrates me most about people who have written Labor off because of one or two policies is that it’s clear they have literally stopped paying any attention to Labor’s policies and the thousands of progressive wins Labor have achieved for Australian people.

If you’re only willing to criticise Labor, and you’re not giving Labor credit where it’s due, and if you’re not even informed about Labor policies because you’ve switched off, then don’t expect people to engage with you in a reasonable discussion.

To finish, if you’re one of the people accusing Labor of not being your specific narrow version of what you subjectively refer to as progressive, I challenge you to hear what I’ve said and look at it from my, or any Labor person’s perspective. End.