Soorley warns: ALP 'could implode'

Soorley warns: ALP 'could implode'

By Bill Mason

BRISBANE — Brisbane Lord Mayor Jim Soorley has warned the Queensland ALP government it will not survive if the administration continues to exclude people from the decision-making process.

According to Soorley, the Goss government is perceived as vindictive and intolerant by people inside and outside the party, while dissenters are branded as disloyal, alienated and treated as the enemy.

The criticisms are contained in a letter sent by Soorley to Premier Wayne Goss on July 27, once the ALP's narrow win the state election was declared.

According to Soorley, "The recent debacle of the election and the poor election campaign is a symptom of the problem, not the problem ...

"If we continue with a 'winner take all, belt the other faction, belt the other opinion into the ground' attitude, then your government will not survive three years, and the party will, in fact, implode."

The publication of Soorley's letter in the Brisbane Courier-Mail on August 19 is the latest round in a bitter internal war which has raged in the state ALP since the election disaster.

Soorley, who doesn't belong to any of the official factions, attacked Labor Left leader Bob Gibbs, who in turn accused Soorley of "mischievous content" in his letter.

From GLW issue 199