No poll shock in Labor’s policies

BILL Shorten used to stagemanage Labor conferences for other leaders, but now the party will do it for him.

Months out from a federal election Labor is widely expected to win, the Opposition Leader doesn’t need anyone to rock the boat.

That means presenting a united, organised front at the ALP national conference in Adelaide, starting tomorrow.

“I think people understand that there is a difference between being passionate about an idea and being divisive,” new ALP national president Wayne Swan said.

At the last national conference in 2015, Labor dealt with the debate on boat turnbacks for asylum-seekers, with the hard heads of the right winning out over the left.

While the Coalition is ramping up pressure on Mr Shorten on border protection, some Labor figures don’t expect it to be an issue.

NSW Right faction leader Tony Burke and Left heavyweight Tanya Plibersek are confident there will be no changes.

Mr Swan said he expected some debate but that the overall framework of offshore processing, resettlement, safe turnbacks and a generous refugee intake would get broad agreement.

Mr Shorten is expected to address inequality with his “fair go plan”, which was unveiled in October, and stick to the big themes he’s been push- ing for two years. The Opposition Leader is concerned about rising inequality and stagnant wages, as the cost of living steadily increases.

How far that goes will be debated at the conference, including a potential lift to Newstart payments.

The unions will also have the opportunity to throw their weight around on industrial relations, as the ACTU pushes for commitments on industry- wide bargaining. The big issues factions will pursue will be settled today, when they meet to figure out what will be fought over from tomorrow to Tuesday. One Labor source said the issues that could dominate would be clearer after that meeting, and something often came out of the blue.

For powerbrokers, they are facing a delicate balance of not wanting to rock the boat and cost Labor an election win, but also using that leverage to force some changes through.

“You can never rule out surprises,” Mr Swan said, adding that “equality” would dominate. “First and foremost we are a ‘labour’ party.”

PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING PASSIONATE ABOUT AN IDEA AND BEING DIVISIVE WAYNE SWAN