Labor Pains

In Australia this past weekend the Labor party had its national conference. While watching ABC 7.30's coverage, i couldn't help but be bowled over by the incredible allegory to the church's own situation.


Let me illustrate with some quotes. I've struck out the references to party names to help you imagine the word 'church' or the name of your denomination in its place.

Leigh Sales (Anchor):
And as political editor Chris Uhlmann reports the conference squibbed on answering some of the profound questions about Labor's future.

Senator John Faulkner (in a speech):
We are at a critical point. Our party faces a crucial decision. The situation is now dire. Delegates, our party is in decline. Our membership is small and getting smaller. Our membership is old and getting older.

Chris Uhlmann (reporter):
This 46th conference comes at a time when Labor's membership is haemorrhaging. Its leadership knows that it needs to regenerate but that means that somebody has to give up some power.
(To Doug Cameron): Do some people who have power have to give that power up?

Senator Doug Cameron:
Absolutely. And you know the party can't be run by bureaucrats and apparatchiks. We've got to be a party that's a rank and file, grass roots party. And that's the challenge between now and the next conference.

John Faulkner (in a speech):
Labor has had the courage to change Australia. And delegates, today we must find the courage to change ourselves.

Chris Uhlmann:
But there's no sign that the big questions this conference posed have been properly addressed. How does the Labor Party regenerate and reform for the 21st century?

John Faulkner (in a speech):
Our party has been here for a hundred years. What is at stake is that we ensure we're around for another hundred years.

Chris Uhlmann:
It's hard to see how the small reform steps embraced on the weekend will drive a Labor membership rebirth. And without it Labor's future is uncertain.

It will be interesting to see (and maybe compare) how each organisation deals with its own predicament. What do you reckon?